Effects of Pine Sawdust, Hardwood Sawdust, and Peat on Bareroot Soil Properties

Koll, P., Jurgensen, M. F., and Dumroese, R. K. IN: National Proceeding: Forest and Conservation Nursery Associations - 2009. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Sta­tion, Proceedings RMRS-P-62, p. 69-73. 2010.

We investigated the effects of three organic amendments on soil properties and seedling growth at the USDA Forest Service JW Toumey Nursery in Watersmeet, MI. Pine sawdust (red pine, Pinus resinosa), hardwood sawdust (maple [Acer spp.] and aspen [Populus spp.]), and peat were individually incorporated into a loamy sand nursery soil in August 2006, and soil properties were sampled periodically for the next 14 months. Red, jack (Pinus banksiana), and white pine (Pinus strobus) were sown into test plots in June 2007 and sampled for growth responses at the end of the growing season. We hypothesized that pine sawdust and peat could be used as satisfactory soil amendments to improve soil conditions and reduce costs when compared to hardwood sawdust in bareroot nursery soils. The addition of peat and pine sawdust increased soil organic matter above control soil conditions after 14 months. Hardwood sawdust-amended soils did not differ from control soils after the same time period. High nitrogen (N) concentrations in peat increased total soil N over the other treatments. We are currently analyzing seedling growth data; our preliminary observations suggest that addition of peat as a soil amendment enhanced soil properties, but no amendments increased 1-year seedling growth over control soils.

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Author(s): Martin F. Jurgensen, Paul Koll, R. Kasten Dumroese

Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 2009

Event: Northeastern Forest and Conservation Nursery Association Meeting
2009 - Grand Rapids, Michigan