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Soilless mixes

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Kevin Donnelly
Kevin Donnelly

The document discusses key considerations for soilless growing media mixes. It notes that the ideal mix depends on the grower's style and needs to support plant growth with limited management. The mix should have consistent physical properties like pore size and water retention. Proper aeration, water drainage, and nutrient holding capacity are important. Regular testing of the mix's physical and chemical properties can help optimize plant growth.

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It all depends. SOILLESS MIXES Kevin Donnelly, CH .
GROWING MEDIA Air Water Structure Nutrient Reservoir
THE IDEAL MIX It all depends. Fits your growing style Produces quality plants with limited management Consistent/Predictable Cost effective
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
MACRO VS. MICROPORES 30% Air 75% Water 45% Water 25% Solids 25% Solids
CAPILLARY ACTION IN MIX Important when sub irrigating containers Pores act as a straw and
ZONE OF SATURATION Amount mix will hold at the bottom
CONTAINER SIZE Size and Shape of container can effect water air water relationships Look at the force of gravity 45% Air 25% Air 10% Air
BULK DENSITY/ COMPACTION Depending on how it is filled can impact air water relationships Compact vs. lightly filed
SHRINK Settling after watering Component breakdown Out the bottom? Shrink from blending
WHY IT MATTERS Overwatering or under watering causes issues Pick up method of checking watering status If I change the weight of your mix, you will mess up Surface may dry up but not underneath Knock out pots to check
WETTING AGENT Aids in wetting up mix Peat is hydrophobic Helps with even watering, Not channeling down the sides of the pot A good idea for postharvest quality
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
PH Will effect nutrient availability Fluctuates over the course of the crop The plant causes pH changes Alkalinity of your water is important May need to do acid injections Buffer capacity of your components Lime and Iron Sulfate
PH
EC AKA soluble salts Measure of salt content in solution Can be from good salts or bad Many use EC as indication of fertility Listed in dS/m or ppm (dS/m X 670) Dilution method matters!!
NUTRIENTS Minerals/non coated dolomite lime Iron Sulfate Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF or SRF) Encapsulated NPK+ Organic Fertilizers Often have low analysis and low availability (predictable)
OTHER MEASURMENTS Organic Matter CEC C:N Weed Seed presence Wettability Moisture content
TESTING What do you test for How Often How do you test Interal testing External lab What do you do with that information
SAMPLING How you sample may add bias to the test Area of pot Top 1/3rd Middle 1/3rd Bottom 1/3rd Random sample or targeted sample
TESTING FOR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Air Porosity Field Method NCSU Porometer Sieve analysis
TESTING CHEMICAL In house EC pH External Lab Nutrients CEC Etc.
EC Method maters 1:1 2:1 SME Pour Thru Many use it for managing fert If EC reading falls below X, then fertigate
PH TESTING Moving Target Can be adjusted 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
BIG POINT FOR ANY TESTING Dont make major changes right after testing starts to correct issues that may be normal Need historical values to see what is your norm Plants dont read test reports
BIOLOGICAL Mycorrhizae Benificial bacteria/fungi These can be incorporated into mix As well as some pesticides
Its all about logistics COMPONENTS
AGGREGATES Perlite Others Vermiculite Lava Glass Sand Polystyrene Calcined clay Rockwool Oildri LWA
ORGANIC COMPONENTS Peat Composts Landscape compost Sphagnum Manure compost Reed Sedge Biosolids Pine Worm Casting Rice Mushroom Compost Coir Spent Mushroom Substrate
NEW PRODUCTS Why we need them Look for local Price Cheap Availability Effective Quality Sustainability These are not replacements
NEW FRONTIERS Whole Tree Substrate Corn Cobs Miscanthus Biochar
MANAGING RAW COMPONENTS These are natural products They vary They change over time How you manage them maters

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Soilless mixes

  • 1. It all depends. SOILLESS MIXES Kevin Donnelly, CH .
  • 2. GROWING MEDIA Air Water Structure Nutrient Reservoir
  • 3. THE IDEAL MIX It all depends. Fits your growing style Produces quality plants with limited management Consistent/Predictable Cost effective
  • 5. MACRO VS. MICROPORES 30% Air 75% Water 45% Water 25% Solids 25% Solids
  • 6. CAPILLARY ACTION IN MIX Important when sub irrigating containers Pores act as a straw and
  • 7. ZONE OF SATURATION Amount mix will hold at the bottom
  • 8. CONTAINER SIZE Size and Shape of container can effect water air water relationships Look at the force of gravity 45% Air 25% Air 10% Air
  • 9. BULK DENSITY/ COMPACTION Depending on how it is filled can impact air water relationships Compact vs. lightly filed
  • 10. SHRINK Settling after watering Component breakdown Out the bottom? Shrink from blending
  • 11. WHY IT MATTERS Overwatering or under watering causes issues Pick up method of checking watering status If I change the weight of your mix, you will mess up Surface may dry up but not underneath Knock out pots to check
  • 12. WETTING AGENT Aids in wetting up mix Peat is hydrophobic Helps with even watering, Not channeling down the sides of the pot A good idea for postharvest quality
  • 14. PH Will effect nutrient availability Fluctuates over the course of the crop The plant causes pH changes Alkalinity of your water is important May need to do acid injections Buffer capacity of your components Lime and Iron Sulfate
  • 15. PH
  • 16. EC AKA soluble salts Measure of salt content in solution Can be from good salts or bad Many use EC as indication of fertility Listed in dS/m or ppm (dS/m X 670) Dilution method matters!!
  • 17. NUTRIENTS Minerals/non coated dolomite lime Iron Sulfate Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF or SRF) Encapsulated NPK+ Organic Fertilizers Often have low analysis and low availability (predictable)
  • 18. OTHER MEASURMENTS Organic Matter CEC C:N Weed Seed presence Wettability Moisture content
  • 19. TESTING What do you test for How Often How do you test Interal testing External lab What do you do with that information
  • 20. SAMPLING How you sample may add bias to the test Area of pot Top 1/3rd Middle 1/3rd Bottom 1/3rd Random sample or targeted sample
  • 21. TESTING FOR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Air Porosity Field Method NCSU Porometer Sieve analysis
  • 22. TESTING CHEMICAL In house EC pH External Lab Nutrients CEC Etc.
  • 23. EC Method maters 1:1 2:1 SME Pour Thru Many use it for managing fert If EC reading falls below X, then fertigate
  • 24. PH TESTING Moving Target Can be adjusted 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  • 25. BIG POINT FOR ANY TESTING Dont make major changes right after testing starts to correct issues that may be normal Need historical values to see what is your norm Plants dont read test reports
  • 26. BIOLOGICAL Mycorrhizae Benificial bacteria/fungi These can be incorporated into mix As well as some pesticides
  • 27. Its all about logistics COMPONENTS
  • 28. AGGREGATES Perlite Others Vermiculite Lava Glass Sand Polystyrene Calcined clay Rockwool Oildri LWA
  • 29. ORGANIC COMPONENTS Peat Composts Landscape compost Sphagnum Manure compost Reed Sedge Biosolids Pine Worm Casting Rice Mushroom Compost Coir Spent Mushroom Substrate
  • 30. NEW PRODUCTS Why we need them Look for local Price Cheap Availability Effective Quality Sustainability These are not replacements
  • 31. NEW FRONTIERS Whole Tree Substrate Corn Cobs Miscanthus Biochar
  • 32. MANAGING RAW COMPONENTS These are natural products They vary They change over time How you manage them maters