Growing Media Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the purpose of growing plants without soil?
Yield increase, quicker growth, less use of chemicals, lower incidences of soil borne diseases, recycling of water solutions, easier to manage and can be sold at any time of year
What does growing media need?
Need to absorb and retain water, need to drain excess water, need air spaces, need to hold onto nutrients and need to be free from pests and diseases
What is perlite?
Expanded volcanic rock granules, sterile, inert and light, retains moisture but drains freely- the medium and coarse grades aid aeration and drainage
What is vermiculite?
Expanded and air blown mica. Acts similarly to perlite but holds more water and less air - the fine grades aids drainage and aeration
Examples of organic growing media?
Peat, coir, wood based mixes and green waste
What are the advantages of compost and container grown plants?
Ideal conditions can be specified, nutrient content can be more easily managed, easier pest and disease management, easily incorporate additives to prevent pests, easier to harvest, lift, transport and sell, can be transplanted and planted at any time of year, can grow plants that don’t suit your soil type or pH, can provide ideal growing conditions
What are the disadvantages of compost and containers?
Expensive, need more watering, need more feeding, compost production can damage the environment, needs more investment, more expensive to buy pots and compost, some plastic pots can’t be recycled and some soil alternatives can’t be recycled
What are the advantages of growing in soil?
Cheap to set up, sustainable, less irrigation required, less feeding required and bare root plants are light to transport
What are the disadvantages of growing in soil?
Risk of pest and disease building up, limited seasonal availability, need to maintain the soil structure and more difficult to harvest, lift, transport and sell
