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For Container Crop Production

This document discusses media used for container crop production. It defines media as the material used to grow plants in containers. Common components of artificial growing media include peat moss, bark, coir, vermiculite, and perlite. The ideal media has a balance of pore space for drainage and oxygen while also holding nutrients and water. Media texture and container size impact drainage. Proper moisture levels and avoiding compaction are important when filling containers. Media should have a pH of 6-7 and high nutrient buffering capacity. Storage, reuse, and sterilization practices help control pathogens.

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142 views16 pages

For Container Crop Production

This document discusses media used for container crop production. It defines media as the material used to grow plants in containers. Common components of artificial growing media include peat moss, bark, coir, vermiculite, and perlite. The ideal media has a balance of pore space for drainage and oxygen while also holding nutrients and water. Media texture and container size impact drainage. Proper moisture levels and avoiding compaction are important when filling containers. Media should have a pH of 6-7 and high nutrient buffering capacity. Storage, reuse, and sterilization practices help control pathogens.

Uploaded by

ppunzi
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Media

For Container Crop Production


Media – Medium?

„ Media is plural of medium


„ Also called culture medium. Bacteriology. a liquid
or solidified nutrient material suitable for the
cultivation of microorganisms
„ An optical medium is material through which
electromagnetic waves propagate
„ surrounding objects, conditions, or influences; or the
surrounding environment; "fish require an aqueous
medium"
„ the element that is the natural habitat of an organism
„ In horticulture it is short for planting medium
Choosing Artificial Soil Media
„ Synonyms: growing media, planting media, soil
media, soilless mix, mix
„ More important to choose a reliable supplier that
provides consistent quality.
„ Most plants can grow well on a well designed
greenhouse mix
„ Use specialized mixes for plugs, and special
need crops (e.g. pH & zonal geraniums)
„ Mineral soil is not used as the drainage is too
poor in containers less than 12 inches deep. It is
also heavier than artificial soil media
Physical Properties
„ Blended organic and mineral components
that are 10-20% solid and 80-90% pore
space.
„ Must provide physical support as well as a
hold nutrients, water and provide oxygen to
the roots.
„ Should maintain optimal pH range for plant
growth.
Common components of artificial
growing media
„ Organic matter 30-60%
„ Peat moss, bark, coir (coco peat)
„ Inorganic
„ vermiculite, perlite, pumice, expanded polystyrene
(foam balls no longer used as they float)
„ The selections are made on what is available and
economically viable as good mixes can be made with
a variety of components
„ When mixing your own attention to quality of inputs is
a must as they can vary (that is why many pay for
reputable commercial mix)
The current Cornell Mix
„ 3 – 3.8 Cubic Ft. compressed bales of peat
moss
„ 2 - 6 cu ft bags of vermiculite
„ 20 pounds dolomitic limestone
„ 6 pounds 11-5-11 fertilizer
„ This makes approximately 1.2 cubic yards of
soilless mix.
Texture and Use
„ Texture = particle size
„ Coarse → Large Particle Size→ more pore
space → More Drainage
„ Fine → Small Particle Size → less pore space
→ less drainage
„ Use coarse mixes in larger containers and
Finer for smaller containers like plugs. Still
trying to maximize porosity
Container Size and Drainage
„ In addition to porosity of mix the size of the
pot will also affect drainage of water
„ The taller the pot the better the drainage.
„ Gravity has a greater influence on a taller
column of water than a shorter column – as
there is a fight between capillary attraction of
the water to the soil particles and gravity.
Prepping mixes (moisture)
„ Moisture levels of the medium before filling
pots will affect pore spaces
„ Media is shipped as dry as possible to
minimize shipping costs
„ Wetting agents are used - particularly in peat
based products – because the dryer peat
becomes the slower it is to absorb moisture
(coco peat is much better when dry)
Prepping mixes (moisture)
„ Optimal moisture is achieved when added to
media the night before – allows capillary
action help achieve more uniformity of
moisture in the mix
„ Soil moisture test – form a ball in your hand –
it should hold its shape but break apart easily
if poked.
Shrinkage & Compaction
„ Peat based products are notorious for
shrinking as they dry (20-30% shrinkage)
which means the media pulls away from the
sides and water can run around the edge of
the pot.
„ Compaction from overhead watering can
cause reduced pore space
„ Hand compaction when filling pots will reduce
pore space
Filling containers
„ Ideally fill pot and brush off – a mix with ideal
moisture levels will have the ideal pore space
„ When repotting plugs or up-potting minimize
pressing action (compression) – while still
removing large air pockets that will dry out
plant roots.
„ Don’t stack plug trays or pots.
„ Compact growing media will dry out slowly
and could cause root rots – promotes algae
growth and root rot diseases (like pythium)
Chemical Properties
„ Most commercial mixes have a starter charge
which means they add low levels of nutrients
often in water soluble form to the mix before
packaging. Usually last 7-10 days – but the
amount provided can be adjusted to the type
of crop
„ pH of the mix should be 6-7
„ High buffer capacity (ability to moderate pH
and nutrient levels) best.
Media Biology
„ Any media containing organic matter has the
potential to be collonized by nonpathogenic
and pathogenic microorganisms
„ Nonpathogenic mold is more common on
bark based media
„ Slime mold is a problem but is very rare in
greenhouse commercial mixes.
„ Some nonpathogenic microorganisms from
composted bark are beneficial as they crowd
out pathogenic microorganisms.
Sterilization Pasteurization and
naturally clean
„ Sterilization occurs at water’s boiling point
„ Pasteurization 160-180 which tends to kill
harmful microorganisms and retain beneficial
microorganisms.
„ Products like perlite and vermiculite are
puffed mineral products that use extremely
high temps to “pop” and are therefore clean if
handled properly.
Handling Media
„ Store unused media in a protected area out
of sunlight.
„ Wetting agents may become less effective
with time and even wrapped bales of media
slowly dry out.
„ Reuse season old media by either recharging
with wetting agent or mixing with new media
in a 10:90 ratio up to 25:75 depending on the
condition of the older media. (worse condition
should have a lower ratio.

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