SAWDUST AS A SOIL AMENDMENT FOR TURF GROWTH

TWO HIGHWAY LOCATIONS IN LOUISIANA WERE CHOSEN TO TEST THE EFFECT OF SAWDUST ON TURF GROWTH. THE FIRST, ALONG U.S. 90 IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE STATE, WAS A HYDRAULIC SAND FILL BLANKETED WITH A LAYER OF CLAY AND COMPACTED TO A DEPTH OF 4 INCHES. THE CLAY WAS FROM SUBSOIL. THE AREA WAS FERTILIZED WITH 8-8-8, THEN DISKED AND ROLLED. BERMUDA AND ALTA FESCUE WERE PLANTED AND THE AREA WAS AGAIN ROLLED. A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, IN THE SPRING OF 1955, SAWDUST WAS APPLIED AS AN AMENDMENT AND AS A TOP MULCH, AND BERMUDA AND KOBE LESPEDEZA WERE SEEDED. SUBSEQUENT OBSERVATIONS SHOWED THAT THE SAWDUST DISKED INTO THE SOIL PRODUCED A GOOD STAND THAT WITHSTOOD HARD RAINS, WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY GULLIES WERE BEING CUT INTO THE UNDERLYING CLAY. THE MULCHED AREAS PERFORMED LESS WELL BUT IN A MUCH SUPERIOR WAY TO AREAS THAT RECEIVED NO TREATMENT AT ALL. THE SECOND LOCATION, ALSO ON U.S. 90, WAS IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. THE HIGHWAY CUTS THROUGH A RIDGE WHOSE SURFACE SOIL, BENEATH THE TOPS OF THE SLOPES, IS OF FINE LOAMY GRADE BECOMING HEAVIER IN CLAY NEAR THE BOTTOM. IN THIS CASE ALL SAWDUST WAS DISKED IN. THE AGE OF THE SAWDUST WAS IN EXCESS OF 30 YEARS. THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS WERE NOT AS GOOD AS THOSE ON THE FIRST PROJECT, BUT DURING THE SECOND YEAR EXCELLENT STANDS WERE PRODUCED.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbroadsidedevcomrpts/1956/1956-012.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 419, pp 46-56, 6 FIG. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Slack, T
  • Iurka, H H
  • Mcmahon, T J
  • Gordon, G B
• Publication Date: 1956

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Roadside Development Committee Reports
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Clay; Erosion control; Grasses; Hydraulic fills; Loam; Mulches; Sawdust; Slopes; Soils; Turf
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00205092
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 22 1971 12:00AM