Ornamental bedding plant growth in
different growing media.
Five media: (1) Sustrato Van Leeuwen® (100%);
(2) Soil (100%); (3) Soil (50%); (4) River waste
(100%) and (5) River waste (100%) were tested. A
decrease of total porosity during the beginning of the
growing period and a slight increase during the last
grown steps, but the initial porosity was not compensated,
for the ornamental plants used at five media
tested were found. There were significant differences
in growth curves among the five plant media
tested for Begonia x semperflorens, Gerbera x
jamensonii, Impatiens x walleriana and Viola x
wittrockiana. Our results showed that river waste
could be a potential substitute for Sphagnum peat but,
it proportion in the mix are related with each bedding
plant requirement.