6 Types of Planting Media that are Often Used to grow vegetables at home

For those of you who have a hobby of gardening or like ornamental plants, planting media must be one of the main concerns. Planting media is an important element to support plant life. The planting medium must be able to maintain moisture around the plant roots, as well as provide sufficient air and nutrients. Generally, the planting medium that is often used for farming is soil.

How to Build a Self Watering Pot | Fun and Easy Way of Gardening

But besides land, there are other growing media that can be used for farming. Here are several types of growing media that you can use to grow vegetables:

1. Cocopeat

Cocopeat is an alternative growing medium that can be used for the cultivation of various types of plants, especially hydroponics. The main ingredient of this planting medium is made from coconut husks or shells that are processed or mashed so that they become grains such as sawdust. Cocopeat is very good to be used as a planting medium because it is balanced in retaining moisture, meaning that the plants do not wilt easily because the water stored in the cocopeat is long enough.

2. Manure 

Manure is one of the organic fertilizers obtained from animal waste such as cow, goat, or chicken manure. Manure used as a planting medium must be manure that has undergone a fermentation process (decomposes). Characteristics of manure that has undergone fermentation, among others, are odorless (the smell of ammonia has disappeared), and is black in color, and looks like soil.

3. Compost 

Compost is a term derived from the decomposition or fermentation of organic materials such as leaves, grass, straw, husks (rice seed coats), and others. The decomposition of organic matter in the form of compost makes the nutrients in it can be absorbed by plant roots. For planting media, choose compost that has been decomposed, its characteristics are almost the same as manure, which is odorless, turns black in color, and has low water content.

4. Black Husk

The husk is a rice waste that is widely used as a planting medium. However, black husks are slightly different from ordinary husks. A black husk is a husk that is burned. This black husk is believed to function to improve the structure of the soil, both physically, chemically, and biologically.

This black husk planting media can be a recommendation for ornamental plants or flower plants because of its ability to increase soil porosity. The high soil porosity in this black husk will make the soil loose and able to absorb nutrients well.

5. Fern Stem

The fifth type of planting medium is fern stems. Fern stems generally have two kinds, namely black ferns and brown ferns. As a growing medium, black ferns are used more often than brown ferns. Black fern itself comes from fern plants that are old and dry.

You can find this fern stem sold in chopped form as well as ready-made rectangular slabs. This fern planting medium is considered capable of binding water, has good drainage, and is easily penetrated by roots. However, you also have to pay attention if you want to use this planting medium. The reason is, that this planting medium is also often used as a nest by ants or other small animals.

6. Hydrogel 

These are polymer crystals that are often used as a growing medium for hydroponic plants. The use of this planting medium is very practical and efficient because it does not need to be replaced with new ones, watered, or fertilized. In addition, hydrogel planting media also has a variety of colors so that it can be adjusted to taste. This is of course important, especially for people who are very concerned about the aesthetics of the garden or room.

So hopefully the info is useful, don't forget to help share it with your relatives, friends or other friends, friend. That is all and thank you