Development of growing media for Watermelon production in vertical outdoor pots

Abstract

Growing media for watermelon production in vertical outdoor pots were developed based on watermelons growth and yield quality in vertical outdoor pots. The experiment was planned in a completely randomized design (CRD) of four treatments with three repetitions. The growing media have four formulae: treatment 1 was commercial planting soil (control); treatment 2 was loam: coconut coir: coconut husk chips: chicken husk at the rate of 1:1:1:1 by volume; treatment 3 was coconut coir: cow manure: sand: rice husk at the rate of 1:2:1/2:1/2 by volume; and treatment 4 was loam: sand: rice husk charcoal: cow manure at the rate of 1:1:1:1 by volume. The results showed that the highest growth rate    of watermelon was seen in the growing media formula 2 in terms of stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf width and length, and affecting fruit weight and the fruit sweetness. However, regarding the cost and cost-effective return of watermelon production, the growing media formula 3 had the lowest production cost and the highest profit. Therefore, treatment 3 was the most suitable growing media formula for producing watermelons in vertical outdoor pots.