Post-Harvest Management: A Critical Step for Healthy Perennial Crops
As the growing season comes to an end, it’s important not to overlook the crucial post-harvest period, especially for perennial crops like orchards, berries, and woody perennials. This is the time to plan for next season by focusing on plant nutrition and overall soil health, which will set the stage for future growth and a productive harvest.
Why is Post-Harvest Management Important?
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Rebuilds Carbohydrate Reserves: After the harvest, plants need to rebuild carbohydrate reserves for the upcoming winter and next year’s crop. This is essential for maintaining plant vigor and resilience.
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Improves Soil Condition: Healthy soil means healthy plants. Post-harvest treatments can improve root health, trafficability, and the overall nutrient supply for the next season.
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Heals and Protects Plants: Post-harvest care also involves addressing harvest wounds, managing diseases, and handling excess foliage to ensure plants are prepared for the winter months.
Key Post-Harvest Tasks
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Irrigation: Continue to irrigate crops until the fall rains begin to maintain soil moisture and support root health.
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Soil Health: Invest in soil health by adding humic acids, gypsum, or even planting cover crops to enhance soil structure and nutrient availability.
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Nutrient Deficiencies: Conduct plant tissue or sap testing to identify any nutrient deficiencies that need addressing before the next growing season.
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Plant Protection: Apply clean-up sprays to protect plants from diseases and pests during the post-harvest phase.
Essential Post-Harvest Inputs
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Soil Amendments (for pH correction):
- Elemental Sulphur: Lowers soil pH, making it more suitable for certain crops.
- Lime: Raises soil pH, which is necessary for crops that thrive in more alkaline conditions.
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Soil Amendments (granular, for nutrient deficiencies):
- EL Fall Fertilizer 0-7-20 with micros and humid acid: This formulation, with 4.5% calcium, 4.5% magnesium, and 22% organic base, provides essential nutrients to support soil health and plant nutrition.
- PolySulphate Premium: A multi-nutrient fertilizer providing potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium for balanced soil nutrition.
- Rebuilder 0-17-0-12S: Designed to replenish phosphorus and sulfur levels in the soil for better crop yield in the next season.
- Soil Conditioners, granular:
- Humalite AG-4: A 64% dry granular humic acid that improves root systems, biomass growth, and nutrient uptake
- Gypsum: A high-quality, micronized calcium sulphate that’s easy to spread and helps improve soil structure and calcium levels.
- Soil Conditioners, liquid:
- EL Affinity: A blend of Acadian seaweed, humic acids, and yucca to boost nutrient uptake and enhance soil health.
- EL HumiLink: A 12% humic acid liquid that enhances soil health and improves nutrient availability.
- Stella Maris: A high-quality liquid seaweed extract, designed as a bio-stimulant to encourage plant growth and soil health (also available in certified organic).
- EL SeaGreen: A proprietary blend of Acadian seaweed and fulvic acid that supports soil biology and improves nutrient use efficiency.
- Foliar Nutrition: TerraLink offers a range of foliar-applied liquid nutrients that are environmentally friendly and made with high-quality ingredients for instant absorption. These include:
- EL Post Harvest 0-5-15: Designed to provide essential nutrients after harvest to support plant health and prepare for the next growing season.
- EL Magazine-B 1-0-1 + Micros: This formulation includes magnesium, sulfur, boron, and zinc to address specific micronutrient deficiencies.
- BF Essential Micros: A certified organic, comprehensive blend of magnesium, sulfur, manganese, copper, boron, zinc, and molybdenum to ensure balanced nutrition.
(Written by Shahzad Khan)