ISHS Acta Horticulturae 126: Symposium on Substrates in Horticulture other than Soils In Situ
BARK COMPOSTS FOR POT CHRYSANTHEMUMS |
| Author: | G.C.S. Wilson |
| Abstract:
A factorial experiment was run on the production of one cultivator of pot chrysanthemums using composted bark as the basic substrate with and without the addition of 20% peat, perlite, vermiculite or shale to increase the water holding capacity of the bark substrate. Two ratios of N:P2O5:K2O were used, 2:1:1 and 2:1:4, applied either as a liquid feed or as a base fertiliser. The effects of supplementary lighting was also compared with unlit plants. The results of this experiment demonstrated that with 2N:1P2O5:4K2O ratio liquid feeding the best quality plants were obtained even though the higher "N" ratio 2N:1P2O5:1K2O feed gave bigger plants, but flowering was delayed. The addition of additives to the bark substrate improved the water holding capacity of the medium, but providing a careful check of the moisture content of the pots is kept, additives are unnecessary. The use of supplementary lighting gave earlier, better quality flowers. | |
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