Product profile: Autumn Green BiO

By Alistair September 29, 2021 08:46 Updated

Cold weather and short days may be the order of the day, but on surfaces subject to the wear and tear of sporting activity, sports turf will still require access to growth sustaining nutrition.

Many so-called ‘cold start’ products rely on just ammonia and urea to provide nitrogen to the plant but both have to be converted into plant available nitrate by bacteria and enzymes; this process is called nitrification. Research has shown that at temperatures less than 10⁰C it will take a few weeks for the conversion to take place. Obviously, nitrate won’t work when the ground is frozen, but once the plant is photosynthesising it can take up nitrate. This means that a Cold Start fertilizer, containing nitrate, will work quicker in cooler conditions than one that doesn’t. Rigby Taylor’s compound fertilizer, Cold Start Boost-R 11-5-5+8Fe+7CaO+0.8MgO, has plant available nitrate included, together with iron, which activates enzymes to strengthen cell wall structure and Calcium for improving plant tolerance to damaging diseases.

Autumn Green BiO 3-0-12+8Fe+6CaO+2MgO is a compound, 1-2mm size granular fertilizer that contains high levels of Potassium. This nutrient is a very mobile within the rootzone and subject to rapid leaching (a very important factor following the recent weeks of rainfall) therefore the potassium in Autumn Green BiO provides a constant top-up, so essential for an improved root system. Conversely, Calcium is quite immobile within the soil so a continuous supply to the plant is required, as a deficiency of this nutrient will lead to stunted roots and limited nutrient uptake.

Half of the iron content in this product is slow release and will give 2-3 months excellent colour. The Calcium not only aids cell strength, as does the iron, but will also help with root development. There is also a BiO Pack, which contains a biocatalyst that acts as a stimulant for plant enzymes and accelerates cell division. The result is enhanced biomass production and improved root development. Within the BiO Pack there is also a significant amount of seaweed, the equivalent of eight applications of a standard liquid seaweed, which invigorates and energizes soil microbes.