Soil amendment - Ask Extension
Lived outside of Sunriver, and I am wanting to plant clover and fescue in a yard that has never had grass, except for some deer grass. Very sandy and...
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Soil amendment #868364
Asked May 14, 2024, 11:07 AM EDT
Lived outside of Sunriver, and I am wanting to plant clover and fescue in a yard that has never had grass, except for some deer grass. Very sandy and fine pumice dirt. What are the steps before during and after. And should I use a 50-50 compost from central oregon compost or something else. CD
Deschutes County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi CD,
Adding organic matter is often a good idea to improve soil aggregation and water-holding capacity-- both can improve lawn growth and resilience. Check out this resource on considerations for using organic amendments: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1561-improving-garden-soils-organic-matter See the section on Lawn Establishment.
I can't speak to the quality of any particular batch of compost, but considerations to be aware of include the potential presence of weed seeds, trash, and occasionally herbicide residues. Some compost providers test for the presence of weed seeds and the nutrient content of the compost. You might inquire about those sort of tests. This resource has more information on selecting and using compost and is worth checking out: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9308-how-use-compost-gardens-landscapes
Good Luck!
Gordon
Adding organic matter is often a good idea to improve soil aggregation and water-holding capacity-- both can improve lawn growth and resilience. Check out this resource on considerations for using organic amendments: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1561-improving-garden-soils-organic-matter See the section on Lawn Establishment.
I can't speak to the quality of any particular batch of compost, but considerations to be aware of include the potential presence of weed seeds, trash, and occasionally herbicide residues. Some compost providers test for the presence of weed seeds and the nutrient content of the compost. You might inquire about those sort of tests. This resource has more information on selecting and using compost and is worth checking out: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9308-how-use-compost-gardens-landscapes
Good Luck!
Gordon
