Composted waste use on Florida vegetable crops: A review

In 1999, 23.8 million tonnes of solid waste were produced in Florida (about 4.3 kg per person per day). Annual production of compost made from Florida's solid waste could be easily assimilated by the Florida vegetable crop industry (12.4 million tonnes of compost per year). Compost utilization in vegetable production has the potential to increase water and fertilizer conservation and reduce leaching from inorganic fertilizers in Florida's sandy soils. Once a compost has passed regulatory health and safety standards, vegetable growers are interested in potential benefits of its use. The objective of this study is to present information on composted waste materials as a soil amendment in vegetable crop production systems in Florida. Research has shown that amending sandy soil with compost can increase vegetable crop yields, although the response is not always predictable. The improved production has been attributed to more favorable soil physical properties resulting from increased soil organic matter rather than increased nutrient availability. If immature compost is applied and a crop is planted immediately, growth inhibition and stunting may occur due to phytotoxic compounds in the compost.