Effect of different media compositions on growth of ornamental foliage plants in vertical gardening

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different media compositions on growth of ornamental foliage plants in vertical gardening where three species (Philodendron, Syngonium and Pandanus) were grown in different media in completely randomized design with factorial concept in three replications during November 2022 to March 2024 at Floricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. In two years of study, it was found that Syngonium (P2) with growing media red soil + cocopeat + sand + vermicompost (0.5: 1: 0.5: 1) (M1) performed better with respect to growth parameters viz., plant height (17.53 cm & 28.35 cm), leaf width (5.67 cm & 7.25 cm), specific leaf area (879.50 cm2g-1, 180 days), and number of suckers per plant (1.37 & 3.47), root parameter like root length at 180 days after planting (21.88 cm) and dry weight of root (0.496 g) compared to other treatments, while, M1P3 (M1-Red soil + Cocopeat + Sand +Vermicompost (0.5: 1: 0.5: 2) + P3-Pandanus) recorded maximum plant spread (14.74 cm & 32.91 cm N-S,13.94 cm & 31.75 cm, E-W), number of leaves (8.01 & 12.68), leaf length (13.34 cm & 21.33 cm), dry weight of leaf (1.03 g & 4.02 g) at 90 and 180 DAP respectively.