ISHS Acta Horticulturae 133: Nutrient Film Technique and Substrates, XXI IHC
COMPOSTED AND NON-COMPOSTED WOODWASTES IN GROWING VEGETABLES UNDER PROTECTION IN POLAND |
| Author: | T. Pudelski |
| Abstract:
Research on the utilization of woodwastes in vegetable growing was initiated in 1970 in the Vegetable Department of the Poznan Academy of Agriculture. The studies were concerned with the use of non composted pine bark as a component of the growing medium along with deeply decomposed low moor peat, the pine bark making up 30 to 50 percent of the mix on a volume basis. Cultivation included spring cucumbers and autumn tomatoes grown over a period of several years in a greenhouse. A five-year experiment demonstrated that the low moor peat and bark mixture retained its good physical properties longer than a peat substrate prepared of Sphagnum peat /Pudelski, 1978 a/. In the years 1971–1972 several paper mills in Poland began composting bark of coniferous trees, mainly pine, using ammonium nitrate and biologically active sludge from the mills sewage treatment plants. Since 1973 bark composts are commercial product used mainly in horticulture as homogeneous growing media, as a component of mixed growing media in cultivation under glass and plastic, and also as an organic fertilizer in protected cultivation as well as on watered areas in field cultivation. Further intensive research at the Academy of Agriculture in Poznan during the early 70's resulted in mixed growing media composed of low moor peat, non-composted bark and coniferous sawdust /mixed at various proportions/ used for one vegetation period in protected vegetable growing and fertilized with mineral compound mixtures of the type MIS. For growing cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers these media were placed on a biologically heating layer made of straw bales. Comparisons of these mixed media with a peat substrate made of Sphagnum peat alone demonstrate that when mixes are used it is possible to obtain good physical properties and controlled feeding of plants based on periodical chemical analyses, in other words, to obtain high yields of good quality at lower costs /30 to 50 percent/ and an easier access to the materials /Pudelski, 1973, 1975/. The use of non-composted common beech bark as a component of growing media for horticulture was at first unsuccessful. In 1976 the paper mill at Swiecie began composting old common beech bark peeled in the years 1968–1969. | |
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