Growth of Impatiens ‘Accent Red’ In Three Compost Products

Growth of Impatiens wallerana Hook. ‘Accent Red’ was evaluated in three composted urban waste materials (composted biosolids and yard trash (SYT): 20 percent biosolids/sewage sludge, 44 percent yard trimmings, and 36 percent mixed paper; composted refuse fuel residues with biosolids and yard trash (RYT): 74 percent refuse-derived fuel residuals, 10 percent biosolids/sewage sludge, and 16 percent yard trimmings; and composted municipal solid waste (MSW): 100 percent municipal solid waste). Treatments consisted of 100 percent composted waste and media in which the composted wastes were combined with control medium components at 60 percent, 30 percent, or 0 percent composted waste, by volume. Shoot dry mass of plants grown in SYT increased as the percentage of SYT in the medium increased, while shoot dry mass of plants grown in MSW linearly decreased from 1.24 g to 0.15 g. There were no significant differences in shoot dry mass of plants grown in different percentages of RYT. Initial medium soluble salt concentrations in MSW media were more than double concentrations measured in SYT and RYT media. Soluble salt concentrations in both the 100 percent and 60 percent MSW media exceeded 1.75 dS.m−1, while the soluble salt concentrations in 100 percent SYT and 100 percent RYT were 0.50 dS.m−1 and 0.61 dS.m−1, respectively. The C:N ratios in 100 percent SYT and RYT were 17 and 15, respectively, while 100 percent MSW had a C:N ratio of 29. The relatively higher level of compost maturity as indicated by lower C:N and soluble salt concentrations contributed to superior growth of impatiens plants in 100 percent SYT and RYT compared to 100 percent MSW.