As the orchard season comes to the end, it's an important moment in the annual care cycle for fruit trees. What happens now will impressively affect the health of the orchard in the following year.
This period is not just about harvesting; it’s also essential to focus of leaves decomposition and preparing the trees for winter. BTU biotech company offers an excellent products specifically designed for this purpose, including Ecostern and Humifriend.
Let’s take a closer look at each product and how they work.
Ecostern is a biological product formulated with microorganisms that actively decompose organic residues, helping trees prepare for winter rest. It also improves the physical properties of the soil and increases the bioavailability of nutrients. The key components include strains of microorganisms such as Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis spp. Action of these microorganisms lies in effectively breaking down cellulose and lignin, the main compounds of cell walls. They secrete special enzymes that degrade these complex compounds, speeding up the process of converting organic matter into available nutrients.
The product can be applied through fertigation or as a foliar spray at 0.3% (1.8 liters per hectare with 600 liters of water per hectare).
A particularly effective application involves mixing Ecostern with urea, which has been shown Studies show that the microorganisms in Ecostern help to break down fallen leaves more effectively, making nutrients available for the next growing season.
This combination can be a game-changer in orchard management.
In organic grown technologies instead of using nitrogen fertilizers, farmers use Humifriend.
Humifriend is a biological growth stimulator that contains humic acids, fulvic acids, and other biologically active substances. These humic acids are natural growth stimulants that improve soil structure, increase moisture retention, and encourage the development of beneficial microbiota.
Humifriend plays a vital role in enhancing the natural microbiota present on the leaf surface. This foliar application stimulates microbial activity, helping microorganisms decompose the organic matter as the leaves begin to senesce and detach from the plant. The humic and fulvic acids in Humifriend serve as growth stimulators for these microorganisms, providing them with the necessary nutrients to accelerate their decomposition processes.
Reducing the number of leaves helps prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for pathogens during the winter months. When combined with Ecostern, which supplies additional decomposer microorganisms, the synergy between the two products further enhances the decomposition process. Humifriend activates and nourishes the microbes from Ecostern, allowing them to work more efficiently, ensuring rapid breakdown of leaf material. This not only aids in maintaining orchard hygiene but also promotes a cleaner and healthier environment for the next growing season.
The end of the orchard season is a pivotal time that will determine the future of your orchard. Proper winter preparation, including treatments with biological products like Ecostern and Humifriend will not only safeguard the health of your trees but also create optimal conditions for their active growth and fruiting in the coming season. Adopting a scientifically supported approach to season closure ensures higher yields and a robust, healthy orchard for many years to come.
Investing time and care into these essential post-harvest treatments can make all the difference between a struggling orchard and one that thrives year after year.
Author: Serhii Drap, Horticulturist of BTU