Reviewed by Specialty Soils Updated August 21, 2026
Do not switch an entire crop because a medium looks good in the bag. Define the objective and run a representative, recorded comparison.
Define the decision before opening a bag
State the problem the candidate medium is supposed to solve: irrigation frequency, root quality, crop uniformity, handling, settling, production time, or another measurable outcome. Keep the current medium as a control.
Build a fair comparison
- Use comparable crop material and the same crop stage.
- Use the same container size and height.
- Place treatments in comparable environmental positions and rotate where appropriate.
- Record media lot, potting date, plant count, and any excluded plants.
- Document irrigation volume, frequency, and decision rules.
- Document fertilizer source, concentration, timing, and other management inputs.
Stage 1: characterize the candidate
Begin with management close enough to the current system to observe meaningful differences. Record how the media accept water, drain, dry down, settle, handle, and support early roots and shoots. The purpose is to learn the candidate’s behavior—not to declare a winner after one irrigation.
| Observation | Record |
|---|---|
| Water management | Irrigation timing and amount, dry-down pattern, uneven wetting, wilt events |
| Roots | Distribution, color, density, circling, root-ball integrity at planned checkpoints |
| Shoots | Uniformity, color, extension, flowering or crop-stage response where relevant |
| Physical handling | Filling, compaction, shrinkage, settling, shipping or movement behavior |
| Fertility | Inputs and any current verified measurements used by the grower |
Stage 2: optimize management
If the candidate clearly holds or releases water differently, forcing identical irrigation forever may unfairly test the old management system rather than the candidate medium. After characterization, define and document a candidate-appropriate irrigation or fertility adjustment while retaining a meaningful control.
Include production economics
Compare more than unit price. Consider labor, irrigation events, crop losses, uniformity, time to sale, handling, shrinkage, and the operational cost of changing procedures. A successful trial should produce a repeatable production decision.
Set a decision date
Run the trial through enough of the production cycle to expose the behavior that matters. Record the conclusion, conditions, and approved next step. If the candidate proceeds, preserve the product or approved formula version for reorder.
Continue through the professional decision path
Connect the production question to the appropriate media family, technical support and commercial review.