COMMON BEECH BARK COMPOST AS GROWING MEDIUM AND SOIL IMPROVER IN GROWING VEGETABLES UNDER PROTECTION

The results of experiments presented in this paper are the effect of investigations conducted during the last years since 1970, concerning a versatile use of waste products in vegetable under glass and plastic.

Former investigations have proved a full usefulness of bark and sawdust from coniferous trees as components of substrates mixed with black peat /in different proportions/ for growing of cucumbers and tomatoes under glass and plastic. They have also revealed that it is possible to use non-composted pine bark and sawdust from coniferous trees as fertilising material in growing of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers in plastic tunnels.

Bark and coniferous sawdust mixed in suitable proportions with dryed hen droppings may be used as well in growing of stenothermal vegetables as a biologically heating layer. The utilization of the hot fermentation period of this material in the growing process of vegetables under glass and plastic is a method having in view to save energetics sources used as well for heating of growing protected areas, as for CO₂ production.

In Poland are processed in paper mills also considerable quantities of beech wood. Its waste products, mainly the bark are for these plants very onerous. Three years lasting investigations concerning compost from some years old beech bark as component of mixed substrates or as only substrate in cucumber and tomato growing under glass and plastic as well as a soil improver in lettuce, tomato and cucumber growing under plastic, proved the possibility of such a kind of utilization.

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