Synthetic soil substrate system for growing a plant

A synthetic soil substrate system comprising:

• a) a plurality of synthetic soil substrate layers, each comprising a synthetic soil substrate, said plurality of synthetic soil substrate layers comprising:
• i) a first synthetic soil substrate layer having pores and a first average pore size;
• ii) a second synthetic soil substrate layer having pores a second average pore size;
• wherein the first average pore size is at least 20% different from said second average pore size;
• wherein each of the synthetic soil substrates comprises:
• a nutrient selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, molybdenum and chlorine, and
• wherein the first synthetic soil substrate layer has a first nutrient composition comprising one or more of said nutrients and wherein the second synthetic soil substrate has a second nutrient composition comprising one or more of said nutrients that is different from the first nutrient composition;
• and
• b) a plant plug aperture extending through the first synthetic soil substrate and configured to receive a plant plug.