Abstract
Composts of agricultural by-products (chicken manure and cranberry pomace), biosolids and woodchips, biosolids mixed municipal solid wastes, and autumn leaves were evaluated for production of turfgrass or wildflower sods. The best sods measured by establishment and growth of stands were in the agricultural compost, which was rich in N (avg. 1.7%) and low in NH4+ (avg. 135 mg N/kg). High NH4+ limited stand establishment with immature biosolids-based composts. Some of these immature composts had total N concentrations >2%. Leaf compost was too low in total N (<0.7%) to support sod production without supplemental fertilization. Aging of each compost improved its capacity to support sod production, apparently as a result of changes in the N status of the media. Growth of soilborne weeds was promoted by incorporation of composts into soil or by application of composts as mulches. A barrier mulch of paper or other materials that impeded weed emergence effected weed control. Use of a mature compost with adequate N and control of weeds are essential practices for sod establishment with composts. E-mail barker@pssci.umass.edu
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