Details:

Creators:
Claassen, Vic
Corporate Creators:
University of California, Davis
Corporate Contributors:
California. Department of Transportation
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Compost Irrigation Mitigation Planting Mulch Mulches Plants Shrub Establishment Shrubs Soil Moisture Soils By Moisture Content Or Potential Vegetable Materials Watering
Publication/ Report Number:
CA09-0624
Resource Type:
Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:
California
Edition:
Final; Oct. 2004-Dec. 2008.
Corporate Publisher:
California. Department of Transportation
Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to evaluate soil treatments for their effect on establishment of wild-land

shrubs without supplemental irrigation. The treatments that significantly improved growth over irrigation

alone at a central California fill slope site (Contra Costa County, route 4) involved deep soil

decompaction and/or compost addition. General information regarding use of water by plants and

retention of water by soil or soil amendments was evaluated from literature reviews, by lab analysis and

with plant water-use modeling. A method was developed to predict the plant water use and soil water

availability characteristics that would allow field establishment of shrubs through dry summer conditions

without supplemental irrigation. This method was then tested in different substrate and climatic

conditions in three additional counties around the state (Sutter (route 70), Mono (route 395) and San

Diego (I-5)). In all cases, shrubs on soil treatments including deep soil decompaction and compost

incorporation grew larger than those on untreated substrates. No supplemental irrigation was used

except to wet the profile once at time of planting, and even then only if ambient soil moisture was

insufficient. The recommended treatment is to decompact the substrate by excavation or ripping or

fracturing to three feet depth if the substrate is not already rootable, then to add an inch of compost and

incorporate into the top foot (unless the area receives atmospheric deposition or contains residual soil

organic matter or is in a desert environment), and then to plant containers with site-appropriate species

and to cover the immediate area with two inches of wood chip mulch.


Format:
PDF
Funding:
65A0812
Collection(s):
US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:cc96a648c3148a8b41da16561407eba9e66be12de7e5060f594145e486cd611b
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25203/dot_25203_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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