Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with strings,
These are a few of my favourite things!
We all know the song and I bet all of you by the end were singing along Julie Andrews’ style! If you could change the words slightly, what would be your favourite things in the garden?
I have two consistent favourite things – Organic Link and Triple Boost.
People always ask me why my plants look so good and I simply reply because I use Plant of Health’s Fertiliser range.
Yes, before you even ask it is better to use both - a granular (pelletised) fertiliser and a liquid fertiliser. I was once explained to look at fertilising like this ‘A granular (pelletised) fertiliser is like getting a facial every month and a liquid fertilise is like washing your face every night. If done separately you look good but done together you look bloomin’ fantastic!’
But what fertilisers does Trevallan use in store and at home?
Fertilizers should boost plants as well as increasing soil fertility. Many conventional chemical fertilizers may not provide both aspects, and may even destroy soil fertility. Some organic fertilisers like cow or chicken manure are only as good as the grass the animals ate. So if the soil the grass is growing in is lacking vital nutrients so will the animals’ poo.
The one fertiliser I use on every plant at home and here at Trevallan is Organic Link. Vegetables, natives, exotics, indoors, roses, camellias … Every plant, same fertiliser.
Organic Link contains all the ingredients necessary for balanced plant nutrition. It contains neem cake, lime, silica, trace elements, rock minerals, organic compounds, potash, zeolite, microbes and blood and bone. As of December 2022 Organic Link will be available in pelletised form compared to powder.
For many of us who have been using this product for years you may be wondering why go pelletised?
Microbial life
Organic Link has microbial life both due to the process used and additional microbial life added. Microbial life cannot survive high heat (how pelletised fertilised are usually formed) Plant of Health use a compression approach that forms pellets based on moisture and compression. This means a pellet can now be formed without negating the benefits of the microbial life in the product (one of the crucial elements of Organic Link). In fact, through the new process, Plant of Health have now been able to add additional microbes, further supporting potential uptake of nutrients.
Consistency of mix
Avid users of Organic Link may have noticed that the powdered Organic Link was made up of different particle sizes for the various minerals in the mix. Having different sized particles in the mix naturally leads to the various sized particles grouping together based on particle size, density, and shape. Moving to a pellet allows for increased consistency in the mix, whether you are taking from the top or the bottom of the bucket.
Ease of use and Dust Inhalation
The powder-based product can be hard to use and can leave you covered in dust and on windy days could lead to dust inhalation. The pelletised form is a lot easier to use and enables you to ‘chicken feed’ it out over gardens and pots.
The product will still stay Certified Organic, will still be easy to use and able to be used on every plant. The pellet will be abled to be crumbled in your hands easy (so if you want a crumbly powder it is still possible) and will break down into the soil once wet.
In all honesty the biggest change will be how you buy your product. Organic Link is now available in 2.5kg buckets, 6.5kg buckets and 25kg bags.
I will still be using this product about every three months (turn of season) on my gardens and about every two months on pots. I usually throw this around my vegetable garden when I replant.
In conjunction with Organic Link I use Triple Boost. Triple Boost is a liquid fertiliser. This product takes the conventional 10N-2P-6K liquid fertiliser blend and blends it with organic compounds extracted from fish, kelp and earthworm exudates to give a product that has enormous plant nutrition coupled with minimal leaching and excellent up take. Once again I use Triple Boost on every plant. I try to use Triple Boost once a fortnight. I find a quick cost effective way to liquid fertilise is to use a pump pack or Birchy (which we stock at Trevallan), and just drench the plants foliage.
We also use other products in the Plant of Heath Range which you can read about here