Peat Substitutes for the Production of an Ornamental Mediterranean Shrub (Nerium oleander L.)

Abstract

The results of recent surveys in Catalonia have shown that most nurseries use standard substrates prepared and supplied by specialized companies. But the main component of these substrates is peat, a non-renewable resource that must be transported considerable distances to production areas such as Catalonia. Including agricultural by-products from the same region in substrates for growing potted ornamental plants could make it possible to replace some or all of the peat in the substrates used for some of the species grown, especially those whose characteristics and origin make them less demanding in terms of the results usually guaranteed by peat moss. An experiment was carried out with the aim of assessing the effects of different alternative substrates to peat moss made with raw materials available in the region where the nurseries growing woody ornamental plants are located, such as composted pine bark and composted manure from pig and cattle farms. The results of growing a high-volume Mediterranean species such as Nerium oleander L. show that it is possible to achieve agronomic results comparable to those obtained with conventional substrates by replacing peat with these composts.