West Orange WEHI preliminary report

7 To meet these special needs, the school decided to use a tailor-made mature compost blend, chosen because its bulk density is much lighter than soil-based mixes. The compost mix is also extremely absorbent, maintains good drainage, and protects plant roots from climatic fluctuations. A local compost producer tailor-made a mature yard trimmings compost mixture to meet the project’s specifications. A layer of polystyrene packaging peanuts was placed in the bottom of each planter box to enhance drainage, and a 5-foot layer of the compost mixture was placed on top. Four years after the project began, the school continues to use its rooftop garden for a number of activities, including teaching science classes and gardening methods. The compost has per- formed very well as a growing medium and contin- ues to produce beautiful, healthy plants that both the students and teachers can enjoy. ç Using Compost in Landscape Maintenance Each year, millions of people visit Point State Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Heavy traffic and 12 continuous years of chemical fertilizer applications caused the park’s grassy areas to become increasingly compacted, eroded, and depleted of vital nutrients. After considering several options, park officials decided to aerate the grassy areas and apply a special blend of mature yard trimmings compost and fire calcined clay. This compost mixture was designed to alleviate compaction, add nutrients to the soil, and to improve water-holding capacity. Workers spread a 1/4-inch topdressing of the compost mixture and then uniformly applied grass seed. Soon after the compost was applied, park officials noted that the turf was healthier and that the soil no longer exhibited signs of compaction. Photo courtesy of AgRecycle Inc. Tailor-made compost was the key to success for the rooftop garden at Pace School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.