Articles
NUTRIENT STATUS OF CO-COMPOSTED INDIGENOUS IRISH WASTES, AND THEIR USE IN GROWING MEDIA
Article number
891_8
Pages
85 – 92
Language
English
Abstract
Green compost has been used for several years as part of peat dilution strategies with growing media produced for the retail, and latterly the professional market in Ireland and the UK. Shredded green materials derived from trees and shrubs provide an excellent structural backbone within which materials of a finer nature may be co-composted.
Materials with high moisture content in the form of sludges of dairy, wood/paper and malt origin were examined for their potential as peat diluents after co-composting with shredded green materials.
Acid digestates of sludges revealed significant inherent quantities of macro- and micronutrients.
Windrows of 100 m length and 3 m height were used in the studies.
Windrows were monitored for temperature and CO2 concentration, as well as nutrient status and microorganisms of human health concern.
Sludges were successfully co-composted with shredded green materials, and the end product of composting used in mixture with peat at dilution levels up to 40%. Plant growth in media containing co-composted materials was comparable to, and in some cases exceeded that of conventional peat-media.
Such enhanced growth may be associated with the provision of macro- and micronutrients from composted materials containing sludges.
Materials with high moisture content in the form of sludges of dairy, wood/paper and malt origin were examined for their potential as peat diluents after co-composting with shredded green materials.
Acid digestates of sludges revealed significant inherent quantities of macro- and micronutrients.
Windrows of 100 m length and 3 m height were used in the studies.
Windrows were monitored for temperature and CO2 concentration, as well as nutrient status and microorganisms of human health concern.
Sludges were successfully co-composted with shredded green materials, and the end product of composting used in mixture with peat at dilution levels up to 40%. Plant growth in media containing co-composted materials was comparable to, and in some cases exceeded that of conventional peat-media.
Such enhanced growth may be associated with the provision of macro- and micronutrients from composted materials containing sludges.
Authors
D. NiChualain, W. Carlile, C. Hynes, G. Phelan, R. O’Haire, O.P.E. Doyle
Keywords
sludge, dairy by-product, wood/paper, malt, green compost, plant growth
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