Finding the Right Growing Medium to Propagate Plant Cuttings

Young plant production continues to be a growing segment of the horticulture industry. Over the last several years, many producers have moved from seed germination to cutting propagation. This has become popular for specialty varieties and branded plants.

While young plants are still produced with seed germination and plug systems, the propagated and rooted cutting market has evolved into new processes with specialized equipment. Several companies have developed machinery to wrap paper and other materials around growing media to form small pots.

Characteristics of Paper-Wrapped Pots for Propagating Cuttings 

These miniature pots are available in assorted diameters, ranging from 15 mm up to 120 mm (5/8” – 4.75”). They represent an interesting practice for organic cultivation as some of these paper-wrapped pots are 100% bio-degradable. They are made by extruding the growing medium into a ‘tube-shaped’ outer wrapper and gluing the seam inside the wrapped tube. When the medium “tube” is filled, the paper-wrapped tube is cut into a specific length to form paper pots that are placed into individual cells within a growing tray.

The smaller size paper-wrapped pots (15-35 mm) are used mostly for cutting propagation. Larger sizes are used for the propagation of greenhouse foliage, woody ornamentals for nurseries, and ready-plant annuals for the landscape trade. There are different needs for growing media for each of these applications.

Machinery That Requires a Growing Medium Free of Sticks

With these types of pots, the growing medium must be free of sticks to avoid tearing the wrapping or damaging the saw blades that cut each pot. Clean product works better with automated machinery and there are fewer worries about bridging small cells with plug trays.

Most growers prefer a fibrous growing medium that has good air porosity. It is a challenge for peat moss producers to remove all sticks and small tree roots from Sphagnum peat moss because they are found naturally. The challenge is to screen out this debris while retaining the fiber of the peat moss to have a well-structured growing medium.

Screening Process

The industrial division of Premier Tech, Premier Tech Systems and Automation, has developed an improved screening system to process Canadian Sphagnum peat moss with minimal fine peat-moss particles that is virtually stick-free.

This innovative equipment and process of screening Sphagnum peat moss, along with a precise blend of coir (horticultural grade), perlite, limestone, wetting agent, soluble starter nutrient and active ingredients are used in formulating the PRO-MIX germination and young plant production growing media: PRO-MIX® FPX and PRO-MIX® FPO (for organic production).

PRO-MIX® Growing Media Perfectly Suited for Cuttings

Here is why the PRO-MIX® FPX and PRO-MIX® FPO growing media work very well with cuttings including those in paper-wrapped pots:

PRO-MIX® FPX

Ingredients

• 80-90% Fine Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss – Short fiber
• Perlite – Plug Grade

Minor Components

• Calcitic and dolomitic limestone (pH adjuster)
• Wetting agent
• Starter fertilizer charge

Product Properties

Active Ingredient

PRO-MIX® FPX is available with AGTIV® DEFEND™, to accelerate seedling development and plant establishment, reduce the need for fungicide drenches and strengthen plant disease resistance. 

PRO-MIX® FPO

Ingredients

• 60-70% Fine Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss – Short fiber
• Coir – Horticultural Grade
• Perlite – Plug Grade

Minor Components

• Calcitic limestone (pH adjuster)
• Wetting agent
• Starter fertilizer charge

Product Properties

In summary, PRO-MIX® FPX has been formulated for young ornamental plant production, and PRO-MIX® FPO has been formulated for organic vegetable seed germination. Discover our products for young plant production!