On May 31 in Bushnell, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Life Soils hosted a field day on the use of compost in citrus.
Monica Ozores-Hampton was the featured speaker of the event. She is known as Florida’s “Compost Queen” from her UF/IFAS and US Composting Council research and workshops on compost utilization. She spoke on composting biology, core principles of composting, compost benefits, quality considerations, and the use of compost in citrus concerning soil quality and tree growth.
Approximately 35 people, consisting of mostly Florida growers, attended the event. The half day of training was filled with Ozores-Hampton answering questions that growers had about the use of compost, the data collected from studies of compost on groves, and the compost production process. Other topics that were covered included nutrient management, water retention, pests and diseases, and building strong and healthy roots.
Life Soils gave a tour of a composting facility, and attendees were able to see how the compost piles are formed in windrows and turned using machinery.
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