The ICL Hort Science Live (HSL 2024) is a two-day event that will take place on July 3 and 4 in Cambridge. The focus of the event is peat-free growing, and it will feature several new trials exploring the latest technologies and management practices for producing quality resilient plants in sustainable media.
One of the workstations at the event will be led by Andrew Wilson, ICL’s Technical Manager for the UK and Ireland. Wilson will lead a workstation on ‘How to rethink plant nutrition.’ He will delve into ICL’s 2024 peat-free Osmocote 5 trials, showcasing different rates and longevities. Wilson will also discuss the nutrition challenges of peat-free growing media and explain how water-soluble and CRFs can address these challenges.
Another workstation, ‘Building the future of Osmocote,’ will be led by Lianne van Wijk, ICL’s International Technical Manager. Van Wijk will explore the practical uses of biodegradable coatings and highlight the differences between ‘current Osmocote’ and new ‘biodegradable Osmocote.’ She will discuss the performance of these new coatings in sustainable substrates and their role in reducing leaching.
The event will also feature a workstation on ‘Breakthroughs in wood fibre – sustainable alternatives for the future,’ led by ICL’s Steve Chapman. This session will cover the latest developments in Fibagro Advance, including two finer grades, and report on ICL’s new peat-free mixes trial. Chapman will also address water management with H2Gro and how to tailor watering regimes to specific crops.
Sam Rivers, ICL’s controls manager for the UK and Ireland, will lead a workstation on the ‘New Dawn for biostimulants.’ Rivers will update growers on new product registration regulations and recent trials, demonstrating improvements in rooting, establishment, nutrient uptake as well as reductions in N drawdown impact.
HSL 2024 is an excellent opportunity for growers interested in attending to learn more about peat-free growing techniques. The event is being held at National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) in Cambridge from July 3rd to July 4th from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Growers can register on hort-science.info/2024 website for more information about this unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge about sustainable agriculture practices
