TerrraCottem
m®, Leadin
ng soil co
onditioning techno
ology
SUMMAR
S
RY TRIAL
L REPOR
RT
The Use of Te
T
erraCotttem® Universa
al
A
indica
in the cultivattion of Azalea
Re
esearch done
e at:
Be
elgian Experrimental Sta
ation for Orn
namental Pla
ants – PCS
Mr. Eriic Beel, Hea
ad of Researc
ch
Th
his report illlustrates how
h
TerraC
Cottem® en
nhances plant growth
h and subssequently increases the
t
pla
ants’ markket price. By
B mixing TerraCotte
em® Unive
ersal with th
he soil thee plant’s av
verage crown
dia
ameter inccreased fro
om 30cm to
t 35cm, rraising the wholesale
e price from
m € 3.30 to
t € 4.78 per
p
pla
ant.
1. SET - UP
Cu
uttings of the plant species Azalea in
ndica
(in
n total
27
700) were planted in
n October 1993. Thrree cutting
gs per
ap
pplication w
were plantted in 11cm
m diamete
er pots and
d filled
with white peat. Three
e irrigation regimes w
were tested
d (11,
14
4 and 17 M
MJ/m²), as well
w as 3 application
a
n rates of a slow
release fertiliser (0, 2 and
a 4 kg/m
m³) and 3 a
application rates
of TerraCotte
em® Unive
ersal (3, 6 and
a 10 TC
C kg/m³). The
T crown diameter ((CRDM) was measurred
e CRDM de
etermines the economical valuee of the pla
ants.
aftter 1 year ((October 1994). The
2. RESULTS
S

The
e best plan
nt growth was
w observved for the highest irrrigation reggime (11 MJ/m²)
M

The
e use of Te
erraCottem
m® Universsal has a po
ositive effe
ect on the C
CRDM of Azalea
A
indi
dica

The
e addition of slow release fertiliiser has a negative in
nfluence onn plant dev
velopment
3. COST-BE
ENEFIT AN
NALYSIS
(ca
alculation bassed on the crown
c
diametter and expo rt prizes of Azalea
A
indica
a for the 94-995 season)
Without T
TerraCotte
em® Univerrsal
Irrigation frequencyy:
Fertilizatiion:
11 MJ
J / m²
2g of Osmocote
e 10-12 M / litre pottin
ng soil
€ 1.98
8 per kilogrram or € 0.0039 per litre
l
pottingg soil
Mean cro
own diameter: 31.9 cm
c
Size:
30
Breeder p
price:
€ 3.30
0 per plant
With Te
erraCottem
m® Universa
al
Irrigation frequencyy:
TerraCotttem:
11 MJ
J / m²
6g of TerraCotte
em/ litre po
otting soil
€ 6.94
4 per kilogrram or € 0.04 per litre
e potting sooil
Fertilizatiion:
0g of Osmocote
e 10-12 M / litre pottin
ng soil
039 per litre
e
- 0.00
Mean cro
own diameter: 36.4 cm
c
Size:
35
Breeder p
price:
€ 4.78
8 per plant
TerraCotte
T
em® Univerrsal investm
ment
Cost prizze:
€ 0.04
4 – 0.0039 = € 0.0377
7 / litre
Extra yie
eld
Breeder p
prize:
€ 4.78
8 – 3.30 = €€ 1.49 / pla
ant
Net profit
€ 1.49
9 – 0.0377 = € 1.45
4. CONCLUSIONS
Mrr. Erik Beel: “The addition
a
off TerraCotttem® Univ
versal has
s a positivve effect on
o the cro
own
dia
ameter of the Azalea
a. The am
mount of ferrtilisers pre
esent in TerraCottem
T
m® Univers
sal is alrea
ady
su
ufficient to ccover the need
n
for nu
utrients at the start of
o the cultiv
vation."
TerraC ottem® Un
niversal
More G rowth, Les
ss Water
www.tterracottem.com