News Feed Forums Vegetables Iron absent from foliar materials for market gardening program. Reply To: Iron absent from foliar materials for market gardening program.

  • Nina Meiers

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    April 3, 2021 at 7:34 am
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    Thanks Stephen, having access to nova crop to get the tests is very fortunate. We have delays and have had losses in transit so not received anything and it’s been a bit frustrating to be on one side of the world and having to send leaf samples away to the other side, but we work with what we have and after we get a few results back, we can compare with the previous tests which helps.

    Andrew decided that he didn’t want to risk anything that could affect the fruit flavour as we have when in full production, fruit pretty much all the time. We run two drip tapes and while we’ve talked about the logistics of foliar, if we can get the same result through fertigating, even if it takes a little longer and costs more, we’re preferring nothing touching the fruit except picking and packing.

    Every plant we counted had over 170 – 180 flowers per plant. They were too close together and I feel it restricted doing as best as they could. We planted the last field 35cm apart but next season will look at 40 – 45cm because they get so big.

    None of our nutrients are specifically purchased as fish based solutions, but there is an element of marine base content. We purchase and apply daily, a variety of nutrients to try and get that magic middle line of all, but we’ve not succeeded yet. We did however, succeed in increasing boron which was very low.

    The amount of nitrogen added has been negligible, however it’s interesting to note that the last test showed it was higher.

    One thing that is interesting to note is that since Andrew started to listen to the AEA podcasts by John, instead of me relaying snippets to him (I’m the researcher), he has picked up different things I may not have and our roles on the farm are very defined. All Andrew does is focus on the farm and plant health and spend the money, and I try my best to not freak out and just make the finances happen. We have spent significantly more this season on nutrition but the outcome is premium, good shelf life fruit that people ask for, in the shops, and we have more than doubled the yield of strawberries and look like keeping in for a third season (first flush for next season).

    Our growing season has been good this year which has helped.