viewpoint
November 2015
with John Barnes – Managing Director
Preparing for Summer
We enjoy summer weather. Our weather is renowned worldwide as being temperate which means we can grow all but the most tropical crops in our wonderful country. Indeed it is a great climate and we also have, in the most part, a plentiful rainfall. The real problem is that we don’t always get the rain when we require it.
In New Zealand we irrigate something like 800,000 hectares of land which sounds like a lot but we still only harvest less than 3% of our water. Many countries including our western neighbor would be envious of our rainfall because water is gold as far as agriculture is concerned. It is these figures that prompt me to say that we do not have droughts; we have a water management problem.
Not all farmers have the advantage of irrigation, but in spite of this there are farmers who have managed to farm profitably even in adverse conditions. So what do we have to do to become less reliant on our changing weather patterns? Here some points to consider:
- Plant type
- Soil structure
- Root depth
Soil structure is something we as a Company have been interested in for many years. Soils need water but they also need to have humus and organic matter to hold the water in the soils.
Scientists can’t even begin to count the number of microbes working in the soil, much less pinpoint their purpose. There can be millions and millions in one gram of soil. It has been suggested to keep soil diseases in check, one needs to maintain a good balance of soil microbes.
Soil microbes break down plant and other remains by working in a highly co-operative fashion. No one bacteria or fungi can do the job on its own but, in concert, they achieve the result – they produce good organic matter.
Plant food that originates in this way is usually rather stable in the soil, and it does not leach out. In fact, the presence of organic matter is the primary reason why soil is able to hold water.
What are the key ways to increase organic matter in your soil’s structure?
Vitalife Magnesium or Calcium restores the soil while at the same time protecting against harmful elements.
Vitaphos is a unique mix of RPR, Sulphur and a blend of beneficial microbes and fungi to give enhanced soil health and plant performance.
VerteBlack Humic acids are energy rich matter that all plants respond to.
During summer, plants go under stress and it is important to understand the working of a plant, which hopefully will lead to limiting the effects of weather events and other situations outside of farmers’ control. It is easy to see plants grow above the ground; we measure this by how tall or how dense a the plant is. But the real growth is what we cannot see and this happens down in the soil. This is not just about the condition of the soil, important as this may be. It is about the health of up to 1/3 of the plant which happens in the unseen world of the soil and this is the root system.
The root system is the “construction site” where new cells are being created in order to support what we can see above the ground. This construction site is the power house of the plant and the greater the amount of power in the root system the more energy the plant will have to grow. Crops are usually calculated by the plant in these early stages of growth. If the plant is stunted by some event during this time then the yield will be limited.
Regional round up with Jillian
Applause to you – the farmer
As we head towards the end of the year, this is often a time of reflection of what has been achieved and what is ahead of us.
I must say that as farmers – whether you farm pasture for dairy, pasture for beef and sheep, crops or vines to produce quality New Zealand renowned wine – you are a great bunch of people to deal with.
Through the course of your seasonal changes, whether you have to endure the stress of untimely frosts, water restrictions, limited rainfall, snow, or extreme high temperatures, you all take it in your stride.
At the end of the day we all want to leave the land you farm in a better condition for the next generation.
To this end this is why Fertilizer New Zealand was started 13 years ago, and still today is a privately owned New Zealand Company. Our focus is you, the farmer, to whom we supply products that make your life easier – with minimal stock issues and good plant health, so you can focus on profitability and quality produce.
More farmers have an open mind to using a true Reactive Phosphate Rock – our brand being P365 (as you can apply it 365 days of the year). With a pH of 6+ and leaching less than 1%, it can easily fit into your fertiliser programme. All our programmes are personalized for your farm, and we take into account the need for minor trace elements to address plant and animal health.
For those farmers who are currently doing regular spray applications, 1-2 litres per hectare of Actavize is ideal, as Actavize assists with photosynthesis, is a natural sticker and contains 15 trace elements as well as natural growth promotants. For hay/baleage 20 litres per hectare is recommended initially, then 5-10 litres between cuts.
Please feel free to contact myself or my colleagues, it is always good to hear from you.
Jillian Rooney