DIY Organic Potting Mix's for Grass - Ace Spicoli

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Characterisation_of_hemp_Cannabis_sativa_roots_under_different_growing_conditions.pdf

drive.google.com

Grow Bags, Smart Pots, Fabric Pots of all sizes

50cm 20in

Home depot concrete mixing pans

Medium Dimensions**** $7.88EA​

Product Depth (in.)	28 in	Product Height (in.)	6.0 in
Product Width (in.)	20 in	20GAL

Large Dimensions​

Product Depth (in.)	36 in	Product Height (in.)	8 in
Product Width (in.)	23.84 in

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PRO-MIX® BX AGTIV® REACH™ (Mycorrhizae)

PRO-MIX® BX AGTIV® REACH™ is a general-purpose growing medium that combines high-quality peat moss, perlite and mycorrhizae for improved plant growth.

www.pthorticulture.com

• SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS (75-85%) ?
• PERLITE ?
• LIMESTONE ?
• WETTING AGENT ?
• MYCORRHIZAE - PTB297 TECHNOLOGY

Great seed starter includes 7-10 Days of young pant nutrition
Using with
xtra perlite
tomato tone
holly tone
river sand builder grade and
powdered limestone
Found a new oyster shell supplier 50# 18$

10381RG

3.8 cu ft Comp.

30

60 - 75 lb

 

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RAW

 

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[Old Piney]

Q

Cool good to know ,safe natural bacteria

 

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Q

Its super effective for soil bugs/larve, just dont want it in your eyes lungs or on your skin
Drink mix scoop in one gallon RO water soak 30 min water plants, yellow stickys, vinegar traps, green house foggers.... tried alot of stuff it all works to a degree
It breaks down after some time,
prefer it over neem and Pyrethrins for gnats and flowering

What happens to pyrethrins in the environment?​

In the presence of sunlight, pyrethrin 1, a component of pyrethrins, breaks down rapidly in water and on soil and plant surfaces. Half-lives are 11.8 hours in water and 12.9 hours on soil surfaces. On potato and tomato leaves, less than 3% remained after 5 days. Pyrethrins do not readily spread within plants.

In the absence of light, pyrethrin 1 breaks down more slowly in water. Halflives of 14 to 17 days have been reported. When water was more acidic, pyrethrin 1 did not readily break down. Pyrethrins that enter the water do not dissolve well but tend to bind to sediment. Half-lives of pyrethrin 1 in sediment are 10.5 to 86 days.

Pyrethrins also stick to soil and have a very low potential to move through soil towards ground water. In field studies, pyrethrins were not found below a soil depth of 15 centimeters. However, pyrethrins can enter water through soil erosion or drift. In the top layers of soil, pyrethrins are rapidly broken down by microbes. Soil half-lives of 2.2 to 9.5 days have been reported. Pyrethrins have a low potential to become vapor in the air.

fungus gnats are my archnemesis....

Bacillus thuringiensis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Old Piney]

I only grow a little inside but enough to now the little buggers suck .love this thread it's a wealth of info for organic container growing !

 

[acespicoli]

I only grow a little inside but enough to now the little buggers suck .love this thread it's a wealth of info for organic container growing !

Thanks happy its useful
Im glad you stopped by always enjoy your company,
if you have any mix recipes etc feel free brother add link etc saw some nice stuff you had going on

 

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Intensive Black Soldier Fly Farming

A comprehensive article to introduce the basics of the black soldier fly industry. This is a good place to start learning about BSF.

symtonbsf.com

Better...more versatile, than red wiggler composting

 

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Potting Media and Plant Propagation​

This article outlines basic recipes for potting media and research on organic transplant production.
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Updated:
August 28, 2012

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Potting mixes should support developing seedlings. Most potting mixes are soilless to avoid soilborne diseases and promote good drainage. A mix of peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, and compost or organic fertilizers can provide a suitable environment with sufficient water-holding capacity, nutrient content, and aeration for plant growth and development. However, because organic nutrients are supplied slowly over time, meeting seedling nutrient needs can be difficult.

Commercial Mixes​

Numerous commercial mixes are available for organic growers. Make sure you know what the ingredients are in a commercial mix and check to see if it is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). It should state "OMRI listed" on the packaging. If not, check the OMRI website to see if it is listed. It is always best to call your certifier to ensure that using the mix will not compromise your certification. Many commercial mixes contain wetting agents to facilitate water absorption by peat moss. Synthetic wetting agents are not allowed under organic production standards.
Depending on the certifier, a producer can also request that the certifier review a specific product/ media. OMRI has not reviewed all products. For example, Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) has an internal materials review and publishes a list of materials that they have reviewed and approved. Members of PCO can request a review of any product free of charge. To prevent delays in your certification, be sure to have material input preapproved by a certifier.

Test Your Mix Before You Use It​

If you are unfamiliar with your mix or have received a new batch, perform a greenhouse soil test. Mixes made with compost can be high in salts, which can inhibit germination. To test your mix, send it to a reputable lab for greenhouse testing. Remember, this is different from a soil test. For example, Penn State's Ag Analytical Services Lab has a "Greenhouse Soilless Media" test that will analyze your media's pH, soluble salt (electrical conductivity), and nutrient content. Media sent in as a soil sample is tested differently and results will not make sense.
Premium potting mixes tested with the saturated paste method recommended for greenhouse media will have a pH between 5.5 and 6.5, soluble salts between 1.5 and 3 mmhos/cm, nitrate nitrogen (NO3) levels between 75 and 150 mg/L, phosphorus (P) levels between 5 and 20 mg/L, potassium (K) between 150 and 300 mg/L, calcium between 100 and 200 mg/L, and magnesium between 50 and 100 mg/L, with sodium contents falling below 160 mg/L (Warncke 1995).
Consider pretesting your potting mix by doing your own greenhouse bioassay. To do a bioassay, grow cress, oats, beans, lettuce, or another fast-growing crop with a high germination rate in your soil mix. If there is a problem with the mix, you will see it in reduced germination or poor seedling growth (see sidebar). You may also compare your new mix to a mix that you are satisfied with.
Recently, handheld EC (electrical conductivity) meters have become more popular and available at reasonable prices. See Saline Soils and Plant Growth (Sanchez 2010) for more information on how to test for salts using an EC meter.

How to Avoid the Effects of High Salt Levels or Herbicide Residue Steps​

1. Fill a flat with potting mix.
2. Count out 25 seeds of cress, lettuce, or other fast-germinating crop.
3. Seed flat.
4. Wait 5-7 days.
5. Count number of seedlings. If less than the legal germination rate (for lettuce, 80 percent), you may want to test your media for salts.

Lettuce seeded in potting mix with high salts (right) exhibited slowed and reduced germination rates.

Making Your Own Mix​

Even when making your own potting media, it is still important to ensure that the individual components of the media are specifically approved for certified organic production (see sidebar, next page). If you are purchasing compost to add to your homemade potting mix, most certifiers will require this compost to be reviewed (e.g., PCO requires an ingredient list from the source and a compost log in cases when the raw manure restriction is applicable). Fertility amendments, peat, coir, and other components must also be approved. Check for the OMRI label and talk with your certifier.
When you first start making your own potting mix, it's a good idea to try several different recipes that have worked for other growers and compare how they do on your own farm. A list of common potting mix recipes is provided at the end of this fact sheet.
Many organic potting mixes contain compost, which can provide many benefits. Compost adds organic matter to the mix and supports diverse microbial populations that can suppress soilborne-disease causing organisms (Klein and Hammer 2006). Microbes break down organic material, releasing plant-available nutrients that are slowly available for your seedlings.
However, growers have increasingly reported problems with compost-based mixes. This may be because they rely on microbial release of nutrients, which may occur too slowly to meet plant needs.
A recent study compared 20 organic potting mixes (Leonard and Rangarajan 2007). They found that transplants grown in potting mixes that contained blood meal or alfalfa meal in addition to compost were significantly larger. This was probably in response to ammonium nitrogen (N) levels two to three times higher than that of mixes without either compost or blood meal amendments. It may be a good idea to use a mix with a more readily available N form, like blood meal or feather meal, in addition to compost. Blood meal seems to stimulate microbes and increase nutrient availability from compost.
If you use compost, make sure you are using high-quality compost at the right stage of maturity. Unfinished compost may release volatile organic acids that can negatively affect seedling growth and development (Grubinger 1999). One classic method of evaluating compost readiness is by smell. Finished compost has a sweet smell. Anaerobic, sour, or putrid smells are suspicious. If your nose detects an off smell, turn the pile and let it heat again before you consider using it in a mix (Klein and Hammer 2006).
Problems with compost-based mixes often occur during early season transplant production. This may be because the mix is too cold, especially overnight when greenhouse temperatures drop. Lettuce seeded in potting mix with high salts (right) exhibited slowed and reduced germination rates.
Compost supports an active biological system. Microbial activity is linked to temperature and will not release nutrients if temperatures are cold and do not support their activity. To alleviate this problem, many growers provide bottom heat to their transplants.

Supplemental Fertility​

Commercial organic potting mixes to right with lower nutrient levels can result in stunted and nutrient stressed plants without supplemental fertilization.
If, after all possible precautions, your transplants are stressed due to nutrient-deficient media, you may need to use supplemental fertilizers such as fish emulsion. Organic sources of supplemental fertilizer include fish emulsion, soluble fish powder, kelp extracts, worm casting or compost tea, or other OMRI-approved products; see Using Organic Nutrient Sources (Sanchez and Richard 2009). These fertilizers can be applied to the soil by fertigation or foliar spray. Be careful with supplemental fertility. If you produce transplants in an area that is later used for in-ground production, leached fish emulsion or other products can build up soil nutrients to levels exceeding crop needs.

Seedling Mixes for Starting Transplants​

The following list was adapted from M. Wander in Organic Potting Mix Basics (2010).

Potting Mix--Quiet Creek CSA​

• Compost (pasteurized) 1½ buckets
• Vermiculite ¾ bucket
• Perlite ¾ bucket
• Peat ¾ bucket
• Greensand 1 scoop
• Dried Blood 1 scoop
• Bonemeal ½ scoop
• Lime ½ scoop
• Rock phosphate ½ scoop

*scoop is a 1-lb butter dish, bucket is a 5-gallon bucket

Seed Mix--Standard Soilless​

• 50-75 percent sphagnum peat
• 25-50 percent vermiculite
• 5 lbs of ground or superfine dolomitic lime per cubic yard of mix
• Blood meal, rock phosphate, and greensand at 5-10 lbs per cubic yard

Soilless Potting Mix​

• 1 part compost
• 1 part vermiculite
• 1 part peat moss
• Screened with ¼-inch screen to mix together
• Per 1 gallon mix add:
  • 0.6 oz blood meal (17.01 grams)
  • 0.4 oz clay phosphate (11.34 grams)
  • 0.4 oz greensand (11.34 grams)

Organic Potting Mix​

• 1 part sphagnum peat
• 1 part peat humus (short fiber)
• 1 part compost
• 1 part sharp sand (builder's)
• To every 80 quarts of this add:
  • 1 cup greensand
  • 1 cup colloidal phosphate
  • 1½-2 cups crabmeal or blood meal
  • ½ cup lime

Soil Block Mix​

• 3 buckets (standard 10-quart bucket) brown peat
• ½ cup lime (mix well)
• 2 buckets coarse sand or perlite
• 3 cups base fertilizer (blood meal, colloidal phosphate, and greensand mixed together in equal parts)
• 1 bucket soil
• 2 buckets compost

Seedling Mix for Soil Blocks or Seedling Flats​

• 2 3-gal. buckets sphagnum peat moss
• ¼ cup lime
• 1½ cups fertility mix (below)
• 1½ buckets vermiculite
• 1½ buckets compost

Fertility mix​

• 2 cups colloidal (rock) phosphate
• 2 cups greensand
• 2 cups blood meal
• ½ cup bone meal
• ¼ cup kelp meal

Directions for mixing​

1. Add peat to cement mixer or mixing barrel.
2. Spread the lime and fertility mix over the peat.
3. Mix these ingredients thoroughly.
4. Add the compost and vermiculite and mix well again.
5. When done, examine the distribution of vermiculite to ensure that it has been mixed in evenly.

Note that all bulk ingredients should be screened through ¼-inch hardware cloth. Well-matured, manure based compost should be used (avoid poultry manure and woodchip bedding).

Organic Standards for Compost​

The National Organic Program (NOP) is very explicit about compost preparation. Compost piles must maintain a temperature between 131 and 170°F for at least 3 days in a static or enclosed vessel system, or at least 15 days in a windrow system, with at least five turnings. Unless these criteria are met, the resulting product is not--in the eyes of the National Organic Program--considered compost. Rather, it is simply a pile of raw materials. If one of those raw materials is manure, it can make a big difference in how it may be used in crop production.
Raw livestock manure can carry pathogens that pose a danger to human health. According to the NOP's rules, raw manure can be applied at will to crops not intended for human consumption, cannot be applied to a crop within 120 days of harvest if the edible portion has direct soil contact, and cannot be applied to a crop within 90 days of harvest when the edible portions have contact with the soil.

References​

Grubinger, V. P. Potting Mixes for Organic Growers. Brattleboro: University of Vermont Extension, 2007.
------. Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start up to Market. Ithaca: National Resource Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES), 1999.
Klein, J., and K. Hammer. "Compost-based potting mixes require different management for transplants." Growing for Market (February 2006).
Leonard, B., and A. Rangarajan. Organic Transplant Media and Tomato Performance 2007. Ithaca: Department of Horticulture, Cornell University, 2007.
Pennsylvania Certified Organic. "PCO Guidance on Manure, Compost, and Compost Tea Products." 2010.
Sanchez, E. Saline Soils and Plant Growth. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2010.
Sanchez, E., and T. L. Richard. Using Organic Nutrient Sources. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2009.
Wander, M. Organic Potting Mix Basics. eXtension.org, 2010.
Warncke, D. "Recommended Test Procedures for Greenhouse Growth Media." In J. Thomas Sims and A. Wolf, eds., Recommended Soil Testing Procedures for the Northeastern United States, 76-82. Northeast Regional Bulletin #493. Newark: Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Delaware, 1995.
Prepared by S. Tianna DuPont, former sustainable agriculture educator, Penn State Extension. Reviewed by Elsa Sanchez, Penn State Horticultural Systems Management, and Debra Brubaker, Pennsylvania Certified Organic.
This publication was supported in part by funding from the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant #2009-49400-05869

 

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Word of caution... always have multiple overflow drains incase of a run away open valve

GUIDE TO BLUMAT-REGULATED CAPILLARY MAT SYSTEMS​

Product Guides | 1 |

OVERVIEW​

Blumat Watering Systems are the epitome of drip irrigation technology. However, installing and operating the systems can be tedious and high maintenance for gardens with a high number of low-volume containers (e.g. several hundred or thousand plants in 1-gallon containers). The problem is only exacerbated when the plants need to be moved around frequently, and a Blumat system can become more of a liability than an asset in these settings.
Capillary mats are commonly used in agricultural nurseries and greenhouses to efficiently irrigate a multitude of small containers. However, just like conventional drip systems, these watering systems are subject to over and under-watering, needlessly boosting humidity, stressing plants, and requiring more out of dehumidifiers and air conditioners.
Blumat & Capmat systems combine the two technologies, providing a “Best-of-both-Worlds” solution to efficiently irrigate many small containers with minimal maintenance. Plants can even be moved around without any additional maintenance to the system. Not even a single valve needs to be turned.
Plants in smaller containers (5-gallons of volume and under) can be placed directly onto the mat, and automated irrigation immediately begins. When a plant is placed on top of the mat, the weight of the container pushes down into the mat, forcing moisture up into the growing media into the container.

DESIGN CONCEPT & CONFIGURATION​

Despite the varying capillary mat types, the concept behind operating all of the capillary mat systems in conjunction with a surface Blumat is the same.
A capillary mat is embedded with drip tape, and wrapped in an anti-algae material. This material prevents algae, fungus gnats, and other unwanted biologicals from colonizing your mat. The material is porous, only allowing water to pass through when a weighted plant is placed on top of it.
To avoid over and under-watering, the moisture levels are regulated using a flat-bottomed surface Blumat:

This flat-bottomed Surface Blumat emits into a manifold of BluSoak drip tape, that in turn emits into the moisture-wicking capillary material below it. The material evenly distributes the moisture through the surface area of the mat, before making its way into the containers that sit on top. The Blumat can also be integrated with distribution drippers (instead of BluSoak drip tape) for gravity-fed systems, or smaller capmat systems.
Here is a diagram outlining the placement of all parts of a capmat system with a Surface Blumat:

The orange line on the bottom of the diagram is the water supply line–it is implied in the diagram that this line is coming from either a pressurized line or reservoir, and is continuing on to other capillary mats or Blumat Watering Systems.
The tape is not actually visible when properly using the mats, but is displayed in the diagram for viewing purposes.

CAPILLARY MAT TYPES​

Sustainable Village carries several different types of capillary mats.

AQUAMAT​

The Aquamat capillary mats are the highest quality mats that Sustainable Village offers. These mats are completely composed, and ready to integrate with Blumat Systems.
These mats are made up of five components in four distinct layers.

1) ALGAE & ROOT-RESISTANT FOIL COVERING​

This black, perforated material prevents algae and other unwanted biologicals from penetrating into the mat. Contrary to popular belief, this material WILL stop roots from penetrating the mat! This makes the mats incredibly easy to clean, and moving plants is never stressful–for you, or for the plant!

2) BLUSOAK DRIP TAPE (NOT PICTURED)​

We replace the black drip tape that is embedded in each mat (pictured) with our BluSoak drip tape (a Guide to this tape is linked below). The BluSoak drip tape works ideally with Surface and other Tropf Blumat sensors. The tape is ideal as it does not have a minimum pressure requirement to function. However, the tape does do best between 2-4PSI, which is generally best achieved with a pressurized system (as opposed to a gravity feed).
This tape distributes moisture as it is emitted from the Surface Blumat. The tape emits the moisture into the capillary material below.

3) EVAPORATION BLOCK LAYER​

This layer prevents salt or other fertilizer build up in the capillary material itself. It also prevents excess evaporation from occurring, and helps to prevent excessively high humidity. This reduces the burden on dehumidifiers, air conditioning appliances, and other temperature/humidity control infrastructure.

4) SUPER-ABSORBENT CAPILLARY MAT​

This material does the actual “work” in these systems. This material is extremely absorbent of water and nutrient solution. It is so absorbent that it evenly emits the moisture throughout the capillary material, ensuring there are no overly wet/dry pockets.

5) CONTAINMENT BARRIER​

This a completely waterproof material that prevents all run-off from the cap mat, and prevents unwanted biologicals from growing into/through the bottom of the mat.

BASIC CAPILLARY MATERIAL​

This capillary material is an a la carte item, and can be used in conjunction with a Surface Blumat, anti-algae material, and drip tape to essentially construct your own version of an “Aquamat” configuration.

THICK RECYCLED CAPILLARY MATERIAL​

This capillary material is an a la carte item just like the above material. This material is made of recycled synthetic fibers–it does not use organic materials like jute, cotton, and others that typically rot and do not perform well. This is a more eco-friendly version of the above-material.

HOW TO CONSTRUCT A COMPLETE CAPILLARY MAT SYSTEM​

Capillary Mat Instructions

COMPREHENSIVE PARTS LIST​

• Surface Blumat
• Blumat 8mm Tee
• Blumat 8mm Elbow
• 8mm x 8mm x 3mm Reducing Tee
• 3mm Tubing
• 8mm Tubing
• BluSoak Drip Tape
• Tape x 8mm Adapter
• Aquamats
• Capillary Material
• Recycled Capillary Material
• Anti-Algae Foil (For covering the capillary material)

MAINTENANCE & TROUBLESHOOTING​

• If the mat is being over or under-watered, adjust the surface Blumat dial directly.
• Capillary mats and other Blumat Systems that utilize BluSoak drip tape do best under pressurized water supply. They generally run into issues on gravity feeds, as a gravity-fed system generally cannot achieve adequate pressure for BluSoak flow rates to meet plant demand.
• To clean the mat between uses, use a sweep or broom to remove any physical debris that has settled onto the mat. If any nutrient build-up has occurred, wash the build-up away with a hose or other flowing water. Once the mat has dried, roll it up and remove from UV exposure.
• The mat should be on an extremely level surface. Trays with channels will NOT work well with these mats–there will be moisture that settles into the channels, and will encourage fungus gnats, algae, and other undesirable biological elements.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES​

• Guide to Tropf Blumat Sensors
• Guide to BluSoak Drip Tape
• How to Configure a Blumat System from a Gravity Feed
• How to Configure a Blumat System from Pressure
• How to Configure a Blumat System from a Pump

Capillary action - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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Capillary Matting

Make watering potted plants simpler, cleaner and more effective by placing them on these capillary mats. We have the lowest prices on bulk Greenhouse supplies.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

smaller sizes on amazon

75-2000 Gallons Aquaculture Aquaponic Breeding Fish Farms Aquarium Pon

This large fish tank, 75-2000 Gallons Aquaculture Aquaponic Breeding Fish Farms Aquarium Pond Fish Tank is perfect for Koi fish ponds, Breeding tank for fish, Turtle breeding pond and Aquaculture Fish farming & Shrimp farming. Also looks great as a koi show tank, perfect koi holding tank...

mkaquariumstore.com

Custom sizes and wholesale now available! Please contact us and provide the exact dimensions that you need .

 

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You Gotta SIP, Not Slurp

I switched over from fabric bags to SIPs a couple years ago and have never looked back. Keeper cuts that were yielding 140 grams per plant suddenly increased to 230-250 grams, the resin content was greasier and increased as well. The plants vegged a lot faster and plant health increased. I had...

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Soil Mixes Part 3: How much air and water?

Covers subjects about horticulture and pest management for the grower and associated industries

ucanr.edu

Soil Mixes Part 3: How much air and water?

• Author: Steven A. Tjosvold

Published on: February 20, 2019

Container soils should have a good balance between air- porosity and water- holding capacity. But what are the favorable levels of these two parameters? Most horticulturists will recommend providing a soil with “good drainage”. But what exactly does that mean? How do we quantify that? If we know, then soil manufacturers can develop, standardize and describe soil mixes. Growers can select, develop or modify their own soil mixes for their particular needs.
Let's start with air-filled porosity. There have been many experiments demonstrating that air-filled porosity is highly correlated with the growth of various plants. Here are two examples, Fig 1:

Figure 1 Examples of growth responses to % air-filled porosity
Some researchers reported that the rate of oxygen diffusion through the soil-- rather than air-filled porosity-- is more closely related to plant growth. This might be because the oxygen in the air pores has to move to the roots before it is absorbed and used by the roots. In general, these and similar studies have led to a recommendation that air-filled porosity should be at least 10% and generally no more than 25% of the total soil volume. Fig 2.

Figure 2 Generalized growth responses to % air-filled porosity

So a plants' requirements for soil aeration can vary, and here are some examples. Fig 3.

Figure 3 Examples of plant aeration requirements

There are other consequences of having poor soil aeration. Soils with low oxygen or anaerobic conditions can lead to chemical reduction. Reduced forms of some chemicals, such as methane (CH4), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrite (NO2-), and manganese ion (Mn2+), are toxic to plants. The latter is probably the most important. Plants growing in poorly aerated soil can have manganese levels as high as 1200 ppm in their leaves (normal levels are 50-200 ppm). These high levels lead to manganese toxicity, with symptoms of marginal leaf chlorosis (yellowing from loss of chlorophyll, the green pigment in leaves).
What about the water filled portion of the soil? The recommendation is that at least 40% of the total volume should be filled with water at container capacity (after full drainage). In general, container soils with a water-holding capacity of 40% would hold enough water to meet plant demand for about one day. Usually mixes have a higher water-holding capacity than this so that irrigation can be less frequent. Total porosity, air and water porosity combined, must therefore be greater or equal to 50%. These parameters are summarized in Fig 4.

Figure 4 Generalized porosity requirements at container capacity
Here are examples of 3 historically important container mixes. The “UC Mix” was the first “soil- less" mix, mostly developed for the outdoor nurseries. It provided the essential requirements for a container mix: Good water holding capacity and aeration, high permeability, relatively disease-free, resistant to salinity buildup, reasonable pH range, good nutrient holding capacity, and provided for enough weight of the container so plants would not blow over in the wind. The “Cornell Lite” mixes containing peat mixed with either vermiculite or perlite are excellent for greenhouse crop production, but they are too light for outdoor nurseries and more expensive because of the relatively high cost of vermiculite and perlite. Fig 5.

Figure 5 Examples of container mix porosity at container capacity.
These soil physical properties are best measured by commercial or research soil laboratories. If you are buying soil mixes, ask if the provider has these measurements. In a pinch, growers can estimate the values with a relatively simple method that was described by James Altland when he was with Oregon State University. I have provided a simplified outline here. Fig 6. The full description of the method is provided in the attachment at the bottom of the page.

Figure 6 Estimating water and air porosity


Next: Poor soil aeration can lead to some root diseases.

 

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https://www.fresnocss.com/plantdocs/Physical%20properties%20of%20container%20media.pdf

Physical properties of container media James Altland, Ph.D. North Willamette Research and Extension Center Oregon State University
...
In that sip thread some good info, as well as Optics DWC deepwater culture has some nice grows and totally submerged roots with no rot at all... aeration prevents aerobic conditions

Large root mass speeds bulk growth, hard to argue that point

Root hair - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Primary active transport​

The action of the sodium-potassium pump is an example of primary active transport.
Primary active transport, also called direct active transport, directly uses metabolic energy to transport molecules across a membrane.[12] Substances that are transported across the cell membrane by primary active transport include metal ions, such as Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. These charged particles require ion pumps or ion channels to cross membranes and distribute through the body.

Passive transport - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Take a closer look at roots

• Author: Steven A. Tjosvold

Published on: June 19, 2019

Roots are often overlooked by horticulturists but deserve to get more attention. Of course, they are usually underground and out of sight so it's somewhat understandable why they can be ignored. But, roots play a critical role in the life of a plant. They anchor the plant to support the shoots above. They absorb water and mineral nutrients and conduct them upwards. They store carbohydrates and other nutrients that are a source of energy for biennials and perennials as they awaken and grow in spring. A root's tip is where most of the action takes place.

A root tip showing the microscopic zones of where cells divide, elongate and form specialized cells such as root hairs.
The root tip has overlapping zones: where cells divide, elongate, or form different specialized cells. At the very tip, the root cap protects the rapidly dividing cells known as the meristematic region or meristem (zone of cell division). Behind the meristem, cells elongate and push the meristem and root cap forward into the soil so the root can explore and mine new soil (zone of elongation). And further back, only a fraction of an inch, is the portion where elongation stops and cells become more specialized and functional (zone of differentiation).
Root hairs form in the zone of differentiation and this is where they begin to poke out into the soil to absorb water and mineral nutrients. Root hairs greatly increase the root surface area and therefore increase the ability of a plant to absorb water and nutrients. Vascular tissue (vascular cylinder) is the the piping that helps conduct water and nutrients upward to the shoots. The epidermis forms the protective skin of the roots.

Root hairs. Single celled and large surface area, perfect for absorption of water and nutrients!
Root hairs are long, thin, single cell extensions from the epidermis. They profoundly increase the overall root surface area and connection with the soil and are responsible for absorbing water and mineral nutrients. Usually they are short-lived, only functional for several days or weeks. So as the root tip advances into virgin soil, new root hairs must be formed continuously. It is important to keep root hairs healthy. The overall vigor of a plant can often be judged by looking at the condition of the root hairs. A nursery scout should remove the pot if possible and look for healthy, usually white, root tips and hairs.

Interveinal chlorosis commonly caused by iron deficiency in the leaves (sometimes manganese or zinc). However, this does not necessarily mean these nutrients are deficient in the soil.
Interveinal chlorosis is indicative of a deficiency in iron in the leaves (and sometimes manganese or zinc deficiencies). But this does not mean that the soil necessarily has low levels of these nutrients. Unhealthy root hairs or the conditions that they are growing might be to blame. Sometimes high soil pH makes iron less available for uptake. Iron is tightly held by soil and must be mined by actively growing roots. When soil is cold in the spring and roots inactive, sometimes iron might not be sufficiently mined and absorbed. Sometimes root diseases such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia might kill root hairs or reduce their functionality.

Water potential - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Xylem - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Phloem - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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Soil horizon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

O) Organic surface layer: Plant litter layer—the upper part is often relatively undecomposed, but the lower part may be strongly humified.
A) Surface soil: Layer of mineral soil with most organic matter accumulation and soil life. Additionally, due to weathering, oxides (mainly iron oxides) and clay minerals are formed and accumulated. It has a pronounced soil structure. But in some soils, clay minerals, iron, aluminum, organic compounds, and other constituents are soluble and move downwards. When this eluviation is pronounced, a lighter coloured E subsurface soil horizon is apparent at the base of the A horizon. The A horizon may also be the result of a combination of soil bioturbation and surface processes that winnow fine particles from biologically mounded topsoil. In this case, the A horizon is regarded as a "biomantle".

B) Subsoil: This layer normally has less organic matter than the A horizon, so its colour is mainly derived from iron oxides. Iron oxides and clay minerals accumulate as a result of weathering. In soil, where substances move down from the topsoil, this is the layer where they accumulate. The process of accumulation of clay minerals, iron, aluminum, and organic compounds, is referred to as illuviation. The B horizon has generally a soil structure.

C) Substratum: Layer of non-indurated poorly weathered or unweathered rocks. This layer may accumulate more soluble compounds like CaCO3. Soils formed in situ from non-indurated material exhibit similarities to this C layer.

R) Bedrock: R horizons denote the layer of partially weathered or unweathered bedrock at the base of the soil profile. Unlike the above layers, R horizons largely comprise continuous masses (as opposed to boulders) of hard rock that cannot be excavated by hand. Soils formed in situ from bedrock will exhibit strong similarities to this bedrock layer.

 

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Bulk density - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cation-exchange capacity - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Soil has four important functions:

• as a medium for plant growth
• as a means of water storage, supply, and purification
• as a modifier of Earth's atmosphere
• as a habitat for organisms

All of these functions, in their turn, modify the soil and its properties.

Agricultural soil science - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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Keep your hydros and sips "clean"... pool shocks chlorines and other AG disinfectants are available

Legionnaires' disease - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Reservoirs​

A jug filled with chiller water taken from the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel's cooling system during the 1976 outbreak investigation on display at the David J. Sencer CDC Museum
L. pneumophila thrives in aquatic systems, where it is established within amoebae in a symbiotic relationship.[27] Legionella bacteria survive in water as intracellular parasites of water-dwelling protozoa, such as amoebae. Amoebae are often part of biofilms, and once Legionella and infected amoebae are protected within a biofilm, they are particularly difficult to destroy.[1]

In the built environment, central air conditioning systems in office buildings, hotels, and hospitals are sources of contaminated water.[23] Other places the bacteria can dwell include cooling towers used in industrial cooling systems, evaporative coolers, nebulizers, humidifiers, whirlpool spas, hot water systems, showers, windshield washers, fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice-making machines, and misting systems typically found in grocery-store produce sections.[1][28]

The bacteria may also be transmitted from contaminated aerosols generated in hot tubs

if the disinfection and maintenance programs are not followed rigorously

.[29] Freshwater ponds, creeks, and ornamental fountains are potential sources of Legionella.[30] The disease is particularly associated with hotels, fountains, cruise ships, and hospitals with complex potable water systems and cooling systems. Respiratory-care devices such as humidifiers and nebulizers used with contaminated tap water may contain Legionella species,

so using sterile water is very important.[31]

Other sources include exposure to potting mix and compost.[32]

solid system

high volume

 

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Root Shoot Ratio​

To capture enough data on the overall health of your plants, we recommend that you record at least one final weight measure, one measure of root health, and all of the observation measurements that pertain to the type of plant you are using.

Measuring Plant Growth -​

Weighing Plants: Fresh vs. Dry Weight​

• Measuring Fresh Weight: While you can technically measure the fresh weight of plants without harming them, the simple act of removing a plant from its growing "medium" can cause trauma and affect the ongoing growth rate and thus your experiment. Measuring the fresh weight of plants is tricky and should probably be saved as a final measure of growth at the end of the experiment. Here is the process for measuring fresh weight:
  1. Remove plants from soil and wash off any loose soil.
  2. Blot plants gently with soft paper towel to remove any free surface moisture.
  3. Weigh immediately (plants have a high composition of water, so waiting to weigh them may lead to some drying and therefore produce inaccurate data).
• Measuring dry weight: Since plants have a high composition of water and the level of water in a plant will depend on the amount of water in its environment (which is very difficult to control), using dry weight as a measure of plant growth tends to be more reliable. You can only capture this data once as a final measure at the conclusion of your experiment.
  1. Remove the plants from the soil and wash off any loose soil.
  2. Blot the plants removing any free surface moisture.
  3. Dry the plants in an oven set to low heat (100° F) overnight.
  4. Let the plants cool in a dry environment (a Ziploc bag will keep moisture out) - in a humid environment the plant tissue will take up water. Once the plants have cooled weigh them on a scale.
  5. Plants contain mostly water, so make sure you have a scale that goes down to milligrams since a dry plant will not weight very much.

Root Mass​

Root mass is recommended as a final measurement as the plant must be removed from its growing medium in order to capture accurate data. There are quite a few different methods for measuring root mass depending on the type and structure of the roots

• Grid intersect technique:
  1. Remove the plant from the soil.
  2. If you are working with thin or light roots, you may want to dye the roots using an acidic stain.
  3. Lay the roots on a grid pattern and count the number of times the roots intersect the grid.
• Trace the roots on paper, measure each of the tracings, and calculate root length from the tracings.
• Count the number of roots.
• Measure the diameter of the root. This is especially useful for root vegetables such as beets, carrots, potatoes, etc. that have a large root.

Root Shoot Ratio​

Roots allow a plant to absorb water and nutrients from the surrounding soil, and a healthy root system is key to a healthy plant. The root:shoot ratio is one measure to help you assess the overall health of your plants. Your control group of plants will provide you with a "normal" root:shoot ratio for each of your plant types, any changes from this normal level (either up or down) would be an indication of a change in the overall health of your plant. It is important to combine the data from the root:shoot ratio with data from observations to get an accurate understanding of what is happening with your plants. For example, an increase in root:shoot ratio could be an indication of a healthier plant, provided the increase came from greater root size and NOT from a decrease in shoot weight. To measure the root:shoot ratio:

1. Remove the plants from soil and wash off any loose soil.
2. Blot the plants removing any free surface moisture.
3. Dry the plants in an oven set to low heat (100° F) overnight.
4. Let the plants cool in a dry environment (a Ziploc bag will keep moisture out) - in a humid environment the tissue will take up water. Once the plants have cooled weigh them on a scale.
5. Separate the root from the top (cut at soil line).
6. Separately weigh and record the root and top for each plant. (Dry weight for roots/dry weight for top of plant = root/shoot ratio)
7. The root/shoot ratio can be calculated for each treatment.
8. Plants contain mostly water, so make sure you have a scale that goes down to milligrams since a dry plant will not weight very much.

Observation​

There are many different features of a plant that can be measured through observation to determine the extent of plant growth/health. The following table describes some of the measures that you can make and also recommends how frequently you should make these observations during the course of your experiment.

	Measurement	Procedure	Frequency of Measurement
When starting with seeds	First Cotyledon	Record the number of days from planting to the emergence of the first cotyledon ("seed leave(s)" that are the first to emerge from the ground).	Once
	Percentage of seeds that germinate	Calculate the percentage of seeds that germinated under each of the variables in your experiment.	Once
When starting with young plants	Plant height	Measure the height of the main plant from the border of the container to the top of the main plant stem. Note: you do not want to measure from the top of the soil, as the soil may condense with watering over time.	Every 2-3 days
	Number of leaves (indicates a plant's physiological age)	Counting Leaves: Count and record the number of leaves on each plant. Count every visible leaf on the plant, including the tips of new leaves just beginning to emerge. You may want to place the plant over some graph paper to avoid counting errors.	Every 2-3 days
	Surface area of leaves	Method 1: Trace the leaves on graph paper and count the squares covered to give you an estimate of the surface area for each leaf. Repeat this for each leaf on a plant and for each plant in your experiment. Method 2: Trace out each leaf on paper. Make sure to use the same type of paper every time AND make sure that the paper is not wet. Cut out the leaf tracings and weigh them. Weigh the cutouts and divide the total weight by the number of leaves to give you the average leaf area for each plant. Repeat this for each of the plants in your experiment. Method 3: Digital image analysis: Using a digital camera capture an image of a plant. Using special software, analyze the surface area of the leaves.	Every 2-3 days
	Plant color	Record any observations on changes or differences in plant color.	Every 2-3 days
When you are using flowering plants these two measurements serve as an additional indication of plant health	1st Flowering	Record the number of days since initial planting to the first flower.	Once
	Number of Flowers	Record the number of flowers on each of the plants. Buds should be included in your flower count.