3V Minerals unveils alternative medium for terrace garden plants

Madurai-based 3V Minerals has evolved a medium that has been found to be a good alternative for growing plants in terrace garden, vertical and indoor gardening.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) researchers, who conducted a pot culture study of this medium — ‘3V SoilLite’ say it is a sterile porous mineral medium containing elements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron in apt proportion.

It also has high absorption of applied nutrients, aeration, and moisture-retention capacity, positively influencing root development when compared to regular soil mixture.

The study was conducted at Botanical Gardens of Horticulture College and Research Institute, TNAU, here.

M Kannan, Head of the Institute, told BusinessLine that ornamental plants and vegetables were planted in pots containing garden pot mixture and 3V SoilLite in 50:50 ratio and another set of plants in regular soil medium.

The study showed that plants grown in the medium were relatively healthier and had higher water-retention capacity. “As SoilLite has high water retention ability, plants were watered only at fortnightly intervals, whereas in garden soil medium, it was once every 4-5 days. Quantity of water required in the former was just one-third of the garden pot mix medium,” Kannan explained. 

“Further, it is light in weight and hence easy to transport and lift to top of buildings; helps improve the texture of sand, clay and loam soil when mixed and also in conserving water,” the Professor said.

He added that “terrace or roof top gardening is gaining importance due to expansion of vertical structures and consequent limitation of gardening space in towns and cities.”

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