Improving blueberry post-dormancy recovery and rooting

This article by OMEX’s Soft Fruit Agronomist, Dr Neil Holmes, focuses on improving blueberry post-dormancy recovery and rooting. UK blueberry crops have emerged post-dormancy and many require a nutritional boost to aid rooting. Post-dormancy recovery and rooting can be aided with the application of humic acids and seaweed biostimulants to the rooting zone, supplied in the form of Catalyst. OMEX Catalyst is a combination of humic acids (7.5%) and two seaweed biostimulants (65%). The humic acids in Catalyst creating an environment that encourages rooting and facilitates root development within any type of growing media therefore, improving blueberry post-dormancy recovery and rooting. Catalyst is helping blueberry growers across the country optimise their potential by improving root mass, nutrient uptake and promoting uniform cropping. It’s also aiding peat free growers with its unique nutrient composition helping “peat-free act more like peat”.   Catalyst contains two seaweed biostimulants that promote the blueberry bush to develop fresh root growth which can replace those damaged by cold temperatures or waterlogged conditions we’ve experienced over winter.

Catalyst Trials Results

Data shows that on multiple crop types there has been a consistent and significant improvement in rooting of around 25% when utilising OMEX Catalyst, compared to the untreated control.  

Improving blueberry post-dormancy recovery and rooting – Timings and Rates

Catalyst is simple to apply as a stand-alone drench or with your fertigation feed. Catalyst should be applied once per week from post-dormancy at a rate of 500ml per 100L of stock solution dosed at 1:100. Catalyst can be combined with Kobra. Kobra is a highly effective fatty amine based wetting and spreading agent, used as a growing media wetter and re-wetter. Kobra can be applied at 100ml per 100L of stock solution dosed at 1:100 to ensure excellent re-wetting and water distribution within the growing media, which allows the nutrients applied within Catalyst to work more efficiently. You can read more about Catalyst application and rooting benefits here

Talk to us about blueberry fertiliser and nutrition

Our team of BASIS and FACTS qualified horticultural experts are here to help your blueberry crops flourish to their maximum potential. Contact your local technical manager here.  Read our full technical bulletin on the benefits Catalyst can bring to your crop, here.