Blueberries have become the most produced berry in the world. This purple fruit has numerous health benefits, in addition to having a unique flavor, so it is not surprising that its demand in the market has grown exponentially, and that the same has happened with its production worldwide.
In order to be competitive in the production of blueberries, the technology applied to its cultivation has had to evolve rapidly, with production systems such as hydroponics that have allowed many countries to become main producers without having the right soil for the cultivation of the blueberry plant.
The fact is that the blueberry plant adapts to diverse climates and requires a relatively high humidity, but without reaching water-logging, since the blueberry plant is sensitive to both root asphyxiation and drought. In addition, it needs light and sandy soils, with a good drainage capacity and a high organic matter content.
As for irrigation water, it must be of good quality without having salinity or excess calcium, boron or chlorine. For all the above, the blueberry plant needs soils with high porosity to develop.
When blueberries are grown in hydroponically, the substrate must be of high quality so that it meets the aforementioned requirements and offer the root system of the plant the perfect and adequate environment to develop and make the plant productive.
That’s why Projar developed the PREMIUM coconut fiber mixture especially suitable for plants with high drainage requirements, a high organic matter content and very sensitive to excess water, such as blueberry.
The PREMIUM mixture consists of 20% coconut fiber and 80% chips. The high proportion of chips helps to maintain the structure of the substrate. The chips, being of greater particle size and the fiber, having a high content of lignins, provides greater stability to the substrate over time.
One of the most important characteristics of the PREMIUM mixture for blueberries is that it does not degrade over the years, while other substrates with more fiber clump, require a contribution of additives, such as perlite, two or three years after cultivation.
When choosing a mixture that is not suitable in crops as sensitive as blueberries, you can lose a lot of control over hydroponics, not achieving expected drains, nor stability in the electrical conductivity of the substrate. Our PREMIUM mixture guarantees a minimum percentage of degradation while preserving the aeration and drainage properties in the root environment of the plant.
The blueberry plant requires high quality substrates and homogeneous mixtures that guarantee its good health, growth and productivity throughout the growing cycle. Also, having technical knowledge about the management of fertigation will help the producer to better control the endowments and the frequency of irrigation to the plant.
For more information about Projar Blueberry Easylplanter Premium – https://www.lichengroup.co.za/coco-peat/
