Adding compost or black dirt to lawn?

[Otts]

I am on clay and do not have a lot of black dirt under the grass. MY lawn is either nice and wet or hard as a rock. Can I add compost or blackdirt to the lawn to help "build it up?" If so, how much can I add at a time and how often or when is best to do it?

Thanks for the help...Otts

[IFallsRon]

I've used a top dressing of 3 parts sand, 3 parts top soil and 1 part compost.

[fishing tech]

I have about 8 inches of black dirt and then sand as far as you would care to dig. Is there anything I can add to help keep the water from going straight through. Maybe I could send you some sand and you send me some clay.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Otts -

If you want to keep the grass you have, I'd add about an inch of decent topsoil over the top, and then seed that as well. This will allow the grass that you do have to grow through the top, fill in any small depressions (or large ones for that matter) and get some new growth at the same time.

As for the other post about what to add to keep the water from going straight through..... add some black dirt.

Really there's not alot you can add to that much black dirt to help. If the water is still going through the dirt, I personally don't have any help for you.

[hotrod1]

Actually Fishing Tech, My opinion, without actually seeing your soil, is that I wouldnt add anymore black dirt to try keeping it wet. You would then only cause more problems. Having water go thrugh the black dirt and into the sand makes for good subsurface drainage...more blackdirt would only make your yard feel like a sponge and never dry, causing shallower roots, and possibly a weak lawn.

Letting the topsoil dry occasionally is not a bad thing IMO. It makes the roots go deeper looking for water.

[fishing tech]

The problem is it drains to good. 2-3 days of sunshine and the grass starts turning brown and the ground gets rock hard.