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Using Compost on Golf Course Turf By Bob Morris and Dale Devitt
In the past, composted materials had long been used by the turfgrass industry as soil conditioners and organic fertilizers when little else was available as far as nitrogen was concerned. Compost use declined with the development of ag-based fertilizers with high nitrogen content and the relative low cost of applying large amounts of nitrogen to large turfgrass acreages. Little thought was given to overall plant health but rather priority was given to indicators of vigor such as color, density and clipping yield. Products like Milorganite were one of the few products in this category that reinvented manure-based fertilizer as a high quality, turfgrass fertilizer with consistent quality and which could compete with ag-type products, even at a higher price.
There has been a recent surge in the horticultural community concerning "organic" sources of nutrients, addressing concerns surrounding the environmental movements, and as a possible outlet for the increasing problem of waste disposal. Environmental fines and public concerns fueled a new way of looking at waste products and their potential as sources of nutrients for plants and coincidentally with possible side benefits, such as improved soil properties and disease suppression, which had not been considered previously. Composting of waste products frequently served such a purpose and with this process came a renewed source of locally and regionally available organic fertilizers.
Although many landscapers, grounds managers, and golf course superintendents have successfully used composts in their operations, others are reluctant to apply products that have not been fully tested. In most cases, the compost in question is suitable, but the turf manager often chooses more familiar products that have been adequately tested, have performed well in the past or were recommended by horticultural experts.
Research at Penn State University evaluated the effects of eight compost products made from a variety of sources, as soil amendments for establishing Kentucky bluegrass. Products were incorporated into an unimproved clay soil at two different rates to a depth of four to six inches prior to planting. Composted products included animal manures, composted yard waste, plant manures and others. Results showed that all compost sources and at both rates of application greatly increased the rate of Kentucky bluegrass establishment when compared to standard control plots using traditional methods.
Higher rates (over 6 cu. Yds./1,000 sq. ft.) generally provided faster turf establishment than the lower rates (3 cu. Yds./1,000 sq. ft.) for each products. This was attributed to the good soil conditioning properties of the compost as well as the high amounts of quickly available nitrogen and readily available phosphorus. Most of the products used in these studies supplied at least a portion of the plant's fertilizer requirements for at least two growing seasons. For most treatments, only a small amount of nitrogen (2 lb N/1000 sq. ft./year) was needed to maintain good quality Kentucky Bluegrass. Probably the greatest benefit provided turfgrass when compost is used are soil enhancements such a s improvements in structure, infiltration and percolation. All compost treatments in the Penn State study increased soil organic matter content, reduced the bulk density, and increased water infiltration rates when compared with the unamended control.
Grounds managers frequently claim that composts give only short-lived improvements to soils due to their relatively short life compared to products such a reed and sedge peats. It should be remembered that once turfgrass gets a foothold into a soil and is growing strongly, organic byproducts from its improved growth add additional organic matter to the soil from decomposing leaf litter, roots and stem tissue. This can provide continual improvements to the soil's structure.
Little information is available regarding the effects of compost topdressings on fertility of low-cut turfgrass. But in research at Ohio State University, nitrogen was applied as an inorganic fertilizer at three different rates for a period of three years.
Compost topdressings were used to supplement the applied nitrogen, applied in May and September of the same years, and were compared to the non topdressed controls . Compost topdressings significantly increased turfgrass color, growth, and foliar nitrogen concentrations up to five and eight weeks after applications.
High salinity is a frequent concern when applying composted animal wastes and can potentially damage germinating turfgrass sensitive to salts. Composted manures can have salinity levels over 8.0 mmhos per cm, a level high for germinating seeds. However, it must be taken into consideration that salinity from composted manures is from a wide range of sources, such as calcium and potassium, rather than just the more damaging sodium and chloride sources.
When comparing potential damage from salinity, the source of the salts is an important factor and more telling perhaps than the general level of salinity alone.
Sources of salinity were also found to be important during research in Nevada that looked at different types of salts and foliar application of reuse water to ornamental plants. Composts can significantly reduce the use of pesticides when incorporated into turfgrass disease management programs.
Many pesticides have the potential to harm wildlife, humans, or move into groundwater. Compost applications to turfgrass have been shown to suppress snow mold diseases, fusarium blight, ,microdochium patch, and anthracnose. Although the use of compost may not control turfgrass diseases to a level which may entirely replace the use of fungicides, it may be possible that their integration into current disease management programs could reduce the use of fungicides. Disease suppressive composts can be incorporated into normal golf course maintenance by replacing sphagnum peat or other organic materials used in topdressing mixtures.
High levels of microbial activity in composts have been postulated as the primary mechanism of disease control in several studies. An 80-90 percent reduction in disease was obtained, and reported, with late spring applications of compost from yard trimmings. It has been suggested that composts such as these increase or restore soil microbial populations. There are a number of studies where nutrient competition has been suggested to be a factor in the suppression of plant pathogens. Researchers generally support the idea that microbial populations in compost provide nutrients and other chemical compounds to competing microorganisms through continual breakdown of the compost.
Compost teas, which are water extracts from composts, have been demonstrated to suppress various fruit and vegetable diseases. In one study done in California on a golf course, turfgrass treated with a compost tea had longer root length and fewer incidences of a patch disease than untreated turf. However the treated turf did not differ from the untreated turf in color, density, soil nutrient levels, bacterial or fungal populations or root mycorrhizal populations.
Bob Morris and Dr. Dale Devitt are with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Center for Urban Water Conservation in Las Vegas.
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