AIR CONTENT IN HORTICULTURAL SUBSTRATES

Because of the decreasing air content in the commercial growing media a study is set up in order to improve the structure of these peat based substrates.

As potting soil we have taken a frozen decomposed black peat with an air content of about 10 % by volume.
Following inert materials are added and tested in order to increase the air content of black peat: vermiculite, perlite, expanded clay, polyurethanes, polystyrenes and rockwool.

Also other organic materials such as white peat from Germany and Finland and bark compost are used.

In this paper we shall discuss the evolution of the air content when different inert materials and other organic substrates are mixed up with black peat.

The final aim of this research is to work out a standard on the needed air content for different crops.

Symposium on Nutrition, Growing Techniques and Plant Substrates

O. Verdonck, R. Penninck

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.178.12