Growing Media

Edward Hanlon, B. L. McNeal, Edward A. Hanlon, andBrian L. McNeal
Other Contacts: Paul White andRao Mylavarapu

This document is about interpreting electrical conductivity (EC) measurements in soils and container media to manage soluble salts from fertilizers, irrigation water, and storm events. It explains how excessive salts affect plant growth, provides guidelines for testing and interpreting EC values, and offers practical recommendations for leaching salts and preventing salt accumulation in landscapes, crops, and containerized plants. First printed April 1993.

Jianjun Chen

Plugs have become an important method for the production of floriculture crops (Styer and Koranski 1997). Seeds are sown, tissue cultured plantlets are transplanted or cuttings are rooted in medium-filled, multi-cavity cells of plastic trays (Chen and Stamps 2006). After a few weeks, roots become adhered with medium. Seedlings, liners or rooted cuttings pulled from cells are called plugs. In other words, plugs are containerized transplants with self-enclosed root systems (Figure 1).

Jianjun Chen, Dennis McConnell, andDennis B. McConnell

Composts have been widely used for vegetable, fruit, and field crop production because compost amendments improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil and suppress diseases. Another potential market for compost application is the formulation of container media for ornamental plant production. Once the plants attain marketable sizes, they and their container substrates are sold to consumers. Growers then must use new substrate materials for the next crop.

Rao Mylavarapu, Thomas H. Yeager, andThomas H. Yeager
Other Contacts: Paul White

Haimanote K. Bayabil, Fitsum T. Tilahun, Yuncong Li, and E. Vanessa Campoverde

This publication provides general information about differences in moisture retention characteristics and chemical properties of most common potting substrates used by the nursery industry in south Florida. Written by Haimanote K. Bayabil, Fitsum T. Tilahun, Yuncong Li, and E. Vanessa Campoverde, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, October 2021.

Rao Mylavarapu, William D'Angelo, andNancy Wilkinson
Other Contacts: Paul White

This document is the Container Media Test Form (SL134), one of the Soil Testing Information Sheets (Submission Forms) used by the UF/IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory. The sheet provides details about how to collect samples and testing fees.