Response of Some Potted Ornamental Plants to Different Soil Mixes

Abstract

The effect of using five different soil mixes , namely , river silt, river silt + sand (2:1), river silt + compost(1:1), river silt +compost(2:1) and river silt + compost(1:2) media, on growth characteristics of White Ixora, Acalypha and Pedilanthus plants was investigated. The results revealed that the greatest growth parameters in terms of plant height , number of leaves, number of branches, and total fresh and dry weights and that of different parts of White Ixora, Acalypha and Pedilanthus were associated with river silt medium and the lowest values were associated with river silt+compost (1:2) medium. The addition of compost to river silt was noted to decrease the values of all growth characteristics of the three plant species.