Effect of Hydroponics Nutrient Solution and Water-Soluble Fertilizer on Growth of Vertical Garden Plants

Abstract

The objective of this research was to compare two types of nutrient solutions including
hydroponics nutrient solution and water-soluble fertilizer in vertical garden plants. Appropriate species of
plants were selected for vertical garden under the condition of partial shade. Experimental model,
with 2 treatments, each treatment composed of 20 species of plants, each spicy composed of 8 plants,
total 160 plants per treatments and analyzing by T-test. The 20 species of plants were grown
inhydroponics nutrient solution and water-soluble fertilizer (16-16-16) at concentrations of 0.8 μS / cm. The
results showed that the advantages of water-soluble fertilizer for vertical garden landscape under partial
shade condition had higher than those of hydroponics nutrient solution. Both hydroponics nutrient solution
and water-soluble fertilizer could produce similar effect on growth rate. However, water-soluble fertilizer is
cheaper, easy to buy, use and store. In practical, the selection of proper species of plants should be
consided botanical characteristics of adjacent vegetation to prevent coverage.
On the growth of 20 species of plants, the statistical significant of nutrient solution occurred in
Ophiopogon jaburan (Kunth) Lodd. and Nephrolepsis cordifolia (L.) Presl and could be used in vertical
garden. The 14 species of plants showed non- significant statistical different in nutrient solution and
10 species could be suitable to vertical garden as followed: 1) Monsterra oblique (Miq.) Walp
‘Expilata’ 2) Philodendron scandens Mediopictum 3) Syngonium podophyllum 4) Philodendron hastatum
K.Koch&Sellow 5) Scindapsus pictus hassk. ‘Argyraeus’ 6) Pellionia repens( Lour. ) Merrill
7) Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) Barthlott 8) Cercestis mirabilis (N.E. Br.) Bogner
9) Dracaena surculosa Lindl.cv. Friedman niiand 10) Ophiopogon jaburan (Kunth.) and 4 species of plants
namely 1) Selaginella spp. 2) Geogenanthus undatus 3)Nephrolepsis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis Compacta’
and 4) Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f.) Ker-Gawl. cv. Nanus were not suitable for vertical garden because of
the growth in low level. However the other 4 species namely 1) Begonia cv. Cleopatra
2) Aeschynanthus radicans Jack. 3) Philodendron grazielae Bunting and 4) Phyllanthus myrtifolius Moon
could not be collected the data because they were interfered by surrounding plants.