Growth of Capillary-Irrigated Andorra Juniper and Sarcoxie Euonymus as Affected by Controlled Release Fertilizer Type and Placement
Abstract Juniperus horizontalis Moench. ‘Plumosa compacata’ and Euonymus fortunei Turcz. ‘Sarcoxie’ were grown on a sand capillary bed with two types of controlled release fertilizer (3:1 Type 100:Type 40 Nutricote 16N-4.4P-8.1K (16-10-10),and Osmocote 18N-2.6P-9.7K (18-6-12) either medium-incorporated, surface-applied or dibbled below the roots. Throughout the growing season, neither leaf area, root or shoot dry weight of euonymus was affected by fertilizer type or placement. Branch length growth and dry weight of juniper was not affected by fertilizer type when fertilizer was surface-applied or medium incorporated. Dibbled Osmocote produced similar results, but dibbled Nutricote resulted in poor root and shoot development in juniper throughout the season. Medium soluble salt concentration (determined on container leachate) was 2800 dS/m in the dibbled Nutricote treatments in June (approximately 2.5 times higher than that in the other treatments). Soluble salts decreased between June 21 and August 16 in all treatments and then remained quite constant until the end of the season (September 13).