Basic Needs For Fertigation 6 - Media substrates

The media substrates in Fertigation is an inert matter which is used to replaced soil. Its normally low in nutrient and in a neutral form. This is because the nutrient is only pre-determine from the dripping system which measured and prepared according to the level of crops growth's requirement. The media should be able to hold liquid about 60 - 80%, 20-40% air circulation and easy to change the pH accordingly. Its also must be cost effective, easy to get, environmentally friendly and practical. One must understand also that different plant are suitable with different types of media. In Malaysia, we normally use coco-peat (coconut husks) as media because its stable, light, cheap and easy to get. Other media that can be use are rock wool, perlite, vermiculite, wood husks, peat-moss, chaffs, sand, pebbles etc. Mixture of two or more media also good to get a more stabilised substrates

The only substrate used is sterile coco peat/fibre, so soil pests (e.g. nematodes) are not a problem. This picture shows a tomato plant uses cocopeat as media for its fertigation system

The mixture or Vermiculite and peat-moss