Public Service Announcement

HRM Utilizing new local organic product to improve turf at Ardmore Park

(Wednesday, July 28, 2010) Plans to improve the grass area of Ardmore Park in Halifax will begin in August. HRM staff will be applying an organic compound known as Compost Tea to help improve turf in the park that has been damaged from use over many years.

There will be several applications of this compound prior to winter. The work will take place during early morning hours. Compost Tea is being used on a trial basis to see if this product can boost the growth of grass along with aeration, topdressing and an over-seeding program. The organic compound is environmentally-friendly and does not give off an offensive odour.

According to the locally-based manufacturers of Compost Tea (www.biogreenresources.ca): “Compost Tea is a liquid extract from stable, mature high quality compost. Compost tea is the result of 'brewing' precise portions of high quality compost, microbe foods, water and aeration for various lengths of times.

The tea contains all the soluble nutrients extracted from the compost, but also contains all the beneficial microbe species of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes in the compost. Beneficial microbes are microscopic organisms in the soil that decompose residues, cycle nutrients in the soil, build soil structure and organic matter. They work in conjunction with plant roots to hold nutrients in the soil and release them as needed. These micro-organisms also contain disease suppressing characteristics.”

Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Playgrounds/Sport Fields Superintendent Rob Mullane at 490-5819 or mullanr@halifax.ca.

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Contact:

Rob Mullane, Superintendent
Playgrounds/Sport Fields
902-490-5819