THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUBSTRATE TO PLANT GROWTH

Horticultural substrates or growth medias include as well the long time known "horticultural soils", which consist out mainly natural organic matter (pine and leaf moulds, all kinds of composts), as the peaty substrates which became more and more important (from Germany, Finland and Russia) as artificial substrates (foam plastics, vermiculite, rockwool etc …) and last but not least the new composts on the base of bark, sludge and other organic waste materials.

The physical and chemical properties of the different horticultural substrates can differ very much, therefore it is very important to known these properties from the beginning in order to adjust them for the different circumstances of use.

The formerly used growth medias were put together to imitate the conditions, under which the plants were growing naturly.

Today it is necessary that the substrate combines favourable physical and chemical properties which are always the same.

This gives the advantage that the irrigation and fertilizer program can be automised.