EVALUATING COMPOSTS TO PRODUCE WILDFLOWER SODS ON PLASTIC

This research evaluated production of wildflower sods in soil and comp osts of mixed municipal solid waste, biosolids and woodchips, fall lea ves, and mixed agricultural wastes. Soil or composts were laid on plas tic sheeting in outdoor plots, and a mixture of wildflower seeds was s own in July and in September in separate experiments. Quality of sods was assessed in two growing seasons, Best sods with respect to seed ge rmination, stand establishment, and intensity and diversity of bloom o ver two seasons occurred in mature biosolids compost and in agricultur al waste compost. These composts were low in ammonium but rich in tota l N. Germination and growth of wildflowers were limited by high ammoni um concentrations in immature biosolids composts. Nitrogen deficiency limited sod growth and quality in leaf composts. Poor N nutrition and weed competition restricted sod production in soil. Fertilization of s oil promoted unacceptably large weed growth. Summer seeding or fall se eding resulted in good sods, but many annual flowers that appeared in the summer seeding were absent in the fall-seeded planting. Using plas tic-lined plots was a convenient system for evaluating composts and ot her media in outdoor culture.