NatuGro is producing positive results when used on cyclamen crops, as it enhances resistance against diseases and helps crops to produce many more flowers. This is the experience of the British company WestsideNurseries Ltd. Sean Whitworth, the crop manager at the nurseries, says, ‘We can now offer our clients an improved product.’
Westside Nurseries Ltd is based in Low Fulney, near the English town of Spalding, and is located right next to the headquarters of the parent company Butters Group Ltd. This organization produces flowers, plants,
bulbs, and soft fruits. Butters Group is a big name in the English ornamental crop sector, and has a strong focus on environmentally friendly production processes.
Nutrients are very important
Crop manager Sean Whitworth explains how the four-hectare large Westside Nurseries Ltd carried out the first trials with NatuGro in cyclamen crops in 2014. ‘We were very interested in NatuGro and its potential benefits,’ he explains. ‘Biological crop protection is important, and it’s an area in which we have a lot of knowledge and experience. However, providing the plant with nutrients is just as important. As we are eager to try out new options, we wanted to see whether we could improve the provision of nutrients to the crops with NatuGro.’
More resistance, more flowers
A comparative trial clearly demonstrated the effects of NatuGro. The plants treated were more resistant to diseases than those in the untreated plot, and also produced more flowers. Sean Whitworth explains: ‘We normally see four or five flowers per plant, but in the crops treated with NatuGro this figure grew to six or seven flowers. The plants are also more uniform, which means we can package them more efficiently. All in all, the crops responded very positively to the treatment. This means we can offer our clients an improved product.’
Three NatuGro products
Westside Nurseries Ltd used three NatuGro products during the trial:ProParva, ProTerrum, and ProFortum. The company has maintained this mix of products. ProParva is applied to young plants and supports the development of the root system. ‘Once the root system is strong enough,which is about five to six weeks after treatment, we move on to a combination of ProTerrum and ProFortum. We apply these products mixed together.’
Sean Whitworth points out that growers need to learn how to use NatuGro. ‘It’s a different form of cultivation; you need to learn the most effective way of using the product. It’s also possible to stimulate the growth of the crops too quickly. That’s not what the product is meantto be used for.’
Useful in other crops
In light of the good results, Westside Nurseries Ltd will continue to use NatuGro on cyclamen, and plans to use it on blackcurrants and blueberries. ‘We want to find out what we can achieve by applying the same combination of ProParva, ProTerrum, and ProFortum to these crops.’ Whitworth adds that this can be achieved together with Koppert and Koppert consultant, David MacDonald, as Koppert’s knowledge and
experience is important to Westside Nurseries Ltd.
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