%0 Research Notes
%T Wood ash, PK-fertilizer and two soil ameliorating additives on drained pine mires
%A Silfverberg, Klaus
%D 1991
%J Suo - Mires and peat
%V 42
%N 2
%U http://suo.fi/article/9681
%X The study was made in four experimental fields on drained peatland in western Finland (63-66°N). One of the experiments was laid out in 1972; the others in 1978-1979. Treatments included different kinds of wood ash and PK-fertilizer, an ash-imitating mixture and apatite+biotite. Needle analyses and growth measurements were carried out in 1983— 1986. The concentrations of Mg and Mn generally decreased after fertilization. A rise in the foliar P, foliar K and foliar weight correlated with the growth response. Best growth increment was achieved with the ash-imitating mixture and PK-fertilizer, while apatite+biotite did not increase growth. In the first years after fertilization, growth on the ash plots was weaker, but later stronger or equal to growth on PK- and ash-imitating plots. The correlation between initial tree height and post-fertilization growth was similar on the different treatments. The poor growth increment on some ash treatments was probably due to the insufficient amount of nutrients in the ashes used.

Key words: Ash fertilization, Finland, growth, needle analysis, peat, Scots pine