What is a Topdresser?

The first time I realized that I needed a top dressing spreader, was when I embarked on a home improvement project to spread a layer of compost over my entire lawn – by hand. Since my corner lot has a pretty big lawn area, you can just imagine the time and effort involved in spreading compost with a shovel over an entire yard, and I quickly realized that I needed to find a better way. Just doing it once was enough to convince me that manual spreading was a bit too labor-intensive, and that I would be much better off with some mechanical assistance. A little bit of research was all it took to inform me that what I really needed was a top-dressing machine which could accomplish the same thing much more easily, and much more quickly.

The Basics of Top Dressing Machines

If you haven’t heard the term before, top-dressing consists of spreading a thin layer of some kind of beneficial material on your grass, for the purpose of improving it in some way, and making it healthier. Once you’ve applied this layer of material, you can either rake it in somehow, or you can just let it settle naturally, and wait for the first rain to leech it into the ground for you. Nowadays, most people avoid the kind of major yard project that I engaged in at first, and they use either a heavy-duty spreader for a large yard, or a smaller model when the yard isn’t quite so big.

What do Heavy Duty Top Dressers Do?

When you use a top-dressing spreader to apply compost or other soil amendments to your grass, you accomplish a number of important objectives with your lawn, all in one fell swoop:

• improvement of soil biology, by adding in the beneficial micro-organisms which are present in compost
• drainage can be improved by spreading sand or other materials, which alter the system of drainage in your yard
• smooths out lumps and bumps in your lawn, many of which are caused by worm castings
• keeps thatch under control
• reduces stresses on your lawn
• serves as a relatively long-term agent for fertilization
• promotes the development of a lush, full, and healthy lawn.

Useful Top Dressing Techniques

For those of you who have not yet attempted to use a top-dressing machine on your lawn, there are some handy tips and techniques which will help you maximize the effort you put into making your lawn healthier and more attractive:

• only use compost which is fully de-composed, and has a dark, rich look to it
• avoid using fillers like sawdust or loam, because they don’t do anything for your soil content
• as you’re applying the lawn amendment, make sure to use an even distribution with your heavy-duty spreader, so all sections benefit
• it’s a good idea to perform top-dressing in tandem with other beneficial lawn care practices, such as seeding, aerating, and de-thatching
• if no rain is in the forecast, you should water your lawn after top-dressing, to ensure that the compost seeps into the soil
• top-dressing should be addressed annually, or as often as your lawn needs a boost to remain healthy and vibrant

Heavy Duty Top Dressers Built to Last

The specific top-dressing machine which is best for you will depend on how much acreage you have to cover. For instance, home usage would probably require a smaller machine such as TurfTime’s GT-100 Topdresser, which boasts a .75 cubic yard hopper, large enough to contain whatever soil amendments you have in mind, for easy spreading. On the other hand, if you need to treat some kind of athletic field, or perhaps the grounds around your local church or school, you may want to go with a heavy-duty spreader such as TurfTime’s 3065 Topdresser, which has a hopper capable of containing 7.5 cubic yards of material. Any of the line of top-dressing machines from TurfTime Equipment will provide awesome performance, at the best prices on the market.

Top Dressing Spreaders from TurfTime Equipment

Now that you have an idea of what top-dressing is all about, and you’re armed with some helpful hints about the whole process, you should be aware of why top-dressing can be so beneficial for your lawn, and how to go about it most efficiently. You should also know that there are much better ways than to take your shovel and spread material over your lawn, in a back-breaking yard project. To achieve the best results for a healthy and lush-looking lawn, contact Turftime Equipment about a top-dressing machine that may be right for your circumstances. It may be one of the best investments you ever make, and you’ll almost certainly end up with a more vibrant, healthier lawn than you’ve ever had before.