Growth of Hardy Chrysanthemums in Containers of Media Amended with Composted Municipal Sewage Sludge
Four hardy Chrysanthemum X morifolium (Ramat) (chrysanthemum) cultivars were grown in peat sand media amended with 2 sources of sewage sludge compost at 50, 60 and 67% of the media by volume. Chrysanthemums growing in the 50% to 60% by volume composted sewage sludge treatments and top dressed with complete or only N slow-release fertilizers were comparable to plants growing in a commercially available potting medium with a complete fertilizer. Media containing 50 and 60% compost with a pH range of 6.2 to 6.9 supplied trace elements and most of the P and K necessary for normal plant growth. The use of a surfactant increased the fresh weight in some compost blends.
Contributor Notes
Scientific Article No. A-3571, Contribution No. 6646 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. This project was partially funded through a Cooperative Research Agreement between the Department of Horticulture, University of Maryland and the Biological Waste Management and Organic Resources Laboratory, BARC, USDA, Beltsville, MD. The mention of a trademark, proprietary product or vendor does not constitute an endorsement by the University of Maryland.
2Professor and Extension Horticulturist.