Making Media Planting

Growing Media Mix

Making Media Planting - With the media structures are hollow, air circulation and drainage runs smoothly. In addition, the media also required to damp and wet. Caladium root requires a lot of supply of oxygen in the soil. The bigger the root, the more oxygen is needed, especially for subsequent cell growth. Naturally when caladium prefers porous media In essence, the media should be to save water and not easy to condense. Solid media causing stagnant water so low air aeration. Symptoms appear, the leaves and stems to wither. Healthy roots are white and usually have fine hairs. If aeration is low, white roots turned brown and blackened. Reduced number of root hairs did not even exist. Though it serves to absorb nutrients. In addition to aeration problems, solid media also are invited bacteria and fungi
causing rotting. The role of media is very aware of the planters caladium. Poster of coverage in 3 states, media selection is based on the influence of climate, availability of raw materials, and conformity with the needs of caladium. As a result, 21 planters in Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka using different media. Each has its own media for growing herbs Aglaonema's relatives.


Although different in the three countries, however caladium still thrives, primed, and look stunning. Secrets of success lies in the composition of raw materials and selected media. If grouped, selected media consisting of media single and mix.

1. Media Single
What is meant by the use of a single media type of raw materials, including topsoil andam, raw bran, or cocopeat. In the homeland, Dr. Benny Tjia, practitioners plant ornamental in Bogor, using cocopeat media. Coco powder was able to hold water in large quantities and a long time. Pore ​​structure with high catch and hold water. Matched with decorative medium caladium damp. Moreover, coir dust-other-name easy to obtain and relatively inexpensive.

Generally, the degree of acidity of coir dust close to 6, while the caladium grows well on medium pH between 6.5 to 6.8. At near-neutral conditions, the nutrients can be absorbed by plants are widely available, such as nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur. To neutralize the pH, Benny mixed with dolomite lime. Each 1 cubic media added 2 kg of dolomite. Gunawan Widjaja in Sentul, Bogor, using humus and media. According to the owner of the nursery Wijaya, caladium root out fast and rapid plant growth although not fertilized. Naturally, when relatives Aglaonema it thrives. Humus has high nitrogen content which stimulate vegetative growth. Humus mycelium composed of lignin, poliuronida, and C, H, O, S, and P. The organic matter that can improve nutrient available for plants, such as Ca, Mg, and K. humus absorption is quite high, 80-90% of the weight. By doing so, the media still damp so caladium not dormant. Cisarua, Trubus watch caladium Thailand origin purplish red thrives despite only using raw rice husk media. Because the raw rice husk medium capable of making good aeration.

According to Lanny Linga, Seederama nursery owners, the use of 100% raw husks fit in the garden located in the highlands. There high humidity. Conversely areas with low humidity such as Jakarta, husk dry quickly because they can not hold much water. As a result of water shortages caladium, growth is not optimal, and even dormant. Therefore, in hot regions, the use of raw rice husk should not single. As a mixture, a maximum of 25% of the total volume. It's just avoid fertilizer containing Mn element. For raw husks contains silicates and high manganese. Media control to the degree of acidity of not less than 5. At that pH, the availability of elements that can be absorbed Mn increases plant. As a result of heavy metal poisoning can caladium it so that root and leaf cells family members Araceae was broken.

2. Mixed Media
In addition to a single medium, caladium also grows well in mixed media. In Thailand-from 12 nurseries were visited Poster land-use mixed media with leaf litter nuts are composted. Which differ only in composition, 2: 1 or 1: 1. The advantage, making drainage and aeration smoothly, so fertile and rapidly growing caladium. An ornamental planters caladium Jakarta using 3 mixed media, raw bran, husk fuel, bamboo leaves and humus which has been sifted respectively - each one part. Prior to use, he was steaming the media mix for 30 minutes so sterile that free of bacteria and fungi attack. Raw and roasted husks have been making good aeration media. Meanwhile, bamboo leaf humus acts as a provider of water storage at the same nutrients that the media remains moist.