Hopes high for compost tea trials on Halifax sports fields
10 Aug, 2010 Athletic Turf NewsHALIFAX, CANADA — Much of Canada has switched from the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to the use of more natural substances to control weeds and make their grass greener and healthier. As the switchover is relatively recent in those regions of the country that have banned or restricted the use of synthetic products, the success of these natural remedies are still being evaluated.
One interesting program coming to light recently involves the use of compost tea made from worm feces and other materials on the sports fields at Ardmore Park here. The Halifax Regional Municipalities (HRM) is trying the material on some of its debilitated sports fields.
Rob Mullane, superintendent of HRM playgrounds and sports fields, said the city will apply a compost tea manufactured by local entrepreneurs Own Davis and Sons, operators of Biogreen Resources in nearby Sackville.
Mullane said the city experimented with a compost team on its sports fields six years ago with “tremendous results.”
There will be several applications of this compound prior to winter. The work will take place during early morning hours. Compost tea is being used on a trial basis to see if this product can boost the growth of grass along with aeration, topdressing and an over-seeding program. The organic compound is environmentally friendly and does not give off an offensive odor, says Mullane.
According to Biogreen Resources: “Compost Tea is a liquid extract from stable, mature high quality compost. Compost tea is the result of 'brewing' precise portions of high quality compost, microbe foods, water and aeration for various lengths of times.
The tea contains all the soluble nutrients extracted from the compost, but also contains all the beneficial microbe species of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes in the compost. Beneficial microbes are microscopic organisms in the soil that decompose residues, cycle nutrients in the soil, build soil structure and organic matter. They work in conjunction with plant roots to hold nutrients in the soil and release them as needed. These micro-organisms also contain disease suppressing characteristics.
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