Green Waste Compost Research Articles

Long-term amendment of four different compost types on a loamy silt Cambisol: impact on soil organic matter, nutrients and yields

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the long-term effects of different composts (urban organic waste compost (OWC), green waste compost (GWC), cattle manure compost (MC) and sewage sludge compost (SSC)) compared to mineral fertilisation on a loamy silt Cambisol, after a 7-year start-up period. The compost application rate was 175 kg N ha−1, with 80 kg mineral N ha−1 and without. Soil characteristics (soil organic carbon (SOC), carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio and soil pH), nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)) and crop yields were investigated between 1998 and 2012. SOC concentrations were increased by compost applications, being highest in the SSC treatments, as for soil pH. N contents were significantly higher with compost amendments compared to mineral fertilisation. The highest calcium-acetate-lactate (CAL)-extractable P concentrations were measured in the SSC treatments, and the highest CAL-extractable K concentrations in the MC treatments. Yields after compost amendment for winter barley and spring wheat were similar to 40 kg mineral N ha−1 alone, whereas maize had comparable yields to 80 kg mineral N ha−1 alone. We conclude that compost amendment improves soil quality, but that the overall carbon (C) and N cycling merits more detailed investigation.

Combining woody biomass for combustion with green waste composting: Effect of removal of woody biomass on compost quality

The question was tackled on how the green waste compost industry can optimally apply the available biomass resources for producing both bioenergy by combustion of the woody fraction, and high quality soil improvers as renewable sources of carbon and nutrients. Compost trials with removal of woody biomass before or after composting were run at 9 compost facilities during 3 seasons to include seasonal variability of feedstock. The project focused on the changes in feedstock and the effect on the end product characteristics (both compost and recovered woody biomass) of this woody biomass removal. The season of collection during the year clearly affected the biochemical and chemical characteristics of feedstock, woody biomass and compost. On one hand the effect of removal of the woody fraction before composting did not significantly affect compost quality when compared to the scenario where the woody biomass was sieved from the compost at the end of the composting process. On the other hand, quality of the woody biomass was not strongly affected by extraction before or after composting. The holocellulose:lignin ratio was used in this study as an indicator for (a) the decomposition potential of the feedstock mixture and (b) to assess the stability of the composts at the end of the process. Higher microbial activity in green waste composts (indicated by higher oxygen consumption) and thus a lower compost stability resulted in higher N immobilization in the compost. Removal of woody biomass from the green waste before composting did not negatively affect the compost quality when more intensive composting was applied. The effect of removal of the woody fraction on the characteristics of the green waste feedstock and the extracted woody biomass is depending on the season of collection.

Nitrification during extended co-composting of extreme mixtures of green waste and solid fraction of cattle slurry to obtain growing media

Next generation of waste management systems should apply product-oriented bioconversion processes that produce composts or biofertilisers of desired quality that can be sold in high priced markets such as horticulture.Natural acidification linked to nitrification can be promoted during composting. If nitrification is enhanced, suitable compost in terms of pH can be obtained for use in horticultural substrates. Green waste compost (GW) represents a potential suitable product for use in growing medium mixtures. However its low N provides very limited slow-release nitrogen fertilization for suitable plant growth; and GW should be composted with a complementary N-rich raw material such as the solid fraction of cattle slurry (SFCS). Therefore, it is important to determine how very different or extreme proportions of the two materials in the mixture can limit or otherwise affect the nitrification process.The objectives of this work were two-fold: (a) To assess the changes in chemical and physicochemical parameters during the prolonged composting of extreme mixtures of green waste (GW) and separated cattle slurry (SFCS) and the feasibility of using the composts as growing media. (b) To check for nitrification during composting in two different extreme mixtures of GW and SFCS and to describe the conditions under which this process can be maintained and its consequences.The physical and physicochemical properties of both composts obtained indicated that they were appropriate for use as ingredients in horticultural substrates.The nitrification process occurred in both mixtures in the medium-late thermophilic stage of the composting process. In particular, its feasibility has been demonstrated in the mixtures with a low N content. Nitrification led to the inversion of each mixture’s initial pH.

Weed seed inactivation in soil mesocosms via biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing waste amendments.

Biosolarization is a fumigation alternative that combines passive solar heating with amendment-driven soil microbial activity to temporarily create antagonistic soil conditions, such as elevated temperature and acidity, that can inactivate weed seeds and other pest propagules. The aim of this study was to use a mesocosm-based field trial to assess soil heating, pH, volatile fatty acid accumulation and weed seed inactivation during biosolarization. Biosolarization for 8 days using 2% mature green waste compost and 2 or 5% tomato processing residues in the soil resulted in accumulation of volatile fatty acids in the soil, particularly acetic acid, and >95% inactivation of Brassica nigra and Solanum nigrum seeds. Inactivation kinetics data showed that near complete weed seed inactivation in soil was achieved within the first 5 days of biosolarization. This was significantly greater than the inactivation achieved in control soils that were solar heated without amendment or were amended but not solar heated. The composition and concentration of organic matter amendments in soil significantly affected volatile fatty acid accumulation at various soil depths during biosolarization. Combining solar heating with organic matter amendment resulted in accelerated weed seed inactivation compared with either approach alone. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Innovative biocatalytic production of soil substrate from green waste compost as a sustainable peat substitute

In the present work, a new simple and quick eco-friendly method is discussed to handle effectively the green wastes and produce a sustainable peat substitute of high quality on the large scale. Principal physicochemical parameters, i.e., temperature, moisture, specific weight, pH, electrical conductivity and, also, microorganisms, organic matter, humic substances, total Kjeldahl nitrogen and total organic carbon, C/N ratio, ash, metal content and phytotoxicity, were monitored systematically. Humic substances content values were interrelated to both C/N ratio and pH values and, similarly, bulk density, TOC, TKN, C/N, GI, ash and organic matter were found interconnected to each other. A novel biocatalyst, extremely rich in soil microorganisms, prepared from compost extracts and peaty lignite, accelerated the biotransformation. Zeolite was also employed. The compost does not demonstrate any phytotoxicity throughout the entire biotransformation process and has increased humic substances content. Both humic substances content and germination index can be employed as maturation indices of the compost. Addition of compost, processed for 60 days only, in cultivations of grass plants led to a significant increase in the stem mass and root size, annotating the significant contribution of the compost to both growth and germination. The product obtained is comparable to peat humus, useful as peat substitute and can be classified as a first class soil conditioner suitable for organic farming.

Maturation of green waste compost as affected by inoculation with the white-rot fungi Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium

ABSTRACTGreen waste was separately inoculated on day 0 and day 14 with either Trametes versicolor or Phanerochaete chrysosporium to determine their effects on composting time and compost quality. Inoculation with T. versicolor and P. chrysosporium caused more rapid and higher increases in compost temperatures, increased the duration of the thermophilic temperature stage, and reduced the maturity time. Inoculation with T. versicolor and P. chrysosporium greatly increased the quality of the final composts in terms of pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter concentration, C/N ratio, germination index, and nutrient content. Inoculation with T. versicolor and P. chrysosporium also significantly increased the degradation of lignin by 7.1% and 8.2%, respectively, and increased the degradation of cellulose by 10.6% and 13.6%, respectively.

Substrate comparison for short-term success of a multispecies tree plantation in thickened tailings of a boreal gold mine

Tree planting can accelerate the conversion of mine sites into forests after closure, thereby decreasing environmental impacts on forested landscapes. However, few studies have investigated tree planting to reclaim metalliferous mine tailings. To mitigate the restrictions to tree growth associated with mine tailings, soils and amendments can be used. A 2-year field experiment was conducted in low-sulphur thickened tailings of a gold mine under boreal conditions. We aimed to select the best substrate to establish multispecies plantations. We compared the effects of (1) increasing the topsoil volume and thickness, (2) amending tailings and overburden with greenwaste compost, and (3) direct planting in the tailings on the establishment of Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch, Pinus banksiana Lamb., Salix viminalis L., and P. × canadensis Moench × P. maximowiczii A. Henry. Trees did not survive the first winter when planted directly in tailings, but compost addition to tailings increased survival through substrate structure improvement. However, survival and growth remained lower for three species planted in the compost and tailings mixture compared to soil treatments. Tree roots did not colonize tailings underlying the compost and tailings mixture, whereas roots were present in tailings underlying soil layers. In overburden amended with compost, survival and growth rates were similar to those for trees planted in topsoil of the same thickness. Adding compost to tailings or mineral soil improved the P nutrition of trees, which appeared a limiting nutrient in this study. Tree growth was influenced by topsoil thickness (50 vs. 20 cm) rather than volume (20 cm layer vs. 20 cm deep planting holes); trees grown in the thicker topsoil showed the highest N nutrition and aerial growth.

Improving green waste composting by addition of sugarcane bagasse and exhausted grape marc

The composting of lignocellulosic waste into compost is a potential way of sustainably disposing of a waste while generating a useful product. The current study determined whether the addition of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) (at 0, 15, and 25%) and/or exhausted grape marc (EGM) (at 0, 10, and 20%) improved the two-stage composting of green waste (GW). The combined addition of SCB and EGM improved composting conditions and the quality of the compost product in terms of temperature, water-holding capacity, particle-size distribution, coarseness index, pH, electrical conductivity, water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen, microbial numbers, enzymatic activities, polysaccharide and lignin content, nutrient content, respiration, and phytotoxicity. The optimal two-stage composting and the best quality compost were obtained with the combined addition of 15% SCB and 20% EGM. With the optimized two-stage composting method, the compost matured in only 21days rather than in the 90–270days required for traditional composting.

Influence of biochars, compost and iron grit, alone and in combination, on copper solubility and phytotoxicity in a Cu-contaminated soil from a wood preservation site

Two biochars, a green waste compost and iron grit were used, alone and in combination, as amendment to improve soil properties and in situ stabilize Cu in a contaminated soil (964mgCukg−1) from a wood preservation site. The pot experiment consisted in 9 soil treatments (% w/w): untreated Cu-contaminated soil (Unt); Unt soil amended respectively with compost (5%, C), iron grit (1%, Z), pine bark-derived biochar (1%, PB), poultry-manure-derived biochar (1%, AB), PB or AB+C (5%, PBC and ABC), and PB or AB+Z (1%, PBZ and ABZ). After a 3-month reaction period, the soil pore water (SPW) was sampled in potted soils and dwarf beans were grown for a 2-week period. In the SPW, all amendments decreased the Cu2+ concentration, but total Cu concentration increased in all AB-amended soils due to high dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration. No treatment improved root and shoot DW yields, which even decreased in the ABC and ABZ treatments. The PBZ treatment decreased total Cu concentration in the SPW while reducing the gap with common values for root and shoot yields of dwarf bean plants. A field trial is underway before any recommendation for the PB-based treatments.

Influence of Organic Matter Content on Hydro-Structural Properties of Constructed Technosols

Constructed Technosols may be an alternative for creating urban green spaces. However, the hydro-structural properties emerging from the assembly of artefacts have never been documented. The soil shrinkage curve (SSC) could provide relevant structural information about constructed Technosols, such as the water holding capacity of each pore system (macropores and micropores). The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the SSC and water retention curve (WRC) to describe the structure of constructed Technosols and (ii) to understand the influence of organic matter content on soil hydro-structural properties. In this study, Technosols were obtained by mixing green waste compost (GWC) with the material excavated from deep horizons of soil (EDH). The GWC was mixed with EDH in six different volumetric percentages from 0% to 50% (GWC/total). The GWC and EDH exhibited highly divergent hydro-structural properties: the SSC was hyperbolic for GWC and sigmoid for EDH. All six mixture treatments (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% GWC) exhibited the classical sigmoid shape, revealing two embedded levels of pore systems. The 20% GWC treatment was hydro-structurally similar to the 30% and 40% GWC treatments; so, a large quantity of expansive GWC is unnecessary. The relation with the GWC percentage was a second-degree equation for volumetric available water in micropores, but was linear for volumetric available water in macropores and total volumetric available water. Total volumetric available water in the 50% GWC treatment was twice as high as that in the 0% GWC treatment. By combining SSCs and WRCs, increasing the GWC percentage increased water holding capacity by decreasing the maximum equivalent size of water-saturated micropores at the shrinkage limit and increasing the maximum equivalent size of water-saturated macropores, resulting in an increased range of pore diameter able to retain available water.

Interactions between organisms and parent materials of a constructed Technosol shape its hydrostructural properties

Abstract. There is no information on how organisms influence hydrostructural properties of constructed Technosols and how such influence will be affected by the parent-material composition factor. In a laboratory experiment, parent materials, which were excavated deep horizons of soils and green waste compost (GWC), were mixed at six levels of GWC (from 0 to 50 %). Each mixture was set up in the presence/absence of plants and/or earthworms, in a full factorial design (n = 96). After 21 weeks, hydrostructural properties of constructed Technosols were characterized by soil shrinkage curves. Organisms explained the variance of hydrostructural characteristics (19 %) a little better than parent-material composition (14 %). The interaction between the effects of organisms and parent-material composition explained the variance far better (39 %) than each single factor. To summarize, compost and plants played a positive role in increasing available water in macropores and micropores; plants were extending the positive effect of compost up to 40 and 50 % GWC. Earthworms affected the void ratio for mixtures from 0 to 30 % GWC and available water in micropores, but not in macropores. Earthworms also acted synergistically with plants by increasing their root biomass, resulting in positive effects on available water in macropores. Organisms and their interaction with parent materials positively affected the hydrostructural properties of constructed Technosols, with potential positive consequences on resistance to drought or compaction. Considering organisms when creating Technosols could be a promising approach to improve their fertility.

Urban waste composts enhance OC and N stocks after long-term amendment but do not alter organic matter composition

Organic matter (OM) amendments, originating from waste materials, could be used to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and fertility of cropland soils. However, there is a limited understanding about the long-term effect of different urban waste compost amendments on soil organic matter (SOM) formation processes and their impact on SOC storage. Accordingly, the long-term effects of different OM amendments on the amount and composition of particulate and mineral associated SOM were investigated. Surface soils were sampled from a Luvisol under cropping rotation, which received biannually 0.4kg organic carbonm−2 in form of three different urban composts or cattle manure for a period of 15 years.Despite similar C input, different urban waste compost amendments resulted in contrasting C storage. While there were no C stock changes for municipal solid waste compost amended soils, composts from organic waste and green waste and sewage sludge increased SOC stocks in a similar range as conventional farmyard manure. In bulk soils, SOC stocks were increased by approximately 30%, in occluded particulate OM<20μm by 155% (organic waste compost) and 71% (green waste and sewage sludge compost). Carbon storage in clay fractions showed approximately 20% higher values in all treatments. Organic matter amendments result in C–N coupling as for N proportional stock increases were recorded. The high variability of the composition of different amendment types was reflected in the particulate OM fractions but not in the highly uniform composition of the mineral-associated OM. Bulk soil wettability was not affected by the amendments, as only POM fractions showed increased hydrophobicity, but not clay fractions. Clay fractions showed high alkyl/O-alkyl and low C/N ratios, characteristic for microbial material. The OM composition in the clay fraction is determined by the microbial residues that are independent in their composition from the input material. The increased C storage in the clay fractions of the soil amended with organic wastes and green waste and sewage sludge compost and farmyard manure might be promoted by a better microbial use efficiency leading to C sequestration as microbial compounds.

Influence of green waste compost on azimsulfuron dissipation and soil functions under oxic and anoxic conditions

Concerns have been raised over the sustainability of intensive rice cultivation, where the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has been associated with numerous environmental problems. The objective of this study was to test the effect of the herbicide azimsulfuron on important soil functions as affected by amendment with a byproduct of the olive oil industry. Soil was collected from a Mediterranean rice field. Part of it was amended with alperujo compost (AC). Amended and unamended soils were incubated for 43days in presence or not of azimsulfuron, under anoxic-flooded (AF) and oxic-unflooded (OU) conditions. We monitored the dissipation of the herbicide azimsulfuron, C mineralization, soil microbial biomass (SMB) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content and its nature. Under AF conditions, the application of compost produced an increase in the dissipation of the herbicide (up to 12.4%). It was related with the higher DOC content, 4 times higher than under OU conditions. Though increases in carbon turnover (under AF and OU conditions) and reduction of SMBC after herbicide application (only under AF conditions) were observed, the differences were not statistically significant. The application of this organic amendment is presented as an efficient management strategy to increase C turnover in agricultural soils and reduce some of the negative effects derived from the application of azimsulfuron under flooded conditions.

Yielding and Heavy Metals Accumulation in the Biomass of Grass Cultivated in Substrata with the Participation of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Green Waste Compost

Yielding and Heavy Metals Accumulation in the Biomass of Grass Cultivated in Substrata with the Participation of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Green Waste Compost

The Earthworm Eisenia fetida Can Help Desalinate a Coastal Saline Soil in Tianjin, North China.

A laboratory microcosm experiment was conducted to determine whether the earthworm Eisenia fetida could survive in a saline soil from a field site in North China, and an experiment using response surface methodology was conducted at that field site to quantify the effects of E. fetida and green waste compost (GWC) on the salt content of the soil. The microcosm results showed that E. fetida survived in GWC-amended saline soil and increased the contents of humic acid, available N, and available P in the GWC-amended soil. The data from the field experiment were described by the following second-order model:, where y is the decrease in soil salinity (g of salt per kg of dry soil) relative to the untreated control, x 1 is the number of E. fetida added per m2, and x 2 is the quantity of GWC added in kg per m2. The model predicted that the total salt content of the saline soil would decrease by > 2 g kg-1 (p<0.05) when 29–90 individuals m-2 of E. fetida and 6.1–15.0 kg m-2 of GWC were applied. We conclude that the use of E. fetida for soil desalination is promising and warrants additional investigation.

Influence of bulking agents on physical, chemical, and microbiological properties during the two-stage composting of green waste

A recyclable organic bulking agent (BA) that can be screened and was developed to optimize green waste (GW) composting. This study investigated the use of wood chips (WC) (at 0%, 15%, and 25%) and/or composted green waste (CGW) (at 0%, 25%, and 35%) as the BAs in the two-stage composting of GW. The combined addition of WC and CGW improved the conditions of composting process and the quality of compost product in terms of composting temperature, porosity, water retention, particle-size distribution, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), nitrogen losses, humification indices, microbial numbers, enzyme activities, macro- and micro-nutrient contents, and toxicity to germinating seeds. The compost matured in only 22days with the optimized two-stage composting method rather than in the 90–270days typically required for traditional composting. The optimal two-stage composting process and the best quality of compost product were obtained with the combined addition of 15% WC and 35% CGW.

Chestnut green waste composting for sustainable forest management: Microbiota dynamics and impact on plant disease control

Making compost from chestnut lignocellulosic waste is a possible sustainable management strategy for forests that employs a high-quality renewable organic resource. Characterization of the microbiota involved in composting is essential to better understand the entire process as well as the properties of the final product. Therefore, this study investigated the microbial communities involved in the composting of chestnut residues obtained from tree cleaning and pruning. The culture-independent approach taken highlighted the fact that the microbiota varied only slightly during the process, with the exception of those of the starting substrate and mature compost. The statistical analysis indicated that most of the bacterial and fungal species in the chestnut compost persisted during composting. The dominant microbial population detected during the process belonged to genera known to degrade recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials. Specifically, we identified fungal genera, such as Penicillium, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Mucor, and prokaryotic species affiliated with Bacilli, Actinobacteria, Flavobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria. The suppressive properties of compost supplements for the biocontrol of Sclerotinia minor and Rhizoctonia solani were also investigated. Compared to pure substrate, the addition of compost to the peat-based growth substrates resulted in a significant reduction of disease in tomato plants of up to 70 % or 51 % in the presence of Sclerotinia minor or Rhizoctonia solani, respectively. The obtained results were related to the presence of putative bio-control agents and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria belonging to the genera Azotobacter, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Streptomyces and Actinomyces in the chestnut compost. The composting of chestnut waste may represent a sustainable agricultural practice for disposing of lignocellulosic waste by transforming it into green waste compost that can be used to improve the fitness of agricultural plants.

A glass house trial to investigate the impact of water treatment sludge and green waste compost to enhance the revegetation of contaminated sites

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the use of waste amendments (green waste compost (GWC) and water treatment sludge (WTS) cake) in improving the nutrient and revegetation status of contaminated soil obtained from a former industrial site that has heavy metal and hydrocarbon contamination. The waste amendments were mixed with the contaminated soil at application rates equivalent to 90 and 180 t ha−1 (wet weight) and placed in plastic pots. The unamended soil serves as the control. Reed canary grass and white mustard were allowed to grow on the amended and unamended contaminated soil in the glass house. After a 30- day growth period, soil nutrient status was observed and was found to be higher in the amended contaminated soil than the control. In the amended soil, organic matter, total nitrogen, total potassium and soil nitrate were highest in contaminated soil amended with GWC at 180 t ha−1 and lowest in contaminated soil amended with WTS cake at 90 t ha−1. Above-ground dry mass of reed canary grass and white mustard grown on amended contaminated soil increased by 120–222% and 130–337%, respectively, as compared to the control, showing that improved fertility of contaminated soils thereafter, enhanced revegetation.

The long term use of farmyard manure and compost: Effects on P availability, orthophosphate sorption strength and P leaching

This study was set up to identify the role of dairy farmyard manure and green waste or farm compost used as a source of stable organic matter on soil P availability and P leaching. We sampled two long term field trials (8 and 16 years) on silt loam soil, with continuous amendment of dairy farmyard manure (FYM) and 6 types of organic waste (VFG, BIO), municipal solid waste (MSW), sludge (GWS) or organic farm waste (CMC1, CMC2) composts. Soil P availability was measured as 0.01M CaCl2 extractable P (P-CaCl2) and hot water extractable P (HWP) and fresh subsamples were used to conduct a leaching experiment in unsaturated conditions in the laboratory. Since the P fertilization history was not equal among the treatments, P leaching concentrations (TP) were standardized with the total P content of the soil (Ptot). P-CaCl2, HWP and the P leaching experiment revealed that in long term farmyard manure amended soils, more P becomes available and is susceptible to leaching than in long term VFG, BIO, MSW, CMC1 and CMC2 compost amended soils. We observed a seasonal trend in P-CaCl2 with minimum and maximum at end of winter (February) and mid-summer (July), respectively. Although this trend was independent of the fertilizer type amended on the soil, the P-CaCl2 significantly increased for farmyard manure amended soil, compared to compost amended soil at any time during the sampling period of >1 year. A sorption experiment with radiolabelled orthophosphoric acid (33PO4) revealed that increased soil P availability and P leaching are related to a decrease in orthophosphate sorption in farmyard manure amended soils, which was not observed in compost amended soils. It is concluded that farmyard manure derived P is more available and more prone to leaching compared to compost derived P due to differences in PO4 sorption.

FAVOUR STREET TREE ROOT GROWTH WITH HIGH SUPPLIES OF ORGANIC MATTER INDUCES CHANGES IN URBAN SOIL PROPERTIES

Physical properties of urban soils often limit tree development. Urban soils are compacted resulting in reduced water infiltration and air. The available soil volume for root colonisation is usually limited by the underground infrastructures. Exogenous organic matter has been shown to have a positive impact on the physical properties of agricultural soils. In some urban situations, the wide-scale availability of organic matter and the need for important soil restructuring have led to the addition of very large quantities of organic matter. Our objectives were to measure in soil reconstituted with high levels of organic matter: (1) the effects of organic matter decomposition on the evolution of physical properties, and on street tree root and shoot development; (2) the changes induced by tree root development on the physical properties of bulk soil. We monitored over a 60-month period, physical properties – dry bulk density, structural stability and permeability – of reconstituted soils placed in 600-L containers under natural conditions. The top layer was a sandy loam amended with 40% by volume of sphagnum peat or organic compost – a sewage sludge and wood chip compost or a green waste compost – lying on a layer of sandy loam. The control container was composed of two layers of sandy loam. Bare root, Ostrya carpinifolia Scop were planted into half of the containers and we monitored root biomass and distribution and, shoot development. Organic matter had significant effects on the soil physical properties compared to the control with a significant decrease of the soil bulk density and a significant increase of structural stability and infiltration rate. Root system significantly responded to organic matter content which increased the root mass and density. Root system development followed the vertical gradient of soil bulk density and, the underlying layer presented a small root number and was unsuitable for root growth. Similarly to the roots, branching number and order were favoured by organic matter compared to the control. After 2 years, the root development in the containers was assessed but did not affect the bulk soil physical properties which were similar for all treatments. After 5 years, statistical analysis showed that tree root density had significant effects on structural stability and infiltration rates comparing containers with and without tree. Great level of compost in a constructed soil increased physical properties and tree above and below ground development. We assessed that, five years after planting, the tree root system improved urban soil structure.