Our unique range of organic products

With the clocks going forward it feels like the true start of Spring when all the trees at Barcham start coming into life after their winter hibernation. At this time within the production department, we start thinking about our Summer Spray Program and what we are spraying and when. Over the past few years, we have started to move away from chemical control of pest and disease to a more organic approach that works in harmony with the plants natural immunity. Think of it as similar to us taking vitamins to help prevent the onset of potential problems in the future. These products in simple terms enhance the plants natural processes to limit susceptibility to Pest and Disease.

Over the past 8 years, we have been working with a company called Engage who have developed a unique range of organic products mainly for Agriculture initially, and then being used by us in the horticultural industry. We have now been using this range of products for many years with great success to protect our trees against various Pests and Diseases and aid in the rooting of new crops. The fantastic news for Spring 2021 is that this unique range is now available from Barcham for you to use at home.

The products that are available on the accessories section of our web site are the ones which we regularly use in our spray programmes throughout the summer.

Fortify

Fortify is a foliarly applied organic blend of nutrients and plant extracts which limits the plants susceptibility to infection and strengthens its cells. We use this in the prevention of Scabs and Mildews.

Sentinel

Sentinel is a unique silicon nutrient spray which, when foliarly applied, supports growth and health of the plant. This product thickens the leaf cuticle and increases the hairs on the leaf surface, which in turn makes the plant less palatable to feeding insects. The other positive use of this product is that it works great against predation from slugs and snails. Great for your Hostas.

Initiate

Initiate is the most amazing product, which we use, to help rooting within both our field grown and container grown trees. It is a blend of concentrated pine sap modified using fungi to pass on all the natural benefits of the sap to stimulate root growth. This is why it is an excellent product to help with the establishment of your new Barcham Tree. We apply this product through our irrigation system early on in the season to help the rooting process. Using Initiate alongside our white pot system creates a fantastic root system which in turn aids establishment later on.

Invigorate

Invigorate is a super concentrated liquid feed an organic bio-pack which supplies all the nutritional requirements a plant will need. Although our compost contains a 16-18month controlled release fertiliser sometimes we need to give a crop a boost and this is where Invigorate comes in. It can be applied as a foliar spray or as a liquid and is particular good at boosting colour in evergreens when applied as a drench.

The use of all the products above within our own Spray programmes at Barcham have enabled us over the years to produce consistently healthy, quality tree crops and we hope this little bit of new technology can now do the same for you at home.

Written by Warren Holmes-Chatfield, Operations Director.