text: Applications for Compost 
  **Planting New Garden Beds or Lawns**
  Spread a 2-4 inch layer of compost and mix into the upper 6-12 
  inches of existing soil: use more in sandy soils, and less in heavy clay. 
  Reapply ½-1 inch annually on garden beds. 
  
  **Mulch (surface applications on landscape beds)**
  Spread a 1-2 inch layer of coarse, woody compost. To allow proper 
  airflow, it is best not to pile mulch around the stems of trees and 
  shrubs. Pull mulch 1-2 inches away from stems. 
  
  **Top Dressing for Lawns**
  Spread a ¼ to ½ inch layer of fine screened compost, and rake it into 
  the lawn. For best results, plug-aerate the lawn before top-dressing. 
  Overseeding at the same time will thicken thin patches in lawns. 
  
  **Blended (Manufactured) Topsoils**
  Good quality “topsoil” products usually include 10-40% compost by 
  volume, mixed with a sandy loam soil that allows good drainage. 
  These compost-soil blends help establish healthy lawns and gardens. 