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Plant Production

Plant Production. Conditions for plant growth. All plants need water, nutrients & oxygen to grow Normally plants can spread their roots to take these in from the soil Potted plants have limited space for their roots to grow Potting compost helps to hold more water, air and nutrients

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Plant Production

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  1. Plant Production

  2. Conditions for plant growth • All plants need water, nutrients & oxygen to grow • Normally plants can spread their roots to take these in from the soil • Potted plants have limited space for their roots to grow • Potting compost helps to hold more water, air and nutrients • Rooting compost is good for drainage • Various materials in potting composts • Loam based compost – has good garden soil • Loamless compost – has a lot of peat • Rooting compost – to help cuttings to root • - lots of sand (perlite)

  3. Nutrients • Absorbed by roots from soil/compost • Also known as minerals • Some are major nutrients: • - Nitrogen (N) – helps leaves grow • - Phosphorus (P) – helps roots grow • - Potassium (K) – helps flowers/fruits grow • Some are trace nutrients: • - Iron, Magnesium

  4. Fertiliser • Contain extra supplies of nutrients • Can be added to soil/compost • Have different quantities (ratios) of each mineral • E.g. 4:2:1 • 4%Nitrogen, 2%Phosphorus, 1%Potassium • Some are multi-purpose – same ratio of all • Some are specific • - e.g. fertiliser for leaf growth (more Nitrogen) • Can be applied as powder, liquid or granules

  5. Watering • Plants need different amounts of water • There are many methods of watering: • House Plants • From above (with a watering can) • From below (standing pot in a tray of water) • Garden Plants • A hose (sometimes with a sprinkler attached)

  6. Automatic watering methods • Automatic Irrigation • Water from above through tubes and nozzles • Capillary Matting • Water from below through a soaked mat • Water Retentive Gel • Within the compost – can hold water for a long time

  7. Environmental Conditions - Temperature • Each plant has an optimum temperature • Plants can be shielded from bad weather • - in a greenhouse • - in a polythene tunnel • A heater can set temperature • - can be controlled by a thermostat • - a minimum/maximum thermometer shows the range of temperatures over 24 hours

  8. Humidity • How much water vapour is in the air • Plants lose water by evaporation • - to cool the plants • If air is humid (damp), less evaporation • If air is dry, more evaporation • Relative humidity allows air humidity to be compared • - 75% is high humidity / 20% is low humidity • Warm temperatures allow higher humidities • A hygrometer can measure humidity

  9. Ventilation • Greenhouses must be ventilated • Avoids damp, stale air building up • Autovents • - attached to windows • - have wax cylinders • - as it gets hot, wax expands, vent opens • Extractor fans • - controlled by thermostat • - switched on if temperature gets too hot • Wind • - increases evaporation from leaves • - plants can be shielded from the wind (windbreaks)

  10. Plant Maintenance - cacti • Have a fleshy stem – water storing (succulent) • Many stems have sharp spines • Do not have leaves • Desert cacti need direct sunlight & well-drained soil • Jungle cacti need a little shade & well drained soil • Both need warm summers & cool winters • Other succulent plants e.g. aloe have leaves

  11. Plant Maintenance -ctd • Ferns • - non-flowering • - prefer humid, cool, dimly lit conditions • Foliage plants • - house plants grown for their leaf shape/colour • - prefer well lit, well watered conditions, with feeds of fertiliser • Flowering Plants • Grown for their attractive flowers • - perennial plants can re-grow flowers every year

  12. Maintaining Plants • Pricking Out • Sown seeds often too close together • Seeds could compete for root space, water, light • Need to be re-planted elsewhere • This is pricking out • Happens when first set of leaves open out • Potting On • Moving a plant into a bigger pot • Plant is moved when it becomes pot-bound/root-bound • Dead Heading • Removing dead flower heads

  13. Pests & Disease • Pest – animal that damages a plant • - E.g. aphid (greenfly) • - suck out plant’s sugary sap • - often attack shoots & flower buds • Disease – caused by micro-organism • E.g. grey mould • - grows on leaves, then spreads to other parts • - prefers damp, airless conditions

  14. Controlling pests & disease • Aphids • - 1) chemical control • - e.g. pesticides or insecticide • - 2) biological control • E.g. ladybirds • - some don’t use chemicals – pick them off or wash with soapy water • Grey Mould • - plants sprayed with a fungicide • - burning all infected crops / better ventilation

  15. Protecting Cultivation • Exposed plants can be damaged by many things • E.g. wind, rain, low temps, frost • Plants may need to be protected: • Glass • Plastic • Polytunnels • Floating Fleece

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