Production of container media for ornamental plants from hazelnut husk and biosolid mixture

In this study, the main physical, physiochemical and chemical properties of decomposed hazelnut husk have been characterized for the suitability as a growing media component for ornamental plants. Four substrates were prepared in accordance with decomposition degree; raw, half decomposed and highly decomposed hazelnut husk samples (H1, H2, H3, and H4), to determine the optimum growing media parameters. The particle sizes of the husk materials were decreased with the decomposition rate and coarseness index (CI) was obtained between 95-36 from raw to highly decomposed material. The main physical parameters; total porosity, bulk and particle density and shrinkage of the hazelnut husk were in the range of ideal growing media characteristics. Total water holding capacity increased as decomposition degree, because of giving lover CI and reduced particle diameter (dg). Except raw material (H1), pH and EC values were in acceptable range. The results indicated that hazelnut husk could be alternative growing media component for containerized crops, if optimum particle size obtains in the range of 0-2mm, both for aeration and hydrological requirements.In the study, growing media were prepared by mixing hazelnut husk as a main component and biosolid as fertilizer additives in rate of 0% (FZ), 12,5% (FZ+Ç1), 25% (FZ+Ç2) and 50% (FZ+Ç3) in mixtures. Biosolid has been increased plant nutrients significantly, nitrogen as first. Substrates containing biosolid seems to be the most adequate growing media for some outdoor ornamental plants such as Leylandii, Thuja, Ligusturum, Acacia and seasonal flowers such as Primula and Tagetes by comparing to the standard commercial peat or hazelnut husk amended with slow release fertilizer. The growth experiments showed that hazelnut husk required mixing with a nutrient-richer material to produce higher results.We concluded that hazelnut husk and biosolid could be used as a growing media component for economical and environmental point of view.