Don't ever buy compost from retail chain nursery's (Lowes, HD, Calloways), their compost is made from cheap products such as wood chips, and most is not fully decomposed. The proper name for the small wood chip product is called "landscapers mix" and is really not a viable product to be used anywhere in the garden.

What is most likely happening to your yard is two things:

1.) The wood chips are slightly smothering the grass depending on how well you raked in the product.

2.) The wood chips are tieing up nitrogen momentarily trying to decompose the chips the rest of the way.

So your answer is:

1.) To find a new source of compost. I use and highly recommend "Back to Nature Cotton Burr Compost" found at most local nurseries (use the fine screened product if you are top dressing)

2.) Apply some high nitrogen organic product (CGM) for a little decomposing booster.

Good Luck

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Everything in Moderation

The proper rate for applying compost to turf is 1 cubic yard per 1,000 square feet. This amount is basically invisible, so if you can see your compost after applying it, then you used waaaaay too much. I've seen fantastic bermuda lawns killed out with compost. Right now a neighbors St Augustine lawn is mostly smothered out by too much compost. Some of these professional yard guys need to be held responsible for their stupidity. They should replace the turf (at no charge) that they killed out by using too much compost.

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum