Growth of ornamental shrubs in wood fibre-based growing media

The use of wood fibre as constituent of growing media for containerized ornamental shrubs production has been evaluated in order to reduce the amount of peat in the mixes. Prunus laurocerasus 'Rotundifolia' and Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens' plants were cultivated for two years in substrates containing 25% or 50% (V/V) of two types of wood fibre (Bio-Culta®-Faser and Toresa®), mixed with white peat and clay. Tested substrates were analysed for physical and chemical traits, while plant growth was periodically assessed during the trial. Results show that wood fibre can partially substitute peat in the composition of growing media for container grown nursery crops. When wood fibre increases in the growing medium, a proportional addition of clay has to be made, in order to ensure good water retention properties to the media, thus avoiding water stresses to plants during summer months.