Type of Planting Media - Planting media is one of the important components in growing crops. The planting media used to plant crops must be suitable so that the plants can grow well.
But sometimes determining the right planting medium for the type of plant to fit its original habitat is quite difficult. This is because each area where the plant develops varies.
In general, the planting medium must be able to maintain the humidity of the area around the plant roots and provide enough air and nutrients.
Therefore the types of planting media used by each region are always different. In Southeast Asia for example since 1940 using planting media from broken bricks, coconut fiber, charcoal and fern stems. The planting media can be used singly or combined with one another.
Examples of the composition of growing media in Southeast Asia such as ferns and charcoal mixed into one with a certain ratio so that it becomes a new planting medium. Or maybe ferns are mixed with broken bricks. The following are some types of planting media which have their own characteristics which are divided into several parts as described below.
Planting Media from Organic Materials
Planting media that fall into the category of organic matter generally come from components of living organisms, for example, parts of plants such as flowers, leaves, fruits, and even bark. Organic planting media has several advantages compared to inorganic planting media, namely organic planting media capable of providing nutrients for plants. Besides that, organic planting media also has balanced micro and macro pores so that air circulation can run well and has high water absorption.
Planting media made from the organic material will experience a weathering process carried out by microorganisms. Through this process minerals will be produced, carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O). This mineral produced from the growing media will be a source of nutrients absorbed by plants as a food source. However, the weakness of the growing media of organic material is that if decomposition occurs that is too fast it can trigger the occurrence of germs. To prevent this, the planting medium must often be replaced and add elements before the planting medium decomposes.
Some types of organic materials that can be used as planting media include charcoal, chopped ferns, compost, coconut fiber, manure, and hummus. For details, read the explanation below.
Planting Media of Charcoal
Charcoal is usually made from wood or burned coconut shells. This planting medium is very suitable for planting regional orchids with high humidity. This is because the planting medium of charcoal is not good in binding large amounts of water. One of the uniqueness of growing media from charcoal is its buffering properties. So that if there is an error in the provision of nutrients in the fertilizer can be quickly neutralized.
Besides that charcoal is a planting medium that is not easily weathered so it is safe from fungal or animal disturbances that can harm plants. The disadvantage of this planting medium is the low nutrient content so that this planting medium needs to be supplied with nutrients which are carried out through the fertilization process.
Before using it ideally, planting media from charcoal should be broken down into small grains first, so that the purpose is to facilitate placement in the pot. For the size, of course, you can adjust the size of the pot used.
Planting media from the roots of Pakis plants
Fern trunks can generally be divided into two: black ferns and brown ferns. Of the two types of plants that are most often used as planting media are black ferns. The usual black fern stems come from ferns that are old and dry. In addition, the ferns are also easy to form into small pieces and are known as chopped ferns.
In addition to being sold in the form of chopped, planting media from ferns is also available in the form of a rectangular slab ready for use. Generally, this planting medium is used for planting orchids. The disadvantage of this growing medium is that it is often used as ants or other small animals as nests.
The advantage of planting media from ferns is that it is easy to bind water, has good aeration and drainage. In addition, this planting medium has a soft texture so it is easily penetrated by plant roots.
Planting Media from Compost
Compost is an organic planting medium made from plant processes or organic waste such as waste, leaves, husks, straw, grass. The advantages of growing media from compost is that it is able to restore soil fertility through improved soil properties, both chemical and biological. In addition, compost can be a facilitator in the absorption of nitrogen elements that are needed by plants.
High organic matter content in compost is needed to restore soil fertility. Based on this, compost has 2 important roles, namely soil conditioner and soil ameliorator.
Soil conditioner is the role of compost in improving soil structure, especially dry soil, while soil ameliorator functions in improving cation exchange capacity on the soil.
Good compost is made from plants that have undergone perfect weathering which is characterized by changes in color to brownish black, odorless and has low water content and has room temperature.
Planting media from Moss
Moss can be used as an alternative to organic planting media derived from fern roots or sometimes that is often found in forests. Moss is commonly used as a planting medium during seeding until flowering. This planting medium has many cavities that allow the roots of plants to grow and develop well.
By its nature, the planting medium can tie water well and also has a good drainage and aeration system. In order to get optimal results, the use of moss planting media should be combined with other planting media such as bark, peat, dried leaves and also soil.
Manure
Fertilizers derived from animal waste are commonly called manure. Complete nutrient content such as phosphorus, sodium, and potassium make this fertilizer very suitable for planting media. Because the elements contained in manure are needed by plants.
In addition, in the manure, there are microorganisms that are believed to be able to remodel organic materials that are difficult to absorb plants into components that are easily digested by plants.
The composition of nutrients present in manure depends also on several factors, namely the type of animal, the state of the animal, the age of the animal, the type of food and the stretch material used and storage before planting media is made.
Manure will be very well used as a planting medium when it is ripe and sterile. This can be seen from the color that turns into pitch black.
Planting Media from Coconut Fiber
Call coconut is one alternative organic material that can be used as a planting medium. Coconut coir which can be used as a planting medium must come from coconuts that are old and have strong fiber.
This type of planting media should be used in areas that have low rainfall because this material is very easily weathered if it is often exposed to rainwater.
When coconut fiber has begun to decay it will cause the plant to decompose quickly and become a source of disease for plants. To prevent this usually before being used as a coconut husk planting medium soaked first with a function of the solution.
The advantage of this planting medium is that it can bind and store water firmly so it is very good to use for hot areas. In addition, the essential nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium in coconut fiber are very good for plants.
Planting Media from Rice Husks
Rice husk is a planting medium made from milled rice husk. Planting media from husks that are commonly used can be raw husks and fuel husks.
Both types of husks have the same level of porosity that can provide an important role in improving soil structure.
The use of this planting medium does not need to be sterilized anymore because the pathogenic microbes have died during the combustion process.
The advantage of planting media from the chaff is that it can easily bind water, not easily decayed and is a source of potassium needed by plants.
In addition, the planting medium from the seals is also not easy to clump so that the roots of plants can grow perfectly. But the weakness of this growing media is that it has little nutrient content.
Planting Media from Humus
Planting media from humus is the result of weathering of organic materials and micro-bodies and micro-energy sources.
Humus is usually formed from the body tissues of plants or animals that have died. Humus is very instrumental in the process of soil blending and has a high ion exchange capacity so that it can store nutrients properly.
Humus is very easy to overgrow when a temperature, humidity and aeration changes are extreme. Humus also has a low porosity level so that the root of the plant will be difficult to absorb water. Therefore the use of hummus as a planting medium must be combined with other planting media that have a high porosity such as soil or sand.
Planting Media from Inorganic Materials
The inorganic material is a planting medium that has a high mineral content that comes from the weathering process made by the parent in the earth.
The weathering process can be caused by various things, namely mechanical weathering and chemical weathering. Based on the shape and size of minerals derived from the host rock can be grouped into 4 namely gravel or small rocks (size 2 mm), and (1-2 mm size) dust (size 2-50 u) and clay.
In addition, inorganic materials can also come from synthetic or chemical materials made at the plant. Some inorganic media that are often used as planting media are gel, sand, gravel, broken bricks, sponges, clay, vermiculite, and perlite. For the full explanation, please read below.
Gel Planting Media
Gel or hydrogen are polymer crystals commonly used as planting media for hydroponic plants. The use of this type of planting media is very easy and efficient because there is no need to bother to replace, flush or fertilize.
In addition, this planting medium also has a variety of colors so that it can be adjusted to the taste and color of plants. Therefore, this planting medium is commonly used for the beauty and beauty of ornamental plants placed in the workspace or living room.
Almost all types of indoor plants can be planted in this media, for example, anthurium and philodendron. But this type of planting media is not suitable for plants that have hard roots such as bonsai and adenium plants.
This is due to the growth of hardened plant roots which cause the vase to rupture. Another advantage of the gel planting medium is that it still looks beautiful even though it is coupled with other media. In Japan, the gel is widely used as a component of the terrarium with sand. Various gel colors add to the impression of life in the miniature garden.
Planting Media from Sand
Sand is an alternative planting medium that is commonly used as a ground monitor. Usually, the planting medium of sand is used for seed sowing, growing plant seeds, and growing plants with cuttings.
The characteristics of sand that absorb dry quickly facilitate the process of transferring plant seeds to other media. Another advantage of planting media from sand is that it can increase the drainage system and aeration in the planting medium.
Pasir Malang and building sand are some types of sand that are often used as planting media. The use of sand as a planting medium must be combined with other planting media such as gravel, rocks, soil or can be adjusted with plants that will be cultivated.
Gravel
The use of gravel as a planting medium actually has some similarities with sand. This is because these two types of growing media have the same properties.
Gravel is commonly used as a hydroponic planting medium to help circulate nutrient and air solutions so as to provide space for plant roots to grow. Gravel has a difficult nature to bind water, easily wet and dry quickly, so if you use this planting medium, you need to water regularly.
Currently, there are many uses of synthetic gravel. The advantages of synthetic gravel compared to ordinary gravel is the ability to bind water, synthetic gravel has the ability to bind water well.
In addition, the drainage system in gravel types is also very good so that it can maintain moisture and air circulation in the planting medium.
Broken Bricks
Planting media from broken bricks can be used as an alternative for crop cultivation. Like other inorganic planting media, these stone fragments have a function to stick the roots of plants.
We recommend that the size of the broken stone be made small like a pebble size. The smaller the stone fragments, the better the ability of this growing media to absorb water and nutrients will improve.
What needs to be considered in this planting medium is the lack of nutrients so that additional fertilizer is needed or combined with other planting media that have good nutrient content.
Planting Media from Sponge
For people who have a hobby in the cultivation of ornamental plants, it is certainly no stranger to this one planting medium.
The planting medium of the sponge is very light so it is easy to move and place anywhere. Although light, the planting medium of the sponge does not need ballast because after being doused with water will become heavy by itself so that the plant will become upright.
The advantage of this planting medium is the high absorption capacity of water and the essential elements commonly given in liquid form.
But this planting medium does not last long because the material is easily destroyed so that if the sponge is not suitable for use it must be replaced immediately with a new one. Therefore, this planting medium is usually only used as a planting medium for cut flowers that are only temporary use.
Clay Planting Media
Clay is one type of planting medium that has a smooth, sticky and muddy texture. A special feature of this planting medium is that it has more small pores than its macropores, so it has the ability to bind water more strongly.
Micropores are fine pores that contain capillary water or air. While macropores are rough pores that contain air or gravity water that is easily lost.
The space of the planting media is very narrow so that it can inhibit the circulation of water and air in the planting medium.
Basically, this planting medium is very poor in nutrients so the user must be combined with other planting media that have more nutrients. Clay is very suitable when used in conjunction with other planting media such as sand and humus.
Vermiculite and Perlite
Vermiculite is a sterile inorganic media produced from heating mica chips and containing potassium and helium.
This planting medium is a type of planting medium that has a high capacity cation capacity, especially when it is solid and wet.
Vermiculite can reduce specific gravity and increase water absorption when used as a mixture of planting media.
Unlike vermiculite, perlite is a lightweight mineral product and has a cation exchange capacity and low water absorption.
As a mixture of planting media, perlite function is the same as Vermiculite, which is to reduce specific gravity and increase water absorption. The use of vermiculite and perlite as planting media should be combined with organic materials to optimize plants in absorbing nutrients.
Planting Media from Cork / Styrofoam
Cork is a type of inorganic material made from a mixture of styrene copolymers that can be used as an alternative to planting media.
At first, this planting medium was only used as acclimatization for plants before being planted in large areas.
At present, some nurseries use cork as a mixture to increase porosity in the planting medium. Adding styrofoam to the growing medium makes it
be light. However, planting media is often used as a nest by ants.
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Tuesday, October 30, 2018
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