Composting

[Growing Green]

Hey guys, I know I've been asking a lot of questions lately and I really appreciate your patience with me. I'm learning a lot and I'm starting to get more calls and they are making me think about things I haven't thought about before. I googled and I searched in forum and didn't find anything on my question. My questions is - What is the easiest way to spread compost? I remember doing this on my own yard in my old house about 4 years ago and it took me forever with a wheelbarrow, shovel, rake and my back. Any suggestions or ideas would greatly be appreciated. I don't fear the hard work just want to be smart with the way I work. Thanks again, Matt

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Austin Organic Lawn and Landscaping Care

[ritchiem]

Lawn care business tips

I use pelletized compost and spread it with a high output spreader. Good money maker too!

[ritchiem]

here is a link to the compost I use

http://turfrevolution.com/TR_timesavr_comm.html

And this is the spreader I use

http://www.earthway.com/product/high-output-1/

[Steve]

What is the easiest way to spread compost?

What kind of compost will you be spreading? Will this be compost you make or something purchased? I think that will effect the kind of spreader you will need.

[picframer]

As Steve noted it depends on what you are spreading, first year we rented a Top Dressing spreader which is also designed for compost, second year we purchased one but they are desperate expensive, renting one is probably best. We were able to justify the purchase as we have a number of large lawns that wanted turf dressing annually.

[Growing Green]

It is from a company here that I use called The Natural Gardener. All organic product that is a think soil like substance. It is a blend of 5 composts, decomposed granite and humate. Way to thick to put in a spreader.

Matt

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Growing Green

It is from a company here that I use called The Natural Gardener. All organic product that is a think soil like substance. It is a blend of 5 composts, decomposed granite and humate. Way to thick to put in a spreader.

Matt

Try the top dressing spreader, I have even spread top soil with it just to see if it would

[Growing Green]

This machine looks awesome. Has anyone tested this one out?

http://www.topdresser.ca/?Video

Matt

[Steve]

first year we rented a Top Dressing spreader which is also designed for compost, second year we purchased one but they are desperate expensive, renting one is probably best. We were able to justify the purchase as we have a number of large lawns that wanted turf dressing annually.

Andy, how many account or how much money do you feel a lawn care business should be making from top dressing in order to justify the purchase of such a machine vs renting it?

Also, what is your view on how often this service could be utilized by a customer per year?

How should a lawn care service price such a job with a top dresser?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Andy, how many account or how much money do you feel a lawn care business should be making from top dressing in order to justify the purchase of such a machine vs renting it?

Also, what is your view on how often this service could be utilized by a customer per year?

How should a lawn care service price such a job with a top dresser?

The cost to rent one here is $85.00 a day, I also took into consideration I have to pick it up and have it back by a certain time.

I was fortunate in that we have four private communities that we look after and the lawns were in desperate tough shape as the previous provider told them they had chinch bug when in fact they had white grubs, the damage to the lawns was thousands. White Grubs come from June bugs and around here if you have a place on the Ocean, look out. I have seen grubs destroy beautiful lawns in as little as two weeks.

We seem to come across a lot of lawns that are in bad shape, generally speaking there was never enough top soil put down at the start and our ground is such that the natural earth in the city is mainly clay.

It got to the point I was renting this machine three to five days a week, looked at the cost of buying one, jobs done and jobs on the books, made sense to buy one in my case.

Generally speaking, top dressing once every 3 years should do the trick however some clients want it every year so we do this in the fall. You kind of need upper end clients or commercial accounts as top dressing is expensive, around $780.00 a load here, we charge $48.50 a yard to spread.