Frequently Asked Questions

Compost can be used for topdressing a lawn, but it is not the best material for topdressing.  Compost typically contains larger pieces of wood or other organic debris that is difficult to work down through the soil canopy.  Adding more organic matter to a turf that has excessive thatch may contribute to the spongy, soft surface.  Topdressing sand is the preferred material for topdressing lawns (based on decades of research by the USGA).  It provides aeration, levelling, and long-term soil benefits.  However, River Sand blends compost to create a Topdressing Blend if preferred by a client, and benefits from compost are still achieved.

Measure the square feet of the garden space that you need to incorporate compost into the soil.  Adding compost to an existing garden can improve your soil tilth, improve water retention, and nutrient availability.  Using our calculator, input the dimensions of the garden including 2 inches of compost as a depth.  Once you have the compost that you need on-site spread it evenly across the top of the garden prior to planting (usually in the fall or before spring).  Till the compost into the top 3 to 6 inches of soil using a tiller or by hand with a steel rake or hoe.  Plant your garden and watch it grow!

Compost is an excellent amendment to add to soil fertility.  The organic matter content can help add and retain nutrients available to plants.  In many cases, compost is a great way to reduce or eliminate use of commercial fertilzers.  However, the nutrient value of a quality compost is usually less than 1-1-1, meaning that more than 97% of the compost is not nutrients.  When compared to commercial fertilizer, such as a 50 lb bag of 10-10-10, there is more nutrient value, over 10 times, than compost.  So, compost is a great alternative that offers additional benefits from organic matter content and additional of beneficial soil microbes.  Regardless, be sure to perform a soil test (https://extension.uga.edu) prior to applying fertilizer to help your landscape, the environment, and save money. 

Compost is not topsoil.  Compost is one of the best amendments used to improve your dirt or topsoil but isn’t the best material to use alone for planting.  Its benefits of adding organic matter, microbes, and nutrients are best used when blending into a soil (unless it is being used a mulch). 

Compost can be used for many landscaping and gardening projects.  Compost can be used to mix in to garden soil, incorporate into planting soil, mulch plants in gardens or trees, topdress your lawn, or as a soil amendment.  It is usually blended with another sand, soil, or dirt to improve its quality and not a standalone growing media.

Compost is available by the bag at most hardware stores and landscape suppliers.  Bulk compost is usually preferred to save money along with the convenience of delivering a large amount that doesn’t fit in the back of a pickup or suv.  River Sand, Inc. supplies bulk compost and delivers by the cubic yard to Atlanta and the rest of the surrounding areas in Georgia.