Eban Bean1, Allan Bacon2, Jovana Radovanovic1 & Victoria Steinnecker1

1Agricultural & Biological Engineering2Soil & Water Sciences

Amending Soils for Water Conservation in New Urban Landscapes

March 20, 2019

Home Construction~65 days to construct a home:

Heavy vehicle trafficWetting and DryingVehicle vibration

Soil Compaction

Urban Soil Development Over Time

Funded by FNGLA Endowed Research Fund Award

1.731.53

1.34 1.36 1.24

2.161.93 1.80 1.77 1.68

1.001.201.401.601.802.002.202.40

0 3 10 20 30

Bulk

Den

sity,

g/c

m3

Lot Age, yrs

0-15

15-30

1.731.48 1.42 1.38 1.24

2.161.80 1.82 1.73 1.60

1.001.201.401.601.802.002.202.40

0 3 10 20 30

Bulk

Den

sity,

g/c

m3

Lot Age, yrs

0-15

15-30

Chronosequence: Bulk Density

1.23

1.23

BEDS

LAW

NS

14.124.0 22.6

31.8 34.222.5

35.7 38.7 46.160.0

0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.0

0 3 10 20 30

Dept

h to

Ref

usal

, cm

Lot Age, yrs

Average of DTRcone (cm)

Average of DTRtube (cm)

14.1 22.9 28.6 24.533.6

22.5 29.7 33.1 42.155.4

0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.0

0 3 10 20 30

Dept

h to

Ref

usal

, cm

Lot Age, yrs

Average of DTRcone (cm)

Average of DTRtube (cm)

Chronosequence: Depth to RefusalBE

DSLA

WN

S

Soil Profiles

9 Model Homes- 3 compacted- 3 tilled (5-6 in.)- 3 tilled compost into soil

4 yd3/1000 ft2

(1 in. into 6 in.)Just before sod (Empire Zoysia) laid

Treatments

0-6 in.

6-12 in.

Compact TillTillw/

Compost

Compact CompactCompact

1.731.53

1.34 1.36 1.24

2.161.93 1.80 1.77 1.68

1.001.201.401.601.802.002.202.40

0 3 10 20 30

Bulk

Den

sity,

g/c

m3

Lot Age, yrs

0-15

15-30

1.731.48 1.42 1.38 1.24

2.161.80 1.82 1.73 1.60

1.001.201.401.601.802.002.202.40

0 3 10 20 30

Bulk

Den

sity,

g/c

m3

Lot Age, yrs

0-15

15-30

Chronosequence: Bulk Density

1.44

1.44

1.23

1.23

BEDS

LAW

NS

Soil-Water Relationship

0.299 0.314 0.297

0.035 0.0510.0760.068

0.049

0.111

NULL TILL COMPOST

VOLU

MET

RIC

WAT

ER C

ON

TEN

T

TREATMENT

BLUE: CompostGREEN: TillageORANGE: Control

OTOW – Real World Conservation

OTOW – Real World Water Balance

OTOW – Real World –Conservation

• Soil – Candler Sand• Texture, Chemistry, Drainage

• Turfgrass – Empire Zoysia• Amendment Properties

• Longevity• Top Dressing

• Industry Adoption

Future Steps

Acknowledgements

UF Collaborators:

Allan Bacon, Soil & Water Sciences

AJ Reisinger, Soil & Water Sciences

Jason Kruse, Env. Hort.

Adam Dale, Entomology

Sunny Liao, Soil & Water Sciences

Basil Iannone, SFRC

Lloyd Singleton, IFAS Extension

Mary Lusk, IFAS Water RSA

Pierce Jones, IFAS PREC

Jim Fletcher, IFAS Water RSA

Partners

Phillip Hisey, OToW

Ryan McMeekin, LifeSoils

Darren Midlane, HarvestQuest

Bryan Schmalz, Bay Laurel Water

David Gruber, Earthscapes Unlimited

Funders

FL Turfgrass Association

FL Nursery Growers & Landscape

Assoc.

Southwest Florida Water Mgmt. Dist.

Eban Z. Bean, Ph.D., P.E.Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist

Urban Water Resources Engineeringezbean@ufl.edu

@EbanBean

Questions?