An innovative fertiliser program has helped a Werribee South vegetable enterprise to achieve consistent product throughout the year. Daniel Fragapane, of Brocco Valley P/L, said the family had farmed the area for three generations. “We are using Yara products as our main source of fertiliser,” he said. “We are getting a consistent crop out of the Yara products and cutting out one fertiliser application by using them as well.” He said the key to a good crop starts with healthy seedlings. “we use Yara Products in the nursery & we get a nice even growth & good root develop in our seedlings” “We are applying KRISTALON BLUE from germination, as early as one week old, and we’ll continue applying it until transplant. We get a nice even growth and good root development in our seedlings. Having a healthy seedling can make all the difference in the paddock later on.” Mr Fragapane said the use of KRISTALON BLUE helps produce excellent seedlings. “It helps with transplant shock as well, “We find the KRISTALON BLUE actually stays in the cells of the plants for a couple of weeks after we transplant.” “We use YaraMila™ COMPLEX at two to three weeks after transplanting and that almost gets our crop to about that six to seven week stage where we’d continue with YaraLiva™ CALCINIT or YaraLiva™ CALCIBOR.”So even though it dissolves automatically, it continues to work for up to five to six weeks after applying it.”
“We are using lower rates too, with YaraLiva™ COMPLEX. We are finding we are still getting the same consistency using a lower rate, compared with other products.” Mr Fragapane said the range of products meant they could “eliminate the use of ammonium nitrate through the summer months to minimise diseases such as clubroot.”
“We’ve tried to maintain our pH and by using YaraLiva™ CALCINIT, which has very minimal ammonium nitrate in it we find there is less chance of clubroot.” It is extremely important to be able to get the most out of every crop. You want to be harvesting above ninety-five per cent, all-year-round to make the best margins you can. “By having a better crop you are able to ask for those better prices.”
He said the consistency of crop often meant they could harvest an individual crop three times rather than four, which saves on labour and added to the bottom line.
