March 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 39

ter, which are rich with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
These are slower-acting than conventional fertilizers since they
take longer for the plants to break down, but practitioners of
organic horticulture have developed some methods to improve
this response time, such as compost tea. In this process, natural
fertilizers are mixed with microbes to help break them down,
and then steeped in water, just like tea. The tea is ultimately applied in spot treatments or by spraying the liquid on the desired
area. Compost tea has helped the Rose Kennedy Greenway in
Boston - a system of parks managed entirely through OLM
- reduce its fertilizer applications by 50 percent, according to
Horticulture Foreman Anthony Ruggiero.
The most common method of organic weed management is
" mechanical " - removal by hand. While tedious and time-consuming, this is the most effective way to remove unwanted plants
and control growth. Other methods include spot spraying with
steam or boiling vinegar, and using grazing animals, such as goats,
on a large weed infestation. Both steam and vinegar have their
downfalls: vinegar produces inconsistent results that vary by weed
species, while steam machines can cost more than $20,000, which
makes them a far less desirable method of weed management.
And, although it's fun to imagine a herd of goats roaming around
cities devouring weeds, this often isn't feasible for many reasons.
For now, it mostly comes down to good old people power.
The Downside of Synthetic Fertilizers
At the heart of all organic management approaches is the concept of " right plant, right place. " Ruggiero advises: " If a plant is
not successful in its current environment, don't waste time and resources trying to make it work. Organics is about getting the right
species with proper soil management for that given environment
to ensure plant or turf success. " Choosing species that will thrive
where planted is the key to an organic approach that works.
While quick-acting and effective, there are many cons to
conventional approaches that use synthetic materials. Synthetic fertilizers are made from petroleum or salt byproducts. The
compounds used in these fertilizers are water soluble and break
down easily in soil, so they quickly provide nutrients to plants,
often within 48 hours. Much like carbo-loading or a sugar rush,
this gives plants a quick jolt of nutrients, which result in rapid growth. These growth periods often don't last long though,
sometimes not even a full month. The short bursts of growth
mean plants are often not able to establish a proper root system,
which is crucial for retaining water and nutrients, as well as for
strengthening the plant against disease, pests, and wear and tear
by park visitors. In addition, extended use of synthetic fertilizers over time depletes the soil of nutrients, making it dependent
on frequent applications of chemicals.

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Parks & Recreation

March 2019 - Parks & Recreation

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