Plant growth What do plants grow in?

Most plants need something for their roots to grow in. This is what we are going to look at now. At the end of this you should: Know why plants need something to grow in Be able to discuss the different substances plants can grow in

Growing conditions for plants What do plants need to grow well? Water, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide How do plants get these? Many of them come from the substance that the roots are growing in, which is very often soil

Loam What is loam? Loam is good garden soil. This will provide a good structure to anchor roots, provide oxygen for root cells and nutrients such as minerals for growth

Soil substitutes When growing plants by seed or cuttings soil substitutes are often used. The most common of these is compost. But there are other types of soil substitute. Why do you think this is? If possible you should research the different types of soil substitute and produce a leaflet or poster explaining the differences.

Soil substitutes Soil substitutes are designed to provide the growing conditions needed by the plant. It depends mainly on the type of plant. Environmental factors also have an influence, such as sustainability

Compost Compost is a commonly used soil substitute It usually contains: Sand or perlite (for drainage) Peat or an alternative (to retain water) Fertiliser (to provide nutrients for growth) Different types of compost contain different proportions of these, depending on what the compost is being used for. (If you have time you could research the different types of compost)

Quiz Why do plants need something to grow in? What are the different types of substances plants can be grown in? Why are there a number of different types of substances plants can be grown in? What are the 3 main components of compost? Why are they put into the compost?