Growth of Salt Sensitive Bedding Plants in Media Amended with Composted Urban Waste

Growth of Impatiens wallerana Hook.f (impatiens) and Antirrhinum majus L. (snapdragon) was evaluated in media containing 0, 30, 60, or 100 percent compost made from biosolids and yard trimmings. Shoot dry mass, size, and height of both impatiens and snapdragon linearly increased as the percentage of compost in the medium increased. Initial media soluble salt, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) concentrations also linearly increased as the percentage of compost in the medium increased. However, final shoot N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations in both impatiens and snapdragon plants were not different among the media examined. Results suggest that impatiens and snapdragons can be successfully grown in 100 percent compost made from biosolids and yard trimmings.