Grow Box Gardening

What Is a Soilless Growing Medium? A soilless growing medium is any material used for planting that does not contain field soil or dirt . It’s what you’ll use to fill your raised bed or grow box. Understanding how growing media work helps you choose the best option for healthy, productive plants. Why Growing Media Matters. A good growing medium performs two essential functions: Anchorage: It supports the plant by holding the roots firmly in place. Root Health: It supplies roots with water, nutrients, and air , all of which are critical for growth. What Makes a Good Growing Medium for Raised Beds or Grow Boxes? The material you choose should: Allow roots to grow freely between particles. Provide pore spaces for air and water movement. Hold enough moisture and nutrients to keep plants healthy. Drain excess water easily to prevent waterlogging. Be free from weeds, pests, and diseases. Recommended Soilless Materials (Choose one of the following as your base material) Pro-Mix o...

Inorganic fertilizers, also known as artificial, synthetic, or chemical fertilizers, are manufactured from minerals such as petroleum or minerals mined from the earth. They are specifically formulated to provide essential nutrients to plants. Inorganic fertilizers play a crucial role in the agriculture industry. Inorganic fertilizers are of two  major types:  1. Simple or straight  2. Compound Complex or Mixed Simple or Straight Fertilizers Simple or straight fertilizers are produced to supply only one of the major nutrient elements to  plants, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) or Potassium (K). A fertilizer containing nitrogen is referred to as a  Nitrogen  or  Nitrogenous Fertilizer,  one containing phosphorus is referred to as a  Phosphorus or Phosphatic Fertilizer,  and one containing   potassium is referred to as a  Potassium or Potassic Fertilizer. Nitrogen or Nitrogenous Fertilizers Types of nitrogenous fertilizers includ...

Fertilizers are generally of two types:   Organic  and  Inorganic.   Organic Fertilizers Organic fertilizers are also known as natural fertilizers or manures. They are derived from animal waste and plant materials. O rganic fertilizers can be derived from several sources on the farm. 1. Animal manure Animal manure, also known as pen manure, is derived from partially decomposed solid materials produced in livestock pens. These manures are composed of animal droppings or dung, litter, bedding, and slurry from washing the pens of farm animals such as dairy cattle, goats, and sheep. 2. Composting Composted manure is a type of organic fertilizer made from plant materials like leaf litter, grass clippings, and crop residues. In the composting process, these plant materials are allowed to decompose with the help of microorganisms. 3. Green manure Green manure is a type of manure that is derived from using a green crop which is usually a legume crop. The crop is ploughed and...

All plants require essential nutrients for healthy growth. There are in total seventeen different elements that make up these essential nutrients. Three of these elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are absorbed from the air whereas the other fourteen elements are usually obtained from the soil. The soil-less growing media such as bagasse, sawdust, coconut coir and rice hulls, typically used in grow boxes  have little or no nutrients therefore, plants growing in these media types will need to be supplied with fertilizers to meet their nutritional requirements. Nutrients from air and water Carbon (C) Plants absorb carbon from carbon dioxide  (C O 2 )  in the atmosphere. Hydrogen (H) Hydrogen is obtained from water ( H 2 O) which is absorbed by the plant roots. Oxygen (O) Oxygen comes from gaseous oxygen ( O 2 )    and   carbon dioxide   (C O 2 ) in the atmosphere. Nutrients from the growing medium The nutrients that your plants require from their growi...