Optimize Rooting Uniformity (Part 5): Basic Nutrient Level

For greenhouses rooting large numbers of cuttings or growers interested in processes to improve rooting success, this series of videos provides a comprehensive look at the limiting factors to producing high-quality rooted liners.

In part five of this series, Dr. Will Healy and Dr. Nathan Jahnke from Ball Horticultural Company focus on young plant nutrition in the earliest stages. The challenge addressed is related to the short harvest to rooting time period that’s so quick plants can’t adequately take up macro and micronutrients required for ideal plant growth.

Will and Nathan discuss both macro and micronutrients with a focus on the key elements you need to replace and supplement. Nitrogen and phosphorous (and the interaction between them) are super critical because stock plant growers on offshore farms tend to restrict phosphorous to limit stretch creating perfect cuttings—so you need to add this back in. This is especially important for your core spring crops like calibrachoa, petunia and verbena. In terms of micros, calcium and boron are critical. Will also reminds that manganese can be a “sleeper”, often misdiagnosed as iron deficiency.

Once the presenters are done identifying the most important nutrients, they move on to solutions. Light and air movement drive nutrients and optimum environments for rooting are covered in depth. Basically, more light requires more nutrients and Will and Nathan offer science-based tips and tricks to help you and your team. Nathan wraps up this video by detailing current lighting research leading to new strategies, especially related to LEDs.