Plant Container

and
Growing Medium
TOPIC 5
 Learning Outcomes
• At the end of this topic, students should be able to:

i. Describe the type of growing medium that commonly

used in nursery.

ii. Identify types of plant containers available in nursery.

TYPES OF NURSERY
PLANT CONTAINERS
 Introduction - Plant Container

• Plant nursery is a temporary placed to grow plant before it

will be transferred to permanent place.

• Since, it just temporary, therefore it will be easier to grow

plant in container.

• Plants are simpler to manage and transfer to another area

in nursery.
 What is nursery container?
A nursery container could be
anything that can:

Hold growing media

Drains excess water

Allows healthy root development for easily

removed the root systems for planting

Does not disintegrate before out planting

Why growers should used different types of
container?
Most nurseries grow a
wide variety of species
and therefore several
different containers.

Container choice depends

on root system
morphology, target plant
criteria and economics .
Plant container based on root systems
morphology:

Plants that Plants with

develop shallow, Plants with long multiple, thick,
fibrous root taproots, such as fleshy roots, and
systems, as most many kinds of species with thick,
forbs do, grow trees, grow better fleshy rhizomes
better in shorter in taller containers grow better in
containers wide containers
What are the criteria when selecting a plant
container?
Having hole for drainage

Unbreakable

Light for easy to carry and moved

Easy to clean

Attractive and proper

Cheap and easy to made.

What are the characteristics of the container
that will affect plant development?
Volume

Color Height

Container
characteristics

Hole Diameter

Plant
Shape
Density
Container Characteristics Affecting Plant Development

1. Volume
· The volume of a container dictates
how large a plant can be grown in it.
(Optimum container size is related to
the species, target plant size, growing
density, length of the growing season,
and growing medium used).

2. Height
· Container height is important because it
determines the depth of the root plug ,
which may be a consideration on dry
out -planting sites.
Container Characteristics Affecting Plant Development ( Conti ..)

3. Diameter
· Container diameter is important in
relation to the type of species being
grown. Broad- leaved trees, shrubs, and
herbaceous plants need a larger
container diameter so that irrigation
water applied from above can
penetrate the dense foliage and reach
the medium.

4. Shape
· Containers are available in a variety of
shapes and most are tapered from top to
bottom. Most containers are round but
some are square and maximize the
growing space used in the greenhouse.
Container Characteristics Affecting Plant Development ( Conti ..)

5. Plant Density
· Spacing affects the amount of light, water, and
nutrients that are available to individual plants
· In general, plants grown at closer spacing grow
taller and have smaller stem diameters than
those grown further apart

6. Holes
· Containers must have a bottom hole or holes
large enough to promote good drainage and
encourage “air pruning.”
· Roots stop growing when they reach an air
layer under the container.
Container Characteristics Affecting Plant Development ( Conti ..)

8. Color
· Color affect medium temperature,
which directly affects root growth.
· Black containers can quickly reach
lethal temperatures in full sun
· White ones are more reflective and
less likely to have heat buildup.
 A saturated layer of growing
medium always exists in the
bottom of containers. With the
same growing medium, the
proportion of saturated media is
greater for shorter containers.
Adapted from Landis and others
(1989)
 Next to volume, spacing is
the most important characteristic in
container choice (A). Plants grown too
close together become tall and spindly
and have less stem diameter (B). Trays
with removable containers are popular
because they allow flexibility in
spacing between plants(C). Adapted
from Dumroese and others (2008).
Effects of Container Density
Plants with aggressive roots often exhibit spiraling and other deformities after outplanting. If rootbound,
roots often do not grow out beyond the original plug (A). Containers coated with copper will chemically
prune roots (B), and other containers are available with lateral slits to reduce spiralling and encourage air
pruning and on the side of the plug (C,D). Illustrations A, B, and C adapted from Dumroese and other
(2008 ), and photo D by Thomas D. Landis.

Other than root
morphology and container
characteristic are there any
factors that influence the
selection of container.
Yes, there are, economic factor
and also operational factor will
part of factor that grower
should consider.
Example of economic and operational factors
affecting container choice:

Cost and Availability

Container types, will depend on shipping and storage costs,

because it relate to price of purchase.

Durability and Reusability

Containers must be durable enough to maintain structural

integrity and contain root growth during the nursery period.

Ease of Handling

Containers must be moved several times during crop

production, so handling can be a major concern from logistic
and safety standpoints
 Types of
Containers
Types of Containers
 Types of containers
Made of black Popular as
Available in
1. Polybags polyethylene temporary Vary in size
black and
and Polytubes (poly) plastic containers in and thickness
white color
sheeting the nurseries

Advantages Disadvantages

• Cheap
• Easy to tear

• Light
• Cannot stand straight

• Flexible • Root easy to wound because the bag is

soft
 Types of containers
2.
Vary in shape, Normally used for
Plastics
form and size nurseries.
container

Advantages Disadvantages

• Light weight

• More expensive

• Easy to clean

• Dimmed/discolour
• Unbreakable
 Types of containers

3. Clay container Traditional, Vary shape and size

Advantages Disadvantages
• Natural colour and shape
• Heavy

• Clay do not keep heat thus it is ‘cool’ for the • Breakable

planting
• Easy to be mould and dirty

• Easy to get and cheaper

• Containers must be washed
• More porous to able the air exchange between with clean water before
potting medium and environmental air and used*
release the excess water from the medium

* To avoid poisonous chemical and the clay pot must be soak with in order to release the excess gasses and chemical in the tiny pores of the pot.
 Types of containers
Commonly used
Wood must be preserve
4. Wood container
for planting big tree before used to avoid decay

Advantages Disadvantages

• Heavy

• Do not keep heat • Easy to decay

• Infected by termites
 Types of containers
Common used
Normally used

5. Metal container are aluminium

to plant big tree
container

Advantages Disadvantages

• Rustles

• Price is high
• Light
 Types of containers

Consist of dry, When irrigated,

6. Jiffy®
compressed peat growing Come in a the pellet
Pellets and
media inside a soft- variety of sizes expands into a
Pots
walled, meshed bag cylindrical plug

Advantages Disadvantages
• Good for seed that germinate very • Frequent irrigation (greater
slowly or over a long period of time. permeability of the container wall).

Jiffy® pellets are composed of dry compressed peat

surrounded by mesh and expand when watered. Smaller
pellets are used to start germinates and can be transplanted
into larger Jiffy® containersor other containers.
 Types of containers
Composed of bleached
7. Zipset ™ Square, one-use
cardboard containers that are
Plant Bands containers assembled in a hard plastic
tray

Advantages Disadvantages

• Protect the root plug during storage

• Biodegrade after 9 to 18 months.
and shipping.

Zipset™ Plant Bands are inexpensive containers that can

be shipped directly to the field.
 Types of containers
Made of fibre, such as
8 . Natural Fiber Containers coir or compressed Come in a variety of sizes
paper

Advantages Disadvantages
• Easy to be transplanted
• They may break down too quickly
• Minimal root disturbance or in warm, humid climates

transplanting shock.
• Coated with with algae over time
• Roots will penetrate the container
as it breaks down.

Recyclable containers like these constructed

of paper fiber are ecologically friendly but do not hold up well
in wet, humid climates such as greenhouses.
Disadvantages of planting in a plant container

Limited space for root growth.

The nutrient are limited compared to field planting

Limited amount of water. (can cause flaccid if not

watered regularly)

Atmosphere temperature will influence

immediately to potting medium compared to field planting.

Root bound
Cleaning Reusable Containers
 MEDIA AND MIXES
FOR
PROPAGATION AND GROWING PLANT
 INTRODUCTION
1. Nurseryman use different kind of media and mixes for the propagation
(seeds, cutting, etc.).

2. Media that suitable for cutting may not suitable for air layering and also
other propagation method and growing container plant.

3. Therefore, selecting a good growing medium is fundamental to good

nursery management and is the foundation of a healthy root system.
4. Growing media for use in container nurseries is available in three basic
forms:

i. Soil based (media that has field soil as a major component)

ii. Organic based (a base of organic materials: cobonut coir, compost,

peat, etc.)

iii. Inorganic mixed (perlite,vermiculite, etc.) 


5. Growers must be familiar with the positive and negative characteristics of

the various ingredients and how they will affect plant growth.
 Learning outcomes

At the end of this topic

student should be able to
describes the uses,
functions, and properties of
growing media ingredients.
 Functions of growing media

To support
the To supply To supply To supply
rooting the the water the oxygen
system nutrients
What are the criteria for selecting propagation medium

Before selecting any propagation medium grower should consider.:

i. Local availability of medium

ii. Quality - ideal pH 5.5- 6.5

iii. Sufficient porosity

iv. Easily mixed

v. Commonly used by any growers

Properties of Growing Media
 Water
holding Aeration Porosity Bulk density
capacity

Physical

Properties of Growing Media

Biological Chemical

Disease
Minerals pH CEC
Free
Physical Properties of Growing Media
• Definition: The percentage of total pore space
that remains filled with water after gravity
drainage.

1. Water-Holding • A good growing medium need to have

Capacity sufficient microspore for good high water-
holding capacity but also contains enough
macro pores to allow excess water to drain
away and prevent water logging. Micropores
absorb water and hold it against the pull of
gravity until plants can use it .

• Definition: The percentage of pore space that

remains filled with air after excess water
has drained away.

2. Aeration
• A good growing medium, especially for
rooting cuttings, ned to have high
percentage of macro pores.
Physical Properties of Growing Media
· h.

• Definition: The total porosity of a growing

medium is the sum of the space in the
macropores and micropores; plants need
both

3. Porosity
• Plants growing in a medium with all large
particles would dry out too quickly , and
those growing in a medium with all small
particles would suffer from water logging

• Definition: Media bulk density is the weight

per volume.
• An ideal growing medium is lightweight
enough to facilitate handling and shipping
4. Bulk Density while still having enough weight to provide
physical support.

• Excessive bulk density indicates

compaction .
Chemical Properties of Growing
• Container nursery managers prefer media
1. Minerals with inherently low fertility to discourage
damping-off during the establishment phase.

2. pH • Most native plants tend to grow best at pH

level between 5.5 and 6.5

• Definition: CEC refers to the ability of a

growing medium to hold positively
charged ions.
3. CEC
• Because nutrient leaching occurs during
irrigation, container nurseries prefer a
growing medium with a very high CEC
 The availability of all mineral nutrients is affected by the pH of the
growing medium. Inorganic-based growing media, maximum
Damping off (Pythium sp or Rhizoctoni sp.) pea seedling availability occurs between 5 .5 and 5 .6 . Illustration adapted from
Bunt (1988 ) by Jim Marin.
Biological Properties of Growing Media

• Growing media must be free from

pathogens
1. Disease free • Organic - based growing media are
preferred in nurseries because they are
generally pest free.
Types of component in soil mixture are:

Component in soil mixture

Inorganic
Soil Organic materials
materials

Animal
Top soil Peat soil Coco peat Compost Sand
dung

Chicken Construction
Cow dung
dung grade sand
 Growing Medium: Soil
SOIL

1. TOP SOIL

• Best soil is top soil that was from new opened forest
at 15 - 20 cm depth from soil surface.

• Must be dried under dark condition and sieved

to separate all rots and unwanted materials

2. PEAT SOIL

• Peat soil come from plant debris which flooding

·
under water thousand ago. Peat soil need to be
liming to improved pH
 Growing medium:
Organic material
Peat Moss

• Sphagnum peat moss is currently the most common

organic component of growing media in temperate
zone nurseries.

• This moss is residue or living part of acid bog plants

of genus Sphagnum.

• Sterile, lightweight, high moisture holding capacity,

pH 3.0 - 4.0

• Use for air layering and cutting

 Growing medium:
Organic material
Compost

• Composts made from decomposing bulk organic

waste biologically under controlled condition.

• Mixed with soil.

• Rich in mineral and good in water holding

capacity.

• Compost quality can vary considerably between

different source materials and even from batch to
batch so growers need to always test new
materials before general use.
 Growing medium:
Organic material
Vermicompost

• Vermicompost is the product of the composting

process using various species of worms.

• Vermicompost contains water-soluble nutrients

and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertiliser
and soil conditioner.

• Compared to ordinary soil, the earthworm castings

(the material produced from the digestive tracts of
worms) contain five times more nitrogen, seven
times more phosphorus and 11 times more
potassium.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Sawdust

• Raw sawdust need to decompose 10-15 days

before use.

• Used as mixtures with various propagating

medium in container grown plants.

• Low amount of nutrient.

• Only consider using sawdust from sawmills

because other wood residues, such as from
treated boards, may contain preservatives or
harmful chemicals.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients

Rice Hulls/husks

• Rice hulls/husks are the sheaths of rice grains, a

waste product of rice processing

• Rice hulls/husks have been used as a component

of potting medium.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Coco peat

• Coco Peat is the 'coir fibre pith' or 'coir dust' a

byproduct produced from the coconut husks .

• Coco Peat makes an excellent growing medium

for hydroponics, soil mixes, and container. It can
even be reused for up to 4 years .

• It holds 8 - 9 times its weight in water.

• It has a pH of 5.0 - 6.8 which is neutral to slightly

acidic .
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Vermiculite

• Vermiculite is a hydrated aluminium-iron-magnesium silicate material

that has an accordion-like structure.

• Vermiculite has a very low bulk density and an extremely high water-
holding capacity, approximately five times its weight.

• This material also has a neutral pH, a high CEC and contains small
amounts of potassium and magnesium.

• Vermiculite is produced in four grades based on particle size, which

determines the relative proportion of aeration and water-holding
porosity. Grade 2 and 3 are most commonly used in growing media;
grade 2 is preferred when more aeration porosity is desired, whereas
grade 3 produces more water- holding capacity.

• 1:1 mixture of peat moss and coarse vermiculite is a common growing

medium mix in many temperate nurseries.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Perlite

• Perlite is a siliceous material of volcanic origin.

• Perlite particles have a unique closed-cell structure so that

water adheres only to their surface; they do not absorb
water. Therefore, growing media containing perlite are well
drained and lightweight .

• Perlite is also rigid and does not compress easily, which

promotes good porosity.

• Perlite is completely sterile with pH 6-8 and high CEC.

• Commercial mixes contain no more than 10 to 30 percent

perlite.

• Suitable as rooting of cutting medium.

 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Pumice

• Pumice is a type of volcanic rock consisting of mostly

silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide with small amounts
of iron, calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

• The porous nature of pumice particles improves

aeration porosity but also retains water within the pores

• Pumice is the most durable of the inorganic ingredients

and so resists compaction.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients
Sand

• Sand is formed from weathering of rock.

• The composition of sand varies widely depend on types

of the rock.

• Sand contain silica and has no mineral in it.

• Sand is heavy and used as propagation medium for

rooting or mixed with other organic materials.

• Need to be washed, fumigated and heat treated before

use.
 Growing medium:
Organic ingredients

Rock wool

• Used as rooting and growing medium.

• It is derived from basalt rock, melted at a temperature

1600℃ then cooled and spun into fibres.

• Good in water holding capacity and retain good level of

Oxygen.
Three general types of growing media are used in nurseries

1. Media for seeds propagation.

• For germinating seeds or establishing germinant (sprouting seeds), the medium must
be sterile and have a finer texture to maintain high moisture around the germinating
seeds.

2. Rooting Cuttings Media.

• Cuttings are rooted with frequent misting, so the growing medium must be very
porous to prevent water logging and allow good aeration necessary for root
formation.

3. Growing Media.

• When smaller seedlings or rooted cuttings are transplanted into larger containers, the
growing medium is typically coarser.
 Medium Mixture From Ismail Saidin
(2013)
Types of plant Media ratio

5-7: 3:2 (Top soil: organic matter:sand)

Most plant/ shrub 3:2:1 (T:O:S)

# each 1m3 mix with 250g CIRP

# use 2 - 3 weeks after mixing

Harwood cutting/ semi hardwood cutting 2:1 (sand:saw dust)

Softwood/ herbaceous cutting 2:1:0.5 (sand: saw dust:animal dung)

Air layering 2:1 (top soil:sand)

Tiny/fine seed sowing 2:1:1 (top soil: organic:sand)

 Use of Field Soil
• The use of field soil is not recommended for
growing nursery plants.

• However, some nurseries include some field

soil in their media.

• When selecting soil, use dark topsoil that has

a high percentage of organic matter.

• Sieve the soil through a 0.5 in (12 mm) screen

to remove debris and large objects.

• Soil-based mixes are safest for transplant

media when transplanting into larger
containers, such as polybags or 1 gallon pots.

• Soil should comprise no more than 10 to 20

percent of the transplant media by volume
although some nurseries use up to 30
percent.
 Use of Amendments
• An amendment is a supplemental material that contributes less than 10 percent of the
mixture.

• A variety of materials may be added to growing media during the mixing process, including:

·
i. Fertilisers ⇢ Starter fertiliser/Control released fertiliser (young developing plants have
quick access to mineral nutrients)

ii. Lime ⇢ Dolomitic limestone (to raise the pH and supply calcium)

iii. Surfactants ⇢ Wetting agents (break down the surface tension of water and increase the
wettability of hydrophobic organic materials)

iv. Hydrogels ⇢ Hydrophilic Gels (to increase the water- holding capacity of growing media)

v. Mycorrhizal innoculum ⇢ mycorrhizal fungi (to incorporate innoculum into the growing
medium at the time of mixing)

• If you decide to use any amendments, test them first on a small scale.
 Three (3) Types of Growing Media Available for Nurseries
Which Are
1. Seed Propagation Media
• For germinating seeds or establishing germinants (sprouting seeds)

• The medium must be sterile and have a finer texture to maintain high
moisture around the germinating seeds.

2. Rooting Cuttings Media

• Cuttings are rooted with frequent misting.

• So the growing medium must be very porous to prevent waterlogging

and allow good aeration necessary for root formation.

3. Transplant Media.
• When smaller seedlings or rooted cuttings are transplanted into larger
containers.

• The growing medium is typically coarser.

Treatment of Growing Media Ingredients

• Some growing media ingredients may need to be treated before mixing to

reduce potential damage to plants.

• These treatments may include:

1. Removing salts (Flushing out salt)

2. Killing unwanted organisms (Pasteurising Ingredients)

3. Sifting or screening ingredients

1. Flushing out salts

i. Flushing out salts may be necessary for materials such as coir, sand,
sawdust from mills near the ocean, and composts with excessive
soluble salt levels.

ii. Leaching with fresh water can effectively lower soluble salts below
damaging levels (Carrion and others 2006, Landis and Morgan 2009).

iii. Rainwater (because of its low salinity) is ideal for this process but any
fresh water source will work if enough is applied.

iv. Check the electrical conductivity (EC) of the leachate from the
ingredients or composts to verify that the salts have been removed
2. Pasteurising Ingredients

i. Sterilisation refers to the complete elimination of all living organisms

whereas pasteurisation targets pathogenic fungi and bacteria.

ii. For growing plants, completely sterile growing media is not desirable
because many beneficial microorganisms normally found in growing
media can actually be antagonistic to pathogens.

iii. But, when using field soil, growers need to seriously consider
pasteurisation.

iv. Heat pasteurisation is the most common way of treating growing

media.
v. Several heat sources can be used for
pasteurising growing media:

• Moist heat from steam

• Aerated steam or boiling water

• Dry heat from flame

Electric soil sterilisers can

• Electric pasteurisers
heat the soil long enough to eliminate
most weed seeds and pathogens
• Microwave ovens

• Solar heat

vi. Some nurseries have developed their

own pasteurisation process using fire
or solar heat.

Wood hear pasteurization process

3. Sifting or Screening Ingredients

i. Some ingredients, such as soil, sand, and

cinder, may require screening or sifting to
achieve the desired particle size.

ii. Excessively small or fine particles can clog

container drainage holes and reduce aeration.

iii. Whereas, excessively large particles can

interfere with container filling, root
development, and plant extraction.

iv. It may be necessary to sift twice, once with a

small mesh to eliminate material larger than
desired, and a second time with a larger mesh
to remove material smaller than desired.
PREPARATION OF GROWING
MEDIA
IMPORTANT: Sieve all media before you
want to mix it.

Two simple methods of screening soil

 Mixing media

Mix in basin by hand - small quantity Moving pile technique

Mixing media

Cement mixer
 PREPARATION OF GROWING MEDIA

3. As the

material

tumbles down

the side it gets

5. Rest the
1. Pile 2. Take one growing media
shovel full at a mixed. Make 4. Continue the

components on
sure the centre process until
for at least two
top of one
time and turn it of the pile is weeks after
another,
over on top of
samples from

moved by the pile appear

preparation to
broadcasting
the pile, working gradually allow unwanted
any additives
around
to be well

moving the
mixed. weeds to
over the pile. the edge of the
location of the
germinate and be
pile. pile to one side
removed
during the

mixture

procedure.
 Testing Growing Media
Testing Medium Electrical Conductivity (EC) Plant Bioassay Test

• Measuring EC is a way to measure the 1. Put a sample of the growing medium in the
amount of ·nutrients and salts present.
containers that will be used in the nursery.

• Excessively· high salt levels can damage or 2. Sow an abundantly available, fast-growing
even kill succulent young plants species into the medium.

3. Observe how the planting performs over a few

weeks.

Observed..

•· Do the seeds germinate as expected?

• As they grow, is damping -off observed?

• Are pest problems, such as gnats or maggots,

emerging?

• Is the medium stable, not becoming compacted

or waterlogged over time?
Electrical Conductivity (EC) guidelines for artificial growing media.

Adapted from Timmer and Parton (1982).

 Rootbound
Rootbound nursery stock can be defined as plants that have grown too large for their containers, resulting in severe
matting and tangling of the root system (Figure 2A).
Experiment