Icon
Calibrating Meters

pH and Electrical Conductivity meters are extremely useful pieces of equipment used to measure and monitor basic chemical characteristics of water and growing media. Regular and correct calibration of this equipment is necessary to ensure the results are as accurate as possible. The following video describes the basic procedures for calibrating pH and EC meters.

Icon
Chemical Properties of Growing Media

Last month’s article was concerned with the physical properties of growing media and how to go about analyzing these characteristics. This month’s article will continue this theme but will look at the chemical properties of growing media. Understanding the chemical properties and their possible interactions is actually quite complex. Hence this article will only touch on a few key points, other key areas such as the buffering capacity of mixes will not be covered in this article.

 

Icon
Chemical Properties of Growing Media

Last month’s article was concerned with the physical properties of growing media and how to go about analyzing these characteristics. This month’s article will continue this theme but will look at the chemical properties of growing media. Understanding the chemical properties and their possible interactions is actually quite complex. Hence this article will only touch on a few key points, other key areas such as the buffering capacity of mixes will not be covered in this article.

 

Icon
Coir Video

Coir, coir fibre pith or coconut fibre is a one hundred percent natural, sustainable and renewable product. Coir is a ‘peat like’ byproduct produced from the processing of coconut husks, and is composed of the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Coir is lightweight, retains moisture and is an affordable growing media substrate or component for adding to growing media blends, producing stronger, healthier and more fibrous root systems.

Icon
Grow Me Instead

There have been some interesting discussions over the past month on why certain plant species are being nominated for the Grow Me Instead (GMI) program. The GMI program has been rolled out in all states and territories, with Queensland being the last state to have published GMI booklets. Within the program there are established protocols for determining whether a certain plant species should be included in the local GMI booklets. The subject plant must satisfy the following criteria to be considered as a GMI candidate;

 

Icon
Grow Me Instead – Launch for Darling Downs and South West

The Grow Me Instead project has provided a wonderful opportunity for the Nursery and Garden Industry to put our environmental credibility on show. It is a real feather in our cap to take this proactive stance on invasive plants; showing government and the community we care about the environment and are prepared to take positive action to reduce the impact of invasive plants.

Icon
Growing Media Air Filled Porosity Testing

The air filled porosity (AFP) of a growing media is the percentage of its volume that is air after being saturated with water and just after it has stopped draining. Below is the method used in the Australian Standard for Potting Media for testing AFP.

 

Icon
Growing Media Air Filled Porosity Testing

Plant roots require air as well as water to remain healthy. The amount of air held within a growing media is referred to as Air filled porosity or AFP . Testing procedures for AFP aren't difficult and can be done at minimal cost with simple equipment built from readily available materials and a little bit of time. This video shows a process for carrying out a practical on-site air filled porosity test on growing media.

Icon
Growing Media Air Filled Porosity Testing

The air filled porosity (AFP) of a growing media is the percentage of its volume that is air after being saturated with water and just after it has stopped draining. Below is the method used in the Australian Standard for Potting Media for testing AFP.

 

Icon
Growing media and Irrigation

Nursery irrigation should be applied at a rate that matches the ability of the growing media to absorb and hold the water that is applied. The best designed irrigation layout operated at the correct pressure cannot deliver the required efficiency if a significant portion of the applied irrigation is quickly draining through the growing media without being absorbed and held in the container. Ensuring the application of water matches the absorption rate of the growing media will take full advantage of the water holding capacity of the growing media. This application of water is known as the Mean Application Rate (MAR) and the past results from a national survey of over 200 nurseries showed an average MAR of 20.2 mm/h. Production nurseries should be seeking to achieve a MAR of between 5 & 12mm/hr, but there are many variables that can have an impact on the absorption rate such as the makeup of the growing media, the physical components, the air-filled porosity, the addition of wetting agents and polymer gels and scheduling techniques. A well designed premium growing media can greatly improve irrigation efficiency.

 

Icon
Growing Media Calculating Air Filled Porosity In-house

Why do you need to know the physical properties of your growing media?? Having visited more than a couple of nurseries over the years it becomes readily apparent that there are as many growing media recipes as there are growers who use them. This may become an issue if a grower from one nursery decides that they prefer the growing media of another nurseryman or if a particular grower decides he wants to change their media for whatever reason.

 

Icon
Growing Media Calculating Air Filled Porosity In-house

Why do you need to know the physical properties of your growing media?? Having visited more than a couple of nurseries over the years it becomes readily apparent that there are as many growing media recipes as there are growers who use them. This may become an issue if a grower from one nursery decides that they prefer the growing media of another nurseryman or if a particular grower decides he wants to change their media for whatever reason.

 

Icon
Growing Media for Container Production

An understanding of the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a growing media can improve plant growth and the bottom line. This article looks at the characteristics of growing media and how these qualities can affect crops.

Icon
Growing Media pH and EC Testing

The pH measures the hydrogen ions in the growing media, while EC (electrical conductivity) measures the soluble salts in the mix. The pH and EC of the growing media should be in accordance with the plant’s requirements because different plants can have different preferred pH and EC ranges (see Container Media Management; K. Bodman & Dr. K.V. Sharman which can be purchased from NGIQ).

 

Icon
Growing Media pH and EC Testing

Knowing the pH and Electrical Conductivity or EC of your growing media can help you to grow better and more consistent crops. Testing procedures aren't difficult and can be done at minimal cost. This video shows a process for carrying out a practical on-site pH and electrical conductivity

Icon
Growing Media pH and EC Testing

The pH measures the hydrogen ions in the growing media, while EC (electrical conductivity) measures the soluble salts in the mix. The pH and EC of the growing media should be in accordance with the plant’s requirements because different plants can have different preferred pH and EC ranges (see Container Media Management; K. Bodman & Dr. K.V. Sharman which can be purchased from NGIQ).