Articles
VERMICOMPOST AMENDED PINE BARK PROVIDES MOST PLANT NUTRIENTS FOR HIBISCUS MOSCHEUTOS ‘LUNA BLUSH’
Article number
891_30
Pages
249 – 256
Language
English
Abstract
Common nutrient inputs for containerized nursery crops in the southeastern US include dolomitic limestone to provide calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg); sulfated micronutrients to provide sulfur (S), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu); and controlled release fertilizer (CRF) to provide nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Vermicompost (VC), used as an amendment by some nurserymen, may supply sufficient quantities of some nutrients.
The objective of this study was to determine if conventional nutrient inputs could be replaced by commercially available vermicompost (VC) for production of Hibiscus moscheutos Luna Blush L. (hibiscus) in 3.8-L containers.
Plants were grown in one of two substrates and provided one of three CRFs.
The two substrates were pine bark amended with 11% sand (by vol.), 1.8 kg∙m-3 dolomitic limestone, and 0.9 kg∙m-3 micronutrient package (PBS) and pine bark amended with 20% VC (by vol.) (20VC). The CRFs were 17-6-12, 17-0-12, and 17-0-0. The four treatments included PBS with 17-6-12 (PBS+NPK), 20VC with 17-6-12 (20VC+NPK), 20VC with 17-0-12 (20VC+NK), and 20VC with 17-0-0 (20VC+N). The PBS+NPK treatment served as the control treatment to represent the industry standard.
Plants were grown outdoors in a simulated nursery setting and harvested 8 weeks after potting.
Total nutrient plant content was determined by summing the nutrient content by plant partition (root, stem, leaf, and flower bud). Total plant nutrient contents of P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B were equivalent or greater for all VC treatments compared to PBS+NPK. Therefore, this source of VC replaced the conventional nutrients inputs supplied with dolomitic limestone, micronutrient package, and P in the CRF. Moreover, all three VC treatments averaged 40% greater plant dry weight and 93% more flowers than PBS+NPK. This source of VC can provide all nutrients inputs with the industry standard treatment, with the exception of N and K.
The objective of this study was to determine if conventional nutrient inputs could be replaced by commercially available vermicompost (VC) for production of Hibiscus moscheutos Luna Blush L. (hibiscus) in 3.8-L containers.
Plants were grown in one of two substrates and provided one of three CRFs.
The two substrates were pine bark amended with 11% sand (by vol.), 1.8 kg∙m-3 dolomitic limestone, and 0.9 kg∙m-3 micronutrient package (PBS) and pine bark amended with 20% VC (by vol.) (20VC). The CRFs were 17-6-12, 17-0-12, and 17-0-0. The four treatments included PBS with 17-6-12 (PBS+NPK), 20VC with 17-6-12 (20VC+NPK), 20VC with 17-0-12 (20VC+NK), and 20VC with 17-0-0 (20VC+N). The PBS+NPK treatment served as the control treatment to represent the industry standard.
Plants were grown outdoors in a simulated nursery setting and harvested 8 weeks after potting.
Total nutrient plant content was determined by summing the nutrient content by plant partition (root, stem, leaf, and flower bud). Total plant nutrient contents of P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B were equivalent or greater for all VC treatments compared to PBS+NPK. Therefore, this source of VC replaced the conventional nutrients inputs supplied with dolomitic limestone, micronutrient package, and P in the CRF. Moreover, all three VC treatments averaged 40% greater plant dry weight and 93% more flowers than PBS+NPK. This source of VC can provide all nutrients inputs with the industry standard treatment, with the exception of N and K.
Authors
M.S. McGinnis, T.E. Bilderback, S.L. Warren
Keywords
herbaceous perennial, media, ornamental crop growth, substrate, worm castings
Online Articles (35)