As the New Year gets underway and we all hope that warmer, sunnier weather is on the horizon, our thoughts turn to early spring sales and how to ensure plants are looking their best, says Chloe Whiteside, Technical Area Sales Manager for East Anglia.
For plants you weren't expecting to carry over from last season, the chances are the original nutrition program may be running out of steam. Also, plants bought in from abroad may need a top-up. European growers generally use less controlled-release fertilizers, relying on water-soluble products. Plants are therefore more likely to run out of nutrition in the spring, particularly if you grow them on outside, as high winter rainfall washes some nutrients away.
What benefits do controlled-release topdress fertilizers offer?
Quality-controlled release topdress fertilizers offer an easy and safe way to invigorate plants and have several benefits. They are useful for long-term, containerized plants, only a single application is needed, they dissolve quickly in moist compost, and they are immediately available to the plant.
Application tips
Before applying topdress, ensure the top of the compost is free from leaves, debris and liverwort. While being good nursery hygiene practice, it improves marketability and ensures the topdress does not feed the liverwort. Apply topdress evenly across the surface of the compost, try not to place it in a heap. If using drip irrigation, place topdress near the dripper, or water overhead after application.
It is important to regularly monitor your crops for signs of nutrient deficiency, symptoms can often take a while to show. Substrate analysis will give a good indication of how much feed is remaining and will allow you to plan when to topdress so that you get maximum benefit from the product you are using.
For more information:ICL Group
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