NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, I'm brand new to this whole lawn care thing - just bought my first house in Glen Rock and honestly I've already managed to burn patches in my backyard trying to figure out what I'm doing. Someone mentioned I should be using "screened compost" for top dressing but I have no idea what that means or where to get it. Is this something I can pick up at a local nursery or do I need to go to some special facility? My yard is mostly tall fescue I think (the previous owner told me but honestly I wasn't paying attention). Any help appreciated - I just don't want to kill my grass in the first year!

Welcome to the club Nate! Don't stress - everyone kills some grass their first year, it's basically a rite of passage lol. Screenshot compost is just compost that's been filtered through screens to remove the big chunks and debris, leaving you with a nice fine, crumbly texture. It's way better than regular compost for top dressing because it settles into the turf without clumping up. For Tall Fescue in Bergen County you're in good shape - that and KBG are pretty much the standard around here. I'd recommend getting it from Richfield Farms in Ridgewood or Saddle River if you want quality stuff, not the cheap stuff from big box stores.

Richfield is good but honestly I've had better luck with compost from the Bergen County Utilities Authority - they sell it at the transfer station onames in Lyndhurst for super cheap, like $30-40 per cubic yard. The screening isn't as fine as what you'd get from a nursery but it's totally usable. Pro tip though - if you're buying from anywhere, ask when they screened it. You want compost that's been curing for at least 6-8 weeks, otherwise it can actually burn your grass. Also don't dump it more than like 1/4 inch thick - less is more with top dressing!

Mike's advice on thickness is spot on - I've seen so many newbies pile it on too thick and then wonder why their grass is smothering. Also timing matters - you really want to do top dressing in early fall (late September through mid October) when temps cool down but your grass is still actively growing. Spring is okay but not ideal because of the weeds. For Glen Rock specifically I'd also get a soil test done first through Rutgers cooperative extension - it's free or like $20 and will tell you what your pH actually is. Your grass might not need compost at all if your soil is fine, could just need nitrogen.

Steve makes a good point about the soil test. I went years adding compost every spring before someone told me mysoil was already pretty decent. Definitely get that done first. Also if you do end up needing compost, the Meadowlands Landscape Supply in Carlstadt has a good screened option - definitely call ahead though because they sometimes run low in peak season.

Wow thanks everyone - this is super helpful! I had no idea there were so many options and that timing mattered that much. I'll definitely look into that soil test first before going crazy. Quick follow up - is late September too late to start or should I wait until next fall? My yard honestly looks pretty rough right now from my experimenting lol.

You're fine waiting till fall - don't panic and try to fix everything at once. Just water consistently (like 1 inch per week total including rain) and stay off it when it's wet. Fall application will make a huge difference, you'll be surprised. Also pro tip: sign up for the Bergen County compost program email list - they announce when the cured stuff becomes available and it's usually late August. That stuff fills up fast! Good luck!