Effects of Different Growing Media on Growth and Flowering of <I>Spathoglottis plicata </I>Blume

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted on the effects of growing medium on growth and flowering of  2–year–old Spathoglottis  plicata Blume  by growing  them  in 8 different media, i.e. sand + rice husk charcoal  (1: 1), sand + coconut fibre   (1: 1), sand + coconut fibre + loam  (1: 1: 1), sand + coconut husk pieces  + loam (1: 1: 1), sand + loam + decomposed leaf  (1: 1: 1), coconut husk pieces + pea nut hull +  rice husk charcoal (1: 1: 1), coconut husk pieces + loam +  pea nut hull  (1: 1: 1) and coconut husk pieces + loam + pea nut hull + sand (1: 1: 1: 1). The results showed that the suitable media were those of sand + loam + decomposed leaf (1: 1: 1), coconut husk pieces + pea nut hull + rice husk charcoal (1: 1: 1), coconut husk pieces + loam + pea nut hull (1: 1: 1), coconut husk pieces + loam + pea nut hull + sand (1: 1: 1: 1), and sand + coconut husk pieces + loam (1:1:1), providing the best vegetative growth and early flowering.