Strengthening the Rhizosphere

Vegetable producers all know that setting out transplants is a time of risk. The plugs have been lifted, moved, handled, and are in some degree of shock. Until they are planted there is a risk of drying out. It is a time of potential loss. These risks can’t be eliminated, but they can be reduced. Here are four ideas you can try, to improve your chances. These products are all different, but they all have some positive influence on the root zone, or rhizosphere.

Two days prior to taking the transplants out to the field, spray them with Antistress Antitranspirant at 3 L per 200 L of water. This will help prevent them from drying out.

To encourage root growth on the new transplants, use a root dip treatment of a solution of Stella Maris at 40 – 100 mL per 10 L, prior to transplanting.

Is yours an organic farm? If so, try a drench of BioFert Humik at about 15-20 mL per litre of water after the transplants have been set out. Humik is a natural and organic liquid product that helps promote rooting. It will help in chelation of nutrients in the rhizosphere. BF Humik contains 12% humic acid.

Use TigerClaw Symbex. Symbex is a soil biological stimulator that increases aerobic bacteria and beneficial fungi such as mycorrhizae. Either apply just after transplanting at 1-2 L per acre as a drench, or as a root soak at 8 mL per litre of water. The photograph above shows the effect Symbex can have on transplants. This was a trial in cabbage in 2016.