For a good growing media it is necessary that the plant gets a healthy balance of water and air.Soil sometimes contains harmful bacteria and fungi, and prone to be infected by pests, weeds and soil-borne diseases. The soil-less media are generally considered cleaner and sterile. These media, as the name suggests, doesn’t include soil; plants are grown in different organic or inorganic materials. Soil-less media are getting more and more popular particularly among container gardeners these days.
Some of the most commonly used alternative media are:
1. Peat moss: It promotes good aeration and water retention capacity. It is light weight and sterile and ideal for germination of seeds. Usually used with other other media.
2. Perlite: These are basically expanded volcanic rocks and white in colour. It is very lightweight and holds air. Unlike peat moss it doesn’t hold water so need to be mixed with other media for best use.
3. Vermiculite: It can be used as a substitute of perlite. Like perlite it also doesn’t hold water. It can retain nutrients and help a mix resist changes in pH(a measure of the alkalinity or acidity of a medium).
4. Coarse sand: It is another medium used by people. Though it improves drainage and aeration, doesn’t retain water.
5. Coconut coir:Now a days this medium is getting more and more popular. It is the extracts from the coconut husk. It has the same properties as peat moss but with much less mess.
Your own mix:
Depending upon your choice of crops you can prepare your own mix. Standard practice is mixing Coconut coir(or peat moss), perlite(or vermiculite), small amount of fertilizer(Soil-less mix doesn’t have much fertility by itself. So you need to provide fertilizer from outside) and ground limestone(so that soil-less mix will contain the nutrients also). There are several other soil-less mix recipes available online which you can easily find. Also there are several ready mix available for you to buy.
For best results:
- Lightly moisten the mix before filling the container.
- Don’t pack the mix too tightly when planting.
- Water thoroughly after planting.
- In absence of fertilizer in the mix, start fertilizing two or three week after plantation.
Read more about soil-less media:
Why you should grow strawberries in Coir?
A Miracle grow called Organic Potting Soil: The best soilless potting Mix
Coconut Coir and its use as a Soil-less Growth Media
