SOIL MIXTURES, DRAINAGE, WATERING METHODS AND POT MUMS
Subject:
Pennsylvania Flower Growers #135
Abstract:
Potted chrysanthemums can be grown equally as well with semi-automatic watering systems as with hand watering. The factors in favor of semi-automatic pot plant watering aside from the high initial cost, are a considerable saving in time and labor and more uniform distribution of water. The last factor assumes a uniform soil mixture, plant size, and drying rate for groups of pots. For the conditions prevailing in the Pennsylvania State University floriculture research greenhouses, a 3:1:1 mixture of loam, peat and sand was best for all watering systems and all types of drainage. However, with certain combinations of watering system and drainage, peat and perlite mixed in equal portions was as good as any of the 3:1:1 combinations. A peat and clay soil mixture was inferior to the other soil types in every case. Plastic caps or a piece of broken crock to cover the drainage hole appeared to be equally effective for hand watering; with the crock slightly better for the 3:1:1 soil mix, while plastic was slightly better for the peat and perlite mix. Type of drainage including no cover for the drain hole didn't effectively change the results with either the Chapin or the E-flowmatic watering system within any given soil mixture.
Keywords: Chrysanthemums Mixture of loam, peat and sand Watering systems 3:1:1 combinations. Drainage
Libraries: Floriculture