The use of different growing media in greenhouse gerbera cut flower production

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate different substrates such as perlite, peat, pumice and rockwool in cut gerbera production. With this aim, these materials were used either alone or mixed with each other and the effects of these growing media on flower yield and the quality of gerbera cv. Conga were investigated. The effects of the growing media on the flower yield of gerberas were found to be statistically significant at the 1% level. However, the differences between the growing media with respect to flower diameter, flower stem length and stem diameter were generally small and significant. After a periods of 15 months, the highest total flower yield (59.31 flowers/plant) was obtained from the plants grown in a peat . pumice (1.1, v/v) which was followed by the plants grown in peat (57.71 flowers/plant).