1. Growing Media

2. Plants need a good environment to grow!
Need a healthy environment above ground
Need a healthy environment below ground

3. Plant Growing Media
Growing medium- Material in which roots of the plants grow
Provide plants with nutrients
Place to anchor itself
Types of media:
Soil
Artificial medias (Vermiculite, Perlite)
Nutrient solutions (Hydroponics)

4. Soil
Top few inches of earth’s surface
Natural medium
Many kinds

5. Soilless Medium Contains no topsoil Organic components
peat moss
bark
Inorganic components
Vermiculite, Perlite
made from rock and minerals
Aids in drainage and aeration

6. Hydroponics Method of growing plants in a nutrient solution
Nutrient Solution- Contains water and dissolved nutrient salts
Must use material to anchor plant roots
Styrofoam, Sand, Gravel,

7. Mixtures Various materials may be mixed to prepare a good medium
Vermiculite, Perlite, Peat moss, Manure
Media Must be free of disease, weeds, and other dangerous residues

8. Composition of Average Soil

9. Soil: Contents and Structures
Soil contains three kinds of mineral materials.
Sand
Silt
Clay

10. Composition of Average Soil

11. Sand Largest mineral particles in soil Amount varies in soil
Soils with more than 85% sand are classified as sand, not soil
Assists soil drainage
Soils high in sand may not hold enough moisture for plants to grow properly.

12. Silt
Smaller than sand.
Formed by action of water and other forces that break materials into silt
Areas near rivers are often high in silt deposits.

13. Clay Smallest size particles in soil Fill spaces between particles
Holds water and keeps soil moist
Soils high in clay may be slow to dry after a rain. As a result soil may form a hard, compact surface.

14. Organic Matter Decayed remains of plants and animals.
Decaying leaves, bark, manure, and other plant materials increase organic matter.
High in nutrients, released for plant growth

15. Soil Texture The proportion of sand, silt, and clay present in soil
Amount of mineral materials in soil varies and makes some soils better suited for certain uses

16. Soil Profile Vertical section of soil at a particular location.
Typically shows a layered pattern of materials form surface down to bedrock.
Layered patterns are divided into horizons.

17. Horizons Surface soils or topsoil- humus, roots, organisms
Subsoil- accumulation of materials leached from surface, some roots
Substratum- consisting of partially weathered parent material
Bedrock or parent material