Overview
This e-lesson is part of Crop Production Level 3, Learning Unit 2: Carry Out Plant Propagation in Nursery, Learning Outcome 2.3: Prepare the Substratum Following Requirements of Species and Media Availability.
Did you know that plants can be grown without soil?
Does all growing media need to be sterilized and mycorrhized?
Continue on with this e-lesson to find the answers to these questions and more! The content of this e-lesson can be found in Learning Unit 2 of Crop Production Level 3.
Introduction
Soil is the universal growing medium for growing plants, but there are also non-soil growing mediums such as coconut coir used when growing plants in pots. Plant growers can supplement their soil or other growing medium to prepare a better medium specific to their plants.
Plants have several challenges to be able to survive and thrive! They need water and nutrients from the soil as well as protection from diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Sterilization of media and mycorrhization are processes you will learn about to manage the soil borne diseases and to improve plant nutrient uptake.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this e-lesson, you will be able to:
- Mix soil growing media components correctly
- Sterilize growing media used in plant propagation
- Perform mycorrhization in plant propagation