Top-Dressing with Manure: Why Leave It on the Surface?

Observing composted manure applied as a surface layer at the Atlanta Botanical Garden—without incorporation—might seem odd, but there's method to it. The primary goal: attract earthworms. They pull the organic matter downward, naturally aerating and enriching the soil profile. Without this cycle, beds would compact and require mechanical renovation every few years.

There's likely a practical secondary reason too: winter gives garden interns fewer outdoor tasks, and spreading manure keeps them productively occupied.