CHARACTERISATION OF GROWING MEDIA OR COMPONENTS FOR GROWING MEDIA TO DETERMINE SUITABILITY FOR HORTICULTURE

New growing media or components for growing media are often introduced in horticulture without knowledge about the specific characteristics of the material.
Mostly only unreliable research is carried before introduction.
Problems often appear when products are used on commercial scale.
Besides this, a useful analytical approach is impossible with the conventional methods of analysis.
Therefore the Foundation RHP in cooperation with the Research Station for Floriculture and Glasshouse Vegetables started a research project for new growing media in 1994. The aim of the project is standardization of growing media.
To reach this aim methods of analysis suitable for the broad range of horticultural growing media are developed.
Characterization of a various range of growing media for physical, chemical, biological, environmental and production aspects is carried out.
After standardization producers and suppliers can participate in the RHP regulation for growing media.

International Symposium Growing Media and Plant Nutrition in Horticulture

J.B.G.M. Verhagen

characterization, growing media, standardization

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.450.44