UK: Solving peat-free propagation issues

ICL's two new breakthrough wood-fiber grades — 'Fibagro Advance Fine' and 'Fibagro Advance Superfine' — hope to solve the challenges of peat-free and peat-reduced plant propagation, while offering the potential for faster and improved rooting producing stronger plugs.

"While UK ornamental growers have significantly reduced their reliance on peat, and with many already producing quality plants peat-free, propagation remained one of the final pieces of the jigsaw," says Stuart Gammage, ICL technical manager for growing media.

"The issue to overcome has largely been physical – the size of the cells to be filled. Propagation mixes need to flow readily through standard tray filling machinery, consistently and evenly filling every small cells. This precludes the use of bark and standard/coarse woodfibre grades. Meanwhile, when it comes to propagation and the delicate nature of seedlings, with coir there can be issues around volume, price, availability and EC levels."

Following extensive R&D, and major capital investment at its UK growing media facility, ICL has taken the lead in producing two innovative finer Fibagro Advance grades.

"With our new Levington Advance Sustain peat-free propagation mixes, plant propagators and growers with in-house propagation units can transition using their existing potting machinery and tray systems, without necessitating major capital outlay," says Stuart. "With a similar bulk weight density to peat, these peat-free propagation mixes have a higher nutrient holding capacity, are naturally warmer and are drier on the surface. As a result, growers have reported enhanced root development.

"Looking at the bigger picture, these new finer grades complement our existing 'Fibagro Advance Standard' and 'Fibagro Advance Coarse' creating four distinct grades. These effectively replace the four-peat grades the ornamentals industry has relied on in the past.

"Replicating quality peat-based growing media, ICL is leading the way screening and blending different Fibagro Advance woodfibre fractions to optimise the performance of its standard bagged and bespoke Levington Advance peat-reduced and Levington Advance Sustain peat-free mixes."

In general, peat-free mixes have lower water holding capacity and higher N leaching potential and pH levels. In response, ICL has pioneered innovative technical additives to enhance professional growing performance in sustainable mixes – helping growers optimize nutritional performance while minimizing leaching. "ICL offers excellent nutrition packages featuring the latest generation Osmocote 5 controlled release NPK fertilizer with trace elements," says Stuart. "In addition, our fully coated Osmocote N (36-0-5) and granular slow-release Osmoform High N (38-0-0) are helping improve overall plant performance, while reducing growers' reliance on Calcium Nitrate – helping minimize leaching. For water-soluble fertilizer options, there is our extensive Peters and Universol ranges, including formulations for hard and soft water.

"ICL has set out to provide a full package of technical solutions optimizing plant quality in sustainable growing media. Our 3-in-1 wetting agent H2Gro is playing a key role in improving water management – in particular helping overcome any hydrophobicity issues relating to wood-based products. Meanwhile, our microbial inoculant, Vitalnova TriBoost, promotes healthy microbiomes. Stimulating natural processes, this proven biostimulant helps boost plant vitality optimizing quality, while minimizing losses and can be pre-incorporated into growing media mixes or simply applied as a drench."