Sustainable Landscapes Hartin

Compost Use in Sustainable Landscapes: 

Compost Use in Sustainable Landscapes Janet Hartin University of CA Cooperative Extension jshartin@ucdavis.edu

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

Use USDA or Sunset Zones : 

Use USDA or Sunset Zones

Microclimates : 

Microclimates

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

Water Efficient Landscapes: 

Water Efficient Landscapes

Slide9: 

Good (top) and Poor (bottom) Distribution Uniformity

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping: 

Principles of Sustainable Landscaping Climatically/microclimatically Selected Plants Water Efficient/Hydrozoned Pollution Friendly (water quality, noise, dust) Employs Integrated Pest Management Reduces, Recycles, and Reuses Greenwaste

CA Waste Snapshot (CIWMB) : 

CA Waste Snapshot (CIWMB)

Landscape Soils: 

Landscape Soils High quality compost enhances the physical, chemical, and biological properties of a soil. It can successfully be used as a soil amendment, turf topdressing, mulch, erosion control agent, and water quality enhancer.

Soil Textures: 

Soil Textures

Plant Disease Suppression: 

Plant Disease Suppression - compost contains beneficial micro-organisms which can suppress many turf grass diseases including Fusarium patch (Microdochium nivale), red thread (Laetisaria fuciformis), and brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani) particularly when applied as a top dressing or a root zone amendment.

Slide20: 

Phytophthora root rots (aggressive pathogens)

Slide21: 

Phytothphora root rot of rhododendron

Pythium blight of turf: 

Pythium blight of turf Pythium spp. are opportunists –they aggressively colonize dying plant materials: thatch layers, green manures, etc. – in turf, the disease occurs when the weather is warm and the grass crowns and thatch layer are under water for a long period. Plants recently stressed, or lush from high N show increased susceptibility.

Composted greenwaste used as a bermudagrass soil amendment: 

Composted greenwaste used as a bermudagrass soil amendment J.S. Hartin1, S.B. Ries2, S.T. Cockerham2 and V.A. Gibeault3 1UC Cooperative Extension, 2UC Riverside Agricultural Operations , 3UC Riverside Botany and Plant Sciences

Different quality athletic fields: 

Different quality athletic fields

Slide25: 

There are few published data indicating the optimum volume and specific benefits of composted organic materials used for this purpose. Previous research indicates that, in general, organic soil amendments increase water and nutrient retention of sandy soils (Hartz et al.,1996; Laganiere et al.,1995) and may enhance drought resistance (Miller, 2000). Organic soil amendments added to coarse-textured soils may also increase the diversity of pore sizes leading to a more gradual water release (McCoy, 1992).

Slide26: 

Objectives of this portion of our 3-year research project were to measure the effect of three volumes of composted greenwaste applied as a soil amendment to establishing common bermudagrass on: Visual quality Total plant biomass Water infiltration

Slide28: 

Three rates of composted greenwaste (0.24, 0.39 and 0.49 m3 m-3 final volume) were incorporated into the top 10 cm of a sandy loam soil in early August 2000. The C:N ratio was 10:26; CEC 38.8 meq/100 g; pH 7.6; EC 30.2 mmhos/cm and SAR 18.8. A randomized complete block experimental design with six replicates in two plots was used. An unamended control was included. Arizona common bermudagrass (Cyonodon dactylon L) was seeded 2 weeks later at 9.8 g m-2.

Slide29: 

Simulated traffic treatments using a Brinkman traffic simulator began in May 2001 by subjecting assigned split-plot treatments to 3 passes every 2 weeks. Plots were irrigated at 80% of historic reference (ETo), adjusted on a monthly basis. Fertilizer was applied during the growing season to all treatments at a total rate of 24.4g N m-2yr-1.

Slide30: 

Turfgrass visual quality was measured every 2 to 4 weeks monthly (except January). Surface hardness and compaction resistance*, total plant mass, water infiltration rates, and surface elevations* were measured 2 to 3 times annually. Infiltration was quantified using a static head, double ring infiltrometer in two locations per plot. Oven-dried plant mass was measured after removing soil from one 5 cm- diameter x 10 cm- deep soil core per treatment plot. *not included here

Results: 

Results

During the initial 12 months of the study: There were no differences in visual quality between traffic and no traffic treatments receiving the same volume of composted amendment Visual quality of all treatments was lower than at the end of Year 3: 

During the initial 12 months of the study: There were no differences in visual quality between traffic and no traffic treatments receiving the same volume of composted amendment Visual quality of all treatments was lower than at the end of Year 3

Slide34: 

Table 1. Mean visual turfgrass quality on a 1-9 scale (9 = highest)

Slide35: 

Table 2. Infiltration rate (cm hr-1) (Dec. ‘01, Aug. ‘02, Dec. ‘02, Aug, ‘03, Nov.’03)

Slide36: 

Table 3. Total plant biomass (g m–2 to 10 cm depth) (June ‘01, Sept. ‘01, June ‘02, Oct.’02, June ‘03, Sept. ‘03)

Conclusions : 

Conclusions In this study, amending soil with composted greenwaste generally resulted in higher bermudagrass turfgrass visual quality and greater infiltration rates and total plant biomass than resulted in unamended controls. The highest volume of amendment applied (0.49 m3 m-3 ) did not reduce visual quality, infiltration rate, or total plant biomass potentially increasing the market for greenwaste compost as a turfgrass soil amendment and leading to greater landfill diversion of these organic materials.

Additional research comparing the combined effects of different depths and volumes of organic matter incorporation on visual quality, plant biomass and infiltration rates of bermudagrass plantings subjected to varying levels of traffic simulation would further define recommended standards. : 

Additional research comparing the combined effects of different depths and volumes of organic matter incorporation on visual quality, plant biomass and infiltration rates of bermudagrass plantings subjected to varying levels of traffic simulation would further define recommended standards.

Topdress with Compost: 

Topdress with Compost

Janet Hartinjshartin@ucdavis.edu(951)313-2023: 

Janet Hartin jshartin@ucdavis.edu (951)313-2023