Turf Basics
Organic Amendments for Turfgrass and Other Urban Landscapes
By Greg Evanylo, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Specialist, Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
O
rganic amendments marketed for use in turfgrass and other urban landscapes are typically recycled by-products derived from agricultural, municipal and industrial processes. Common by-products include animal manures and crop residues (agricultural); yard wastes, food residuals and biosolids (municipal); and papermill sludge and food-processing wastes (industrial). These by-products must be treated by Processes to Further Reduce Pathogens
(PFRP) to generate a Class A product that can safely be applied to land accessible to the public. The PFRP treatment processes include heat treatment (pasteurization), drying and composting. Class A products contain no detectable concentrations of pathogens and do not attract nuisance vectors, such as flies and vermin. In addition, products used in publicly accessible areas must also contain low levels of pollutants (such as heavy metals). When Class A products are also low in pollutants,
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they are termed Exceptional Quality, or EQ, products. The processes used to treat these by-products ensure ease of handling and application, permitting their use in urban environments. Such products are increasingly being developed as soil amendments in lieu of disposal in landfills and incinerators.
By-products for turfgrass
Some of the most proven by-products for use in turfgrass are heat-dried and pelletized/granulated biosolids (treated