157 SUITABILITY OF A SHREDDED NEWSPAPER, KITCHEN WASTE COMPOST AS A ROOT SUBSTRATE FOR TOMATO SEEDLINGS

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 29; no. 5; p. 451
• Main Authors: Bearce, Bradford C, Diener, R.G, Collins, A.R, Bissonette, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-05-1994
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.29.5.451c

A small, continuous flow compost reactor was employed to produce a compost from a shredded newspaper/kitchen waste mixture. Transit time through the reactor was 4 weeks and the compost was then stockpiled for 5, 7, 8 or 9 weeks prior to evaluation. Cress seed germination was not reduced in graded aqueous compost extracts, however, seedling radicle length was significantly reduced in the nondiluted extract.. Elemental analysis of the compost showed PO 4 ond K to be about 20 and 2 times recommended levels and No 5 times the maximum level at 577 mg. liter -1 . Electrical conductivity of the compost was 5 dS.m -1 and pH range was 6.2-7.3. Composts were leached with water to E.C.'s of 1-1.5 dS.m -1 before planting tomato seedlings. Dry weights of tomato seedlings grown 5 weeks in the composts were equal to those in a peat vermiculite control, except that dry weights of seedlings in the compost stockpiled for 5 weeks were less than those of control plants. Some residual inhibition of growth may hove remained in the compost for at least 5 weeks after the production dote but by the 7th week, no growth inhibition was apparent.