Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to compare the growth of impatiens plants (Impatiens wallerana Hook. f.) in substrates amended with swine manure or dairy manure. In Experiment 1, impatiens plants were grown in substrates amended with 0.88, 1.77, 3.54, or 5.30 g of N per pot incorporated as Nutricote 13N–5.7P–10.8K plus minors type 100, swine manure, or dairy manure. Impatiens plants grown with Nutricote had greater shoot dry weights and final plant quality ratings than plants grown with equivalent N rates of swine or dairy manure. Impatiens plants grown with 3.54 g and 5.30 g of N from swine manure were considered saleable while none of the plants grown in dairy manure were considered saleable. In Experiment 2, impatiens plants were transplanted into Pro-mix BX, or Pro-mix amended with 10% swine manure or 10% dairy manure. All plants were top-dressed with 0.33, 0.65, or 1.30 g of N from Nutricote 13N–5.7P–10.8K plus minors type 100. Highest impatiens quality and greatest shoot dry weights were observed for plants grown in Pro-mix with 0.65 and 1.30 g of N from Nutricote. The combination of 10% swine manure with 0.33 and 0.65 g of N and 10% dairy manure with 0.33 g of N also produced saleable quality plants. It appears from this work that a combination of 10% or less swine or dairy manure with commercial controlled-release products will produce saleable quality impatiens plants.
