Growth of Hardy Chrysanthemums in Containers of Media Amended with Composted Municipal Sewage Sludge

Four hardy Chrysanthemum X morifolium (Ramat) (chrysanthemum) cultivars were grown in peat sand media amended with 2 sources of sewage sludge compost at 50, 60 and 67% of the media by volume. Chrysanthemums growing in the 50% to 60% by volume composted sewage sludge treatments and top dressed with complete or only N slow-release fertilizers were comparable to plants growing in a commercially available potting medium with a complete fertilizer. Media containing 50 and 60% compost with a pH range of 6.2 to 6.9 supplied trace elements and most of the P and K necessary for normal plant growth. The use of a surfactant increased the fresh weight in some compost blends.