Standardisation of growing media and its depth for rooftop gardening of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) cv. Prof. Harris

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the standardisation of growing media and its depth for rooftop gardening of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) cv. Prof. Harris during 2016. The experiment was laid out in two-factor completely randomized block design comprising five growing media having different components by volume at three different depths viz., D1: 10 cm, D2: 20 cm and D3: 30 cm depths. The media compositions were G1: Soil+sand+coco peat+vermicompost (1: 1: 2: 2), G2: Sand+coco peat+vermicompost (1: 2: 2), G3: Sand+coco peat+vermicompost +vermiculite (1: 2: 2: 0.5), G4: Sand+coco peat+vermicompost+perlite (1: 2: 2: 0.5) and G5: Sand+coco peat+vermicompost+vermiculite+perlite (1: 2: 2: 0.25: 0.25). Among the depths of growing media, D3 i. e. 30 cm was found best for increasing the plant and flower characters. It induced early flowering (bud visibility at 46.53 days, bud opening at 61.89 days and full bloom at 75.84 days), greater flower number 47.13/plant and longer flowering duration 62.37 days. Among the media, G5 responded best in terms of flower earliness (bud visibility at 49.00 days, bud opening at 64.35 days and full bloom at 78.85 days), more number of sprays per plant i. e. 7.01 sprays per plant and longer duration of 54.52 days compared to other growing media. The treatment combination of media depth D3 i. e. 30 cm and growing media G5 was best for rooftop gardening of chrysanthemum.