At Long Last Spring . . . After one of the snowiest winters in history in the Northeast, spring has finally arrived. This is a great time to get to know your soil. At Agresource, we help make soils for every occasion as you'll read in our first news story. Spring is also a great time to go outside. In our second story, you'll read how our Agresoil Compost lets people get outside on safer park grounds and playing fields without herbicides and chemical fertilizers and how it can save on irrigation costs, as well. Lastly, spring is the time to plant and mulch. With Agresource's Performance Mulch, you can do more than just beautify the landscape; you can protect your plants and feed the soil, too.

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Fairfield Metro Center Uses Engineered Soils

Currently under construction, the new Fairfield, CT, Metro Center is being built next to sensitive coastal wetlands. Land-Tech Consultants detailed environmental requirements and strict specifications for soils delivered to the site. Guerrera Construction hired Agresource to help in making vastly different soil types and meet specification requirements for the project.

Agresource provided the organic component and assisted in manufacturing approximately 3,000 tons of custom bio-filter soil using a processed sand and compost to meet an in-situ performance specification. The final soil mix had 80% to 85% sand, less than 15% silt and clay combined, and a minimum 4% organic matter. The infiltration rate had to be between 0.5 and 3 inches per hour.

Agresource also supplied 1,800 cubic yards of a Carlisle Muck Soil (Army Corp of Engineers’ specification) containing 70% to 80% organic matter for the same job. This soil, too, had to undergo extensive testing for potential contaminates.

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Update on Town Topdressing Program

The Town of Upton Parks Department has completed its third year topdressing with AGRESOIL COMPOST. The town has drastically reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and instead is using compost as a more environmentally sustainable approach. Gary Harper, who is heading up the program, says, “We have been able to significantly reduce our water consumption on our athletic fields. During a July heat wave, our irrigation system was taken out by a lightening strike for eight days. Our two fields supplied by this system survived with no damage. Along with reducing our synthetic fertilizer dependency, we have noticed a reduction in weeds, which has also reduced our herbicide applications.”

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Performance Mulch Delivers Results

Agresource’s Performance Mulch — made from a proprietary blend of composted biosolids and ground yard waste — has seen steadily increasing sales over recent years. This is because the claims that Performance Mulch produces better plant performance by feeding the soil have proven to be true. Its balanced carbon to nitrogen ratio allows it to provide nutrients soon after being applied. Slow-release nutrients and a boost in soil organic matter continue to support plant growth on an ongoing basis in which microbial populations can thrive and multiply.

Most standard mulches today have a high percentage of wood. Wood-based mulches are high in carbon and strip nitrogen away from plants. Agresource Performance Mulch is fully composted, so it not only helps protect plants as with other mulches, it also has the added benefit of building the soil with nutrients so that plants can thrive.

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