How to feed and protect your seedlings with organic methods?
In our previous blog post we talked about planting and rooting, now it's more about nurturing and strengthening. The roots, stems and leaves of small seedlings are still very weak, so at this stage of growth, nutrients and cytokinin hormone action are most needed. Which Danuba Garden products can help the seedling establishment process?
Feeding the seedlings
Let's start with the basics: the soil, in our case potting soil. Although many shops sell potting soil that is already enriched with nutrients, the plant may not be able to absorb them from the soil with sufficient intensity. Another difficulty is that small seedlings can easily dry out.
Chemical-free solutions for seedling production
Blackjak our liquid humus preparation. The added humus increases the nutrient and water supply capacity of the planting soil, and sponge-like, keeping water and nutrients in the root zone.
Then you can feed the seedling itself with specifically organic nutrients: the DanuVital Bio+-10 different nutrients in a harmonious way to feed the plant, as it contains the same proportion of nutrients as plant cell fluid. The product is made only from natural ingredients such as beet molasses, fish bone or vegetable amino acids.
Although algae is not specifically a nutrient, it is the substances it contains - such as polyamines, organic acids, alginates, plant hormones - that make the plant more resistant, increase its water and nutrient uptake and utilisation. Of the plant hormones, it is the action of citychinine that is most able to nourish and robust the seedlings Asco Alga. Grows, greens, just what is needed at this stage of plant development.
While the Blackjack watering the soil instead, while the DanuVital Bio+ and Asco Alga the effect of the preparation is more through the foliage: can be used alternately on a weekly basis or even together in smaller doses.
Protecting seedlings
One of the biggest challenges in seedling production is still the emergence of pathogens that attack weak seedlings, mainly causing seedling dieback. The two most common fungi are:
- Fusarium oxysporum: The lower part of the stems of infected seedlings soften and die, causing the plants to first slow down and then die. The roots may also be damaged, making it difficult to absorb water and nutrients.
- Pythium spp.: The base of the stem of the seedlings will rot quickly, causing the plants to droop. Spores living in the water in the soil infect the young plants. Infection spreads rapidly and is particularly common in wet environments.
For both pathogens, the emphasis is on prevention. The safest method is to treat both the soil and the plant with plant-borne, internal Trichoderma, Tricho Immunnal. There are two ways to do this:
- Soaking the seeds before sowing is a bit more laborious, but can be done with enough patience. Wet seeds are a bit difficult to get out of the solution, but it can protect them from the very first moment.
- An easier solution is to treat seedlings that already have leaves with Tricho Immune alone, or even Asco Algáor mixed with DanuVital Bio+
VIDEO: Tricho Immun Trichoderma simmonsii and Trichoderma afroharzianum contains fungi that can neutralise and break down harmful fungi and boost the plant's immune system. Since the fungus lives in the tissues of the crop for the rest of its life, it can provide protection not only against seedling death but also against other fungal diseases that attack later, such as tomato blight (Phytophtora infestans) or cucumber peronospora (Pseudoperonospora cubensis).
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