Legro’s substrates are still developing, and that’s good news for strawberry, raspberry and blueberry growers. The company has for example developed an optimum substrate for growing blueberries in containers, from which crops can be successfully harvested for no fewer than eight years. Legro has also developed a high-grade mixture containing coir and perlite for the second phase in strawberry and raspberry cultivation.
Blueberries grown in the same container for eight years
Impressive progress has been made in the cultivation of blueberries in particular. Research and trials carried out by Legro all over the world in cooperation with Fall Creek nurseries and the Blueberry Innovation Centre Holland (BICH) have shown that blueberries can be successfully grown in the same container for no fewer than eight years. That’s very promising. The aim was ambitious: to develop a cultivation recipe and method with which blueberries can be successfully grown in containers for at least six to eight years. To achieve that, you need raw materials with the right composition. The research showed that coir, perlite and turf are very suitable ingredients, but not all turf can be used for this purpose. Bark and pumice, on the contrary, yield negative effects.
The results are impressive indeed: thanks to Legro’s optimum substrate, Legro Blauwe Bessen CP Optima, blueberry plants can grow in the same pot for eight years, eliminating the need for growers to repot or supplement their plants. The crop’s development in the substrate can also be more effectively controlled. So all in all major advantages, making it possible to grow blueberries anywhere.
High yields in the final phase of strawberry and raspberry plants
For strawberry and raspberry growers the greatest benefits are to be gained in the second phase of the plants’ development. When the plants are fully grown and the fruits of the first generation have been harvested, the challenge is to harvest an equally good crop in the second phase. An airy, well-draining substrate is essential for optimum development of plants and their roots. Last year, Legro developed its fourth generation of coir substrate, its Legro Coir Air-Line - a mixture containing perlite, which is extremely suitable for this second phase of the plants’ development. Perlite is expanded volcanic glass that ensures a good supply of air and better drainage.
In combination with Legro’s effectively buffered coir the mixture ensures long-term stability, enabling growers to control their crops’ development more effectively. The benefits are evident: strawberry and raspberry plants yield optimum crops in their final phase, too, thanks to Legro’s perfectly draining, airy substrate Legro Coir Air-Line.
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