From: News Alert E-Memo (memofrom@Colorado.EDU)
Date: Mon Jun 13 2011 - 03:16:41 MDT
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:16:41 -0600 (MDT) From: News Alert E-Memo <memofrom@Colorado.EDU> Subject: FACILITIES MANAGEMENT IS BREWING UP COMPOST TEA AND CONVERSATION
TO: All Students
FROM: Facilities Management - Outdoor Services
SENDER: megan.rose@colorado.edu
DATE: 06-13-11
SUBJECT: FACILITIES MANAGEMENT IS BREWING UP COMPOST TEA AND CONVERSATION
As part of the effort to achieve the goal of implementing organic solutions to campus landscape maintenance, the Outdoor Services Turf Management team will begin injecting compost tea through the irrigation system.
Compost tea is an all natural product that improves overall soil health. As with any plant, overall plant health begins with healthy soil. Compost tea provides microbial life to the soil which helps grow healthier plants with a denser canopy. The introduction of more microbial life gives turf a chance to out compete weeds. The healthier the soil, the healthier the plant, the denser the canopy, the harder it is for weeds to establish.
Healthy soils not only promote healthier turf, trees and beds but also assist with more efficient watering. In a healthy soil, plant roots grow deeper and more abundantly because water is more easily retained. The increased water retention capability and healthier root structure decrease the overall irrigation need and provide less available surface moisture leading to less favorable conditions for weed germination.
Compost tea is traditionally applied manually to turf and bed areas. The Turf Management Team is taking the innovative approach of utilizing the existing irrigation system. They are able to inject the compost tea directly into the existing system and deliver the tea through the sprinkler heads. Applying the tea using this method will provide coverage to a majority of the campus in less time, with less labor and minimal disruption to campus users.
This innovative product use and methodology is only one of the interesting topics Outdoor Services handles on a daily basis. To stay informed on best practices, innovations, and day to day activities, the Outdoor Services team has created a blog, http://cuoutdoorservices.blogspot.com/. The blog is a great resource for anyone curious about the maintenance activities that help create the lovely campus landscape we all enjoy.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Megan Rose, at 303.492.8687.
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