An insight into soil media and bed preparation in poly house cultivation

1. SOIL MEDIA AND BED
PREPARATION
AJAY ALEX
Agricultural Officer
Krishi Bhavan Cheruvannur-Nallalam
Ph:9656495737

2. Soil/Media preparation
Red soil-60%
FYM- 30%
Rice Husk-10%
Quantity(for 1000 sq m)
Red soil-30 truck
FYM-10 truck
Rice Husk-4 tons

3. Important characters
regarding media
•Water holding capacity
•Air porosity
•pH-6.5
•EC-0.8-1.0mS/cm

4. Soil/Media Sterilization
Physical Agents
Steam
• Apply steam at the temperature of 100
for 5-6 hrs
Radiation
• Sun radiation
Chemical Agents
• Formaldehyde-7.5 lit/100m2
• Methyl bromide-20gm/m2
• Basamid-40 g/m2

5. Application of Formaldehyde
• Ploughing(Loosening of soil
• Watering/wetting of soil before sterilisation
• Dilution of formalin in water(1:10)i.e.,7.5 litre
formalin in 75 litres of water for 100 m2
• Drenching of chemical
• Covering of soil/media with polythene after
sterilisation(5 days)
• Watering /washing of soil after
sterilisation(100 litre water per sq m)
• Wait for two weeks before planting

6. Bed Specification
Bottom width-100cm
Top width-90cm
Bed height-40 cm
Path width-50cm
Beds to be prepared in the
direction of gutter
Centre path-8-10 ft.

7. Type of Media
• Cocopeat
• Rock wool(melting basalt and lime stone and
added cokes at 1600 c)
• Clay granules(baking dry clay 1100 c)
• Perlite(grinded,riddledand popped at 1000 c)
• Vermiculite(micacious mineral heated to 745 c)
• Glasswool(quartz sand)