What are the characteristics of the substrate for potted flowers?

The substrate of potted flowers is one of the key measures for potted flower cultivation. It not only determines the life and death of potted flowers, but also affects the growth, flowering and fruiting of potted flowers.

An excellent substrate should be loose in texture, have good water retention properties and ventilation and water permeability, moderate and comprehensive nutrient content, moderate pH, with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0, high humus content, good structure, and no Serious pests and diseases. Commonly used traditional substrates include garden soil, river sand, leaf humus soil, pond mud, pine needle soil, brown bark, sphagnum moss, etc. Currently used are peat, agricultural rock wool, coconut bran, vermiculite, perlite, etc.

(1) Types of substrates

1. Peat is a commonly used potted flower substrate in Northern Europe and North America. Peat is a plant from the ancient low-humidity lake and swamp areas that was buried underground. It survives flooding or lack of air. Under the conditions, the special organic matter formed by incomplete decomposition is mostly brown or light brown. The decomposed peat is black or dark brown. It is easy to crush after being air-dried. The peat has a soft texture, good water permeability and water retention, and contains humus. Acid, pH - generally 4.5 ~ 6.5.

The composition of native peat varies greatly and cannot be used directly. Too high calcium, magnesium, aluminum ions and too low pH in some peat will cause damage to flowers. After processing, their physical structure and chemical composition have been adjusted.

In the past, the peat produced for potted flowers relied on imports. The peat in the Northeast belongs to high peat, which is distributed in alpine areas, where plants with lower nutrient requirements originally grew, such as genus Alcyonium and sphagnum moss. Plants, these plants are not completely decomposed after being buried, have low nitrogen elements, are acidic or strongly acidic, pH is 5 to 5.9, E.C value is less than 1, water holding capacity is very high, generally 52, good ventilation, ventilation pores in Between 27 and 29. The peat produced by Harbin Yilangang Yutu Development Co., Ltd. has a total nitrogen content of 1 to 2.5, a total phosphorus content of 0.1 to 0.9, a total potassium content of 0.2 to 0.6, a total calcium content of 0.5 to 1, and also contains manganese and zinc. , copper, boron, molybdenum and other trace elements, and the content of humic acid is high. The peat soil introduced by Guangzhou Dahan Landscape Development Co., Ltd. is formed by carbonization of temperate high-latitude plants buried in the ground for many years. It is decomposed into humus by fermentation, disinfected and sterilized, free of bacteria, diseases, insect pests and grass seeds, and has fertilizer effects. Treatment, containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements, and adjusting the pH to 5.5 to 6.0. Low-lying peat is formed by years of accumulation of plants that require more inorganic salt nutrients such as Carex, Phragmites, and various alluvial plant residues that grow in low-lying areas where water accumulates seasonally or for years. Generally, the degree of decomposition is higher, the acidity is lower, and the ash content is higher. The quality of low-level peat often varies greatly depending on where it is produced. The peat soil produced in the suburbs of Beijing has a neutral reaction pH of about 7.

2. Rock wool

Rock (mineral) wool is an inorganic fiber material made of natural ores, slag, etc. It has excellent thermal insulation, fireproofing and sound-absorbing properties. It is widely used in industry It is widely used in industries such as thermal insulation, construction, fire protection and sound absorption, and shipbuilding. However, industrial rock wool cannot be used in agriculture without treatment. Foreign research began in the 1950s. After thirty or forty years of development, agricultural rock wool has been widely used in agriculture, especially in Europe, North America, Oceania and Japan. It has many good properties: ① It can greatly improve the quality of flowers. Improve the yield and quality, reduce pollution and improve economic benefits; ② non-toxic and non-radioactive; ③ chemically stable; ④ more voids and good water retention; ⑤ can effectively solve the problem of soil salinization and unfavorable planting; ⑥ To prevent the occurrence of soil-borne diseases and insect pests, pesticides are not required and meet the requirements of green agriculture.

Domestic agricultural rock wool used to be entirely imported. With the support of Shanghai Sunqiao Modern Agriculture Joint Development Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai New Building Materials Company passed the appraisal in June 1999, filling the gap. There is a gap in the production of agricultural rock wool in my country.

Agricultural rock wool weighs 75 to 80 kilograms per cubic meter. It has large porosity, good air permeability, and strong water absorption. The water and air ratio of saturated rock wool is 65:30 (industrial rock wool does not absorb water), and its chemical properties are stable (industrial rock wool Contains unstable organic matter), neutral pH (industrial rock wool is highly alkaline pH 9 to 9.5), conductivity (E.C value) 1.5 to 2.9 millisiemens/cm (industrial rock wool 3 to 3.5 millisiemens/cm), and it must Stable, the organic matter content in rock wool is extremely low, organic matter should not be added, and harmful elements will not be precipitated. Rock wool should be free of bacteria and viruses, clean and non-toxic. At present, new building materials factories in Nanjing, Tongling and Shanghai have been put into production.

3. Perlite, vermiculite and cinder

Perlite, vermiculite and cinder can all be used as culture soil additives. It can improve the physical properties of pot soil, making the soil more loose, breathable and water-retaining.

Perlite is formed by the expansion of crushed magma rock heated to over 1000°C and has a closed porous structure. Light weight, good ventilation, no nutrients. It easily floats on the surface of the mixed culture soil during use.

Vermiculite is a silicate material that expands at high temperatures of 800 to 1100°C. There are different models available in building materials stores. When used in culture soil, it will easily break and become dense, which will worsen the ventilation and drainage properties. It is best not to be used as a material for long-term potted plants. When used as a cutting bed substrate, larger particles should be selected and should not be used for more than 1 year.

Cinders used as potting substrate are best crushed and sieved to remove powders below 1 mm and larger cinder blocks. It is best to use granular materials of 2 to 5 mm. They can be used together with other potting soils or alone. .

4. Sawdust Enzyme Fermentation Soil

Sawdust comes from a wide range of sources, with rough surface, large porosity, and light weight. For example, cedar sawdust weighs 0.21 when dry and wet respectively. g/cm3 and 0.60 g/cm3, with a water holding capacity of 32.2, a total porosity of 80.8, and a ventilation pore of 42.6. It has the advantages of looseness, breathability, drainage, strong water and fertility retention, and light weight. It can also decompose organic acids and improve Alkaline soil. However, the carbon to nitrogen ratio of sawdust is high, generally 250 to 1000:1, so nitrogen-containing fertilizer must be added to the preparation. Enzyme bacteria recently introduced from Japan and Taiwan, together with fish meal, bone meal, bean cake, diluted manure, superphosphate and charcoal, are fermented to turn brown, which is suitable for use as a substrate for potted flowers. You can also use 100 kilograms of sawdust, 10 kilograms of urea, 0.4 kilograms of superphosphate, 0.4 kilograms of potassium sulfate, 1 kilogram of enzyme bacteria, and 200 kilograms of water. Mix evenly, add plastic film to stack, and control the temperature below 55°C. Turn it over appropriately. Pile, the dark brown color of the pile indicates maturity.

5. Ion culture soil

Ion culture soil is a synthetic ion exchange material in the form of gel, fiber, braid, or tapet. It is mixed with fine-grained porous sintered clay or large-grained quartz sand in a volume ratio of 40:40, 40:60, 50:50. It contains various macroelements and trace element nutrients. This synthetic material is breathable, water-retaining and Fertile and sterile. When the nutrients required by the plant are consumed and nutrient absorption is interrupted, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and trace elements can be added to extend the use time of the substrate, with a validity period of 2 to 3 years. Watering must be moderate. Generally, the lower immersion method is used, and water is supplied 2 to 3 times a week. The amount of water should be enough to absorb enough water.

6. Vermicompost

Black and fine granular, containing 2.6 nitrogen, 2.8 phosphorus, 2.1 potassium, 25-35 organic matter, 15-20 humic acid, clean and hygienic , no peculiar smell, pH around 7, breathable, good water and fertilizer retention, and long-lasting fertility.

7. Coconut bran

It is a waste material after coconut fruit processing. There is a thick layer of fibrous material on the outside of the coconut fruit. When it is processed into coconut palm, it can be made into ropes and other objects. In the process of processing coconut palm, a large amount of powdery substance called coconut bran can be produced. It is often piled up around processing plants and is difficult to handle. Now coconut bran is mixed with a certain proportion of river sand and is an ideal substrate for cultivating potted flowers in tropical areas, especially foliage plants. Because it has coarse particles and strong water absorption capacity, it has better air permeability and drainage, and has stronger water retention and fertilizer retention capabilities.

In tropical and subtropical areas, there is very little humus soil, so it is difficult to solve the problem of potting substrate. It would be ideal if potting soil can be made from coconut bran, perlite, sand, coal ash, etc.

8. Carbonized rice husk

To prepare carbonized rice husk, first ignite it with a little firewood, then cover it with a layer of rice husk to keep it out of the open flame, until the rice husk spots appear brown or When it is black, spread a thin layer of rice husk over the burned area, and cover it as it burns until it is all burned black. Immediately open the pile of rice husk and pour cold water on it to completely extinguish the charcoal fire and prevent it from burning. If it turns into ash, it should be rinsed before use and the pH should be adjusted.

9. Volcanic ash

Volcanic ash is a relatively loose and porous rock formed by volcanic eruptions. Resources are very abundant in volcanic areas. The volcanic ash is broken into particles with a diameter of 2 to 10 mm, stored in grades, and used alone or in combination with coconut bran, moss, bark blocks, etc., as a potting substrate. Granular porous volcanic ash is used as potting soil. It has good drainage and air permeability and good water retention. The quality of volcanic ash in different regions also has great differences. The red volcanic ash has high sulfur content. If used alone, it will affect the growth and development of plant roots. It has a certain impact; but it has a high iron content, and if it can be used in conjunction with peat soil, better results can be obtained. Black volcanic ash has low sulfur content and has less impact on root growth when used as potted plants.

10. Pond mud blocks and Emeishan soil

Using pond mud blocks to plant potted flowers has a long history in Guangdong and is still widely used today. Pond mud refers to a layer of soil deposited at the bottom of fish ponds and water ponds every year. After the pond dries up, it is dug out in pieces and dried in the sun. When used, it is broken into particles with a diameter of 0.3 to 1.5 cm. When potting, place the larger ones at the bottom of the pot and the smallest ones on the surface. This material is not easily broken when exposed to water, has better drainage and air permeability, and is also relatively fertile. Suitable for potting soil in rainy areas of South China. Its disadvantage is that it is relatively heavy. Generally, after 2 to 3 years of use, the particles will be crushed, the soil will become sticky and impermeable, and new soil needs to be replaced.

Emeishan soil is a potting soil developed in recent years. It is more suitable for planting orchids and other plants that require good root ventilation. It is a peat-like soil found in the strata of Mount Emei, Sichuan. This is formed by the accumulation, decomposition and rainwater leaching of plant litter over thousands of years. Not as loose as ordinary peat soil. It has a relatively high degree of decomposition and is excavated in lumpy form. Processed into granular form. The particles do not disperse when exposed to water, have high humus content and are slightly acidic. When used, they are broken into particles of 0.3 to 0.5 cm. Coarse particles are placed in the lower part of the basin, and fine particles are placed in the upper part of the basin.

11. Sand and fine sand soil

Sand usually refers to river sand used for construction. The sand grains should not be less than 0.1 mm or greater than 1 mm, with an average of 0.2 to 0.5 mm. It is more suitable for use as a potting culture soil preparation material, but as a cutting substrate for cutting beds, particles of 1 to 2 mm are more suitable. Plain sand refers to washed coarse sand.

Fine sand soil, also known as sand soil, yellow sand soil, surface sand, etc., is the traditional potted flower soil used by northern flower farmers. The suburbs of Beijing often produce the best ones in Huangtugang. Sandy soil has good drainage and is rich in resources, which can be found everywhere. It can be used as potting soil when there is no leaf mold soil or peat soil. However, because the particles are relatively fine, compared with humus soil and peat soil, it is more air-permeable and has poor water permeability, has little ability to retain water and fertilizer, and is heavy in quality. It is not a good potting soil and should not be used alone as potting soil. In areas where conditions permit, Gradually switch to better culture soil.

12. Compost soil

Also known as humus soil, it is the fallen branches and leaves of various plants in agriculture, forestry and horticulture, various crop straws, greenhouses, nurseries and various urban and rural areas that are easily rotten. Garbage and waste can be used as raw materials. Pay attention to collect at any time, the resources are extremely rich. Choose a place that is sheltered from the wind, slightly shaded, not too low, and not washed away by water as the accumulation site. Collect and accumulate at any time, all year round. Stacked in a long strip, 1.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide, the length depends on the amount of raw materials. After stacking one pile, pile another one to facilitate ripening and management. When stacking, it should be piled layer by layer without compacting. You can add a small amount of waste culture soil or sandy garden soil. It would be better if you can add some cow and horse manure and a small amount of manure. Usually one is piled up each year and the next year starts from scratch.

It accumulates for 3 years and is turned over 2 to 3 times a year. When turning, move the soil to 1 to 2 meters behind the pile, pile it up again, and turn the exposed unrotted materials on the top and sides to the center. After three years of accumulation, it can be used as potting soil. Sieve it before use and put the unrotted ones back into the pile to rot. The sieved compost soil needs to be steam sterilized to kill pests, eggs, harmful fungi and weed seeds before it can be used.

13. Sphagnum moss and fern roots

Sphagnum moss is a liverwort that grows on moist ground in alpine areas. It is distributed in the plateau forest areas of northeastern and southwest my country. Sphagnum moss has a very loose texture and strong water absorption capacity. It is a commonly used cultivation material and packaging material in flower gardening. It is one of the best potting substrates for foliage plants, bromeliads, orchid plants and carnivorous plants. It is often used with Use together with fern roots, snake wood chips, bark blocks, volcanic ash, etc.

The fern root refers to the root of the fern, which is dark brown and about 1 mm in diameter. It is very resistant to decay and is the most commonly used potting substrate for cultivating many foliage plants, especially tropical epiphytic shade-loving flowers. Often used in conjunction with moss, the effect is very good. The northeast and southwest regions of my country are very rich in resources. In addition, the stems and roots of philodendron in tropical forests also belong to this type of material and are often called snakewood. It is also an ideal material to break into pieces or wood chips for planting tropical epiphytic foliage plants. Often used in conjunction with moss. It is breathable, has good drainage, and has strong moisturizing ability. Due to the small area of ​​my country's tropical rainforests, the country has listed Cyperus alba as a nationally protected plant species and cannot be harvested easily.

14. Bark

Mainly oak bark, pine bark, longan bark and other thick and hard bark, which has good physical properties and can replace fern roots. , moss and peat, as the cultivation substrate for accessory plants. It is now used as an excellent potting substrate and is widely used around the world. As a by-product of forest development, it is processed into commercial products for sale. Crushed into pieces of 0.2-2.0 cm, sieved into several specifications according to different diameters. Small particles can be mixed with peat, etc., and used to plant general potted flowers; large-sized particles can be used to plant epiphytes and various foliage plants.

15. Leaf mold soil

It is formed by the accumulation of mature fallen leaves of broad-leaved trees. The naturally accumulated humus soil under the broad-leaved forest also belongs to this type of soil. Among them, leaf mold soil formed from the fallen leaves of beech and various oak trees is better. In autumn, collect all kinds of fallen leaves from forests, street trees and gardens, mix them with a small amount of manure and water, and pile them into a rectangular pile 1 meter high, 2.0 to 2.5 meters wide, and several meters long. To prevent wind blowing, cover the surface with a layer of garden soil. Turn over about 3 times a year to make the pile relatively loose and breathable. It should not be too damp, otherwise the ventilation will be poor, resulting in the fermentation of aerobic fungi and serious nutrient loss, which will affect the quality of the humus soil. After about 2 to 3 years of accumulation, in spring, use a coarse sieve to remove the large, unrotted branches and leaves, and they can be used after steam sterilization. The thick branches and leaves screened out can still be accumulated and fermented for later use.

If you are close to a forest area, you can go to the broad-leaved mountain forest to collect leaf rot near the bottom of the ravine, remove the fallen leaves that have not yet rotted on the surface, and dig out the leaves that have turned brown and become powdery and relatively soft. layer. Usually only 10 to 20 cm thick. The lower part contains more sand, gravel and soil parent material, but the quality is not very good.

Mulphus soil contains a large amount of organic matter, is loose, has good air and water permeability, has strong water and fertilizer retention capabilities, and is light in weight. It is an excellent traditional potting soil. Suitable for planting most common potted flowers. Such as various begonias, cyclamen, gloxinia, various araceae foliage plants, various terrestrial orchids, various ornamental ferns, etc.

(2) Preparation of culture soil

The culture soil must have excellent physical and chemical properties, a certain degree of air permeability, loose soil, and strong water retention and drainage capabilities. The organic matter content is 2 to 3, the pH is 6 to 7, it does not contain harmful substances and salts, does not contain pests and diseases, the total nitrogen content is 0.8 to 1.2, the available nitrogen is 100 to 150 mg/kg, and the available phosphorus content is higher than 200 mg/kg. , the available potassium content is higher than 100 mg/kg, the total porosity of the bed soil is about 60, of which the macro porosity is 15 to 20, the small porosity is 35 to 40, and the bulk density is 0.6 to 1.0.

Preparation of culture soil The raw materials of culture soil are garden soil (cultivated multi-year mature soil, added with manure and accumulated for 2 months), pond mud, river sand, and humus soil (fallen leaves, grass straw and green manure pile) It is prepared by fermentation), mountain mud (fermented by the accumulation of fallen leaves of trees under forest in mountainous areas), chaff ash, cinder, etc. Different flowers, different stages of growth and development, and different ages have different requirements for culture soil. The ratio of humus soil, garden soil and river sand for sowing grass and flowers is 5:3:2; the ratio of soil for planting is 4 humus soil, 5 garden soil, 1 river sand and 0.5 bone meal. Evergreen woody flowers: 4 pieces of leaf mold soil, 4 pieces of garden soil, and 2 pieces of river sand. Young trees have more humus, while growing plants have less humus. Young trees have more humus, while growing plants have less humus.

Acidic flowers such as camellia, rhododendron, gardenia and most foliage plants need peat soil 6, coarse sand 4, and bone meal 0.5. The culture soil ratio of epiphytic orchid is brown bark or sphagnum moss 4, vermiculite 4, perlite (river sand) 2. For flowers and fruits, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be added.

The most commonly used potting soil abroad is U and C standard potting soil. The main ingredients are fine sand and peat moss. The size of the sand particles is 0.5 mm, and the peat moss must be crushed. Use different proportions according to needs, 50% fine sand and 50% peat moss for potted plants; 75% peat and 25% fine sand for seedbeds.

(3) Disinfection of substrate

The substrate is a place where pests and diseases spread and must be thoroughly disinfected before use. However, this measure is often ignored, causing weeds to spread and seedlings to become diseased. , scions, seeds or seedlings become moldy or soft rot, so it is one of the key measures for the success or failure of potted flowers. The main methods of disinfection are:

(1) Sunlight disinfection

Put the prepared substrate on concrete or iron plates, spread it thinly, and expose it to the sun for 3 to 15 days to kill the bacteria. Dead pathogen spores, hyphae, eggs, adult worms and nematodes.

(2) Steam sterilization

3 Put the substrate into the steamer and heat it to 60~100℃ for 30~60 minutes. Disinfection time should not be too long to avoid killing beneficial microorganisms.

(3) Fire

3 For a small amount of soil in protected seedbeds or potted plants, put it into an iron pot or iron plate and heat it for 0.5 to 2 hours.

(4) Formaldehyde

Use 50 ml of formaldehyde and 6 to 12 liters of water per square meter. Spray it on the substrate 10 to 12 days before sowing, cover it with plastic film and seal it. Peel off the membrane for ventilation one week before. Or evenly sprinkle 400-500 ml of 40% formalin per cubic meter of culture soil, dilute it 50 times, pile it up and cover it with a film, and seal it for 24-48 hours. You can also spray the film with 0.5% formaldehyde for 5-7 days. Sand and gravel can be disinfected by soaking in 50 to 100 times formaldehyde for 2 to 4 hours and rinsing with clean water 2 to 3 times.

(5) Sulfur powder

3 Add 25 to 300 grams of sulfur per square meter of tilled soil, or 80 to 90 grams of sulfur per cubic meter of substrate to disinfect the soil. , neutralize alkalinity.

(6) Lime powder

For acidic soil, sprinkle 30 to 40 grams of lime per square meter, or add 90 to 120 grams of lime powder per cubic meter of substrate. Used in leaf humus soil.

(7) Carbendazim

Add 50 grams of carbendazim to each cubic meter of substrate and cover it for 2 to 3 days.

(8) Zinc

Add 60 grams of Zinc 65 to each cubic meter of substrate. After covering for 2 to 3 days, remove the film and ventilate it.

(9) Chlorothalonil

Use 1g of 45% chlorothalonil smoke agent per square meter of substrate and smoke the shed for 5 hours.

(10) Metalaxyl and Mancozeb

Use 25 grams of metalaxyl wettable powder per square meter plus 10 grams of mancozeb 70 for fine soil 4 to 5 kilograms, 2/3 covered on the seeds, 1/3 sprinkled under the seeds.

(11) Pentachloronitrobenzene mixture

3 parts of Pentachloronitrobenzene, 1 part of Zinc or Dixon, 4 to 6 grams per square meter, Mix it with fine sand and apply it into the sowing trench. After sowing, cover the seeds with medicinal soil.

(12) Ferrous sulfate

On rainy days, add 2-3 ferrous sulfate to fine soil, 100-220 grams per square meter, sprinkle it into the soil or use 2-3 ferrous sulfate. Liquid iron, 9 liters per square meter for substrate disinfection.

(13) Phim

Use 0.1 kg of 50 phoxim and 10 kg of bait to make poison bait to trap and kill underground pests.

(14) Chloropicrin

Place each layer of substrate with 20 to 30 cm, sprinkle 50 ml of chloropicrin per square meter, pile 3 to 4 layers, cover with film, and keep warm for 20 10 days above ℃, remove the film and ventilate.