Soft Fruit Agronimist, Neil Holmes, discusses final foliar feeds for UK fruit crops in his latest technical update.
Final foliar feeds for UK fruit crops
Now that the autumn equinox has passed, optimal nutrition should now be applied to June bearer strawberries. Micronutrient deficiencies caused by drip feeding at either a low frequency or sub-optimal EC’s, or due to environmental conditions limiting nutrient uptake, can be alleviated by foliar feeding. OMEX can supply either individual micronutrients using the Folex range of products or a complete micro element package by using Micromex.
Blueberries often benefit from a boron and/or zinc foliar feed in autumn to support bud development for the following spring. Check the nutrition levels in the crop prior to a treatment by SAP testing to ensure an application is required. Folex Zn or Folex B can each deliver either 15% boron or zinc, which is 150,000 mg/L when applied at 1L/ha.
Apply foliar feeds in blueberries before all leaves senesce
Cherry crops regularly receive copper treatments prior to total senescence to ensure tissues lignify prior to winter. Consider applying Folex copper or Zynergy depending on the requirements of the crop. Folex copper has 6% copper and Zynergy has 2.5% copper but is also combined with 9% sulphur and 4.5% zinc. Zinc is a micronutrient which is involved in key biochemical processes and can be a considered as a catalyst to ensure protein synthesis, sugar formation and plant defence mechanisms function optimally.
To find out more about final foliar feeds for UK fruit crops, speak to your local OMEX Technical Manager, who can advise on the best programme for your operation.