Just as a human infant’s nutritional needs differ from those of a toddler and even more so from those of an adult engaged in physical labour, plants also require different nutrients during the various stages of their growth cycle. When growing plants from seed, providing the correct balance of nutrients can be crucial to their subsequent development and, ultimately, survival. Controlled application of a specially formulated seedling fertilizer is invariably the best way to ensure a healthy crop.
The Point at Which Seedling Fertilizer is Needed
In addition to containing the embryonic elements of the mature plant, a seed is also a storehouse that contains all of the nutrients required for the early stages of the germination process. For this reason, it should not be necessary to provide any additional nutrition until the emerging young plants have developed past the cotyledon stage and are showing their first set of true leaves. It is at this point that it will be advantageous to apply a suitable seedling fertilizer.
Diagnosing Reasons for Distress
That said, if a plant may be showing signs of distress, applying additional nutrients could do more harm than good. Instead, it will be necessary to first identify and address the possible reasons for their distress before taking further action. Generally, spotting these problems should be fairly straightforward. For example, droopy leaves will typically mean that your plants require water, and when their stems grow too tall and slender, it’s because they aren’t receiving enough light. Brown, dried leaves are suggestive of too much sun but can also occur if you overdo things by applying too much fertilizer to your seedlings. So, once you have rectified these problems, what’s next?
Creating the Right Nutritional Mix
Throughout their lives, three of the primary nutritional requirements of plants are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. However, the precise proportion in which these elements must be present will vary according to the particular stage in a plant’s development. During the early stages following the production of true leaves, plants require rather more nitrogen and potassium than phosphorus to help form healthy green foliage and a dense root system. In practice, a liquid or water-soluble seedling fertilizer will be far easier for the young plants’ roots to absorb than if applied in granular form.
Kynoch
Kynoch is a leading specialist in plant growth and nutrition, and is a supplier of world-class products specially formulated to enhance plant development at each stage in their life cycle. To address the earliest phase of their development, Kynoch offers a carefully formulated, water-soluble product named KynoPop®. This specialised seedling fertilizer contains a balanced mix of essential nutrients that act to increase resistance to diseases, pests and other forms of plant stress.
Kynoch’s business operation during the national lockdown.
Dear Valued Customers, Suppliers and Stakeholders
Thank you for your patience during this very challenging situation. Arising from the COVID-19 announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa ordering a national lockdown, we can assure you it will be, as far as possible, business as usual. During the lockdown our focus is on the safety and the well-being of our employees who are at the forefront to support you and your business. We are equally concerned about the safety and continued service to our customers. Therefore, all personnel will be available via email and / or cell phone during this period. We understand you are doing your best to keep food on the tables of South Africans during this time, it is therefore of paramount importance that we join hands with you in continuing to keep the food production supply chain operational.
Our aim is to minimize service disruptions offering the level of quality, responsiveness and support that you have come to expect from Kynoch.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyal and ongoing support during these trying times.
Key Contact List during the lockdown period:
Area Marketing Managers
Creditors
Jurgen Smith | jurgen.smith@kynoch.co.za | +27 (0) 83 461 2422
Debtors
Eben Steyn | eben.steyn@kynoch.co.za | +27 (0) 60 972 9987
Head of Finance
Theloshen Moodley | theloshen.moodley@kynoch.co.za | +27 (0) 82 598 2138