To optimise your spring bedding, start planning now!

With Christmas fast approaching, spring may seem like a long way off. However, now is the time to start thinking about spring bedding production and consider what changes you could make to your growing media to optimise plant quality and make growing easier for 2026 – says Chloe Whiteside, Technical Area Sales Manager for the East of England.

Nowadays, forward planning is essential to ensure that your pots, packs, seeds, plugs and growing media all arrive on time, ready for the start of the growing season.

With your growing media, the fresher it is, the better, so try to avoid carrying over left-over stock from 2025 and start afresh. You can then be certain that the pH, EC and fertiliser rates are at the correct levels for the crops you are growing. Whether using standard Levington Advance peat-reduced or Levington Advance Sustain peat-free mixes, or a bespoke blend, it is a good idea to review the mixes with your local ICL Technical Area Sales Manager to see if any adjustments can be made to optimise performance.

New Fibagro Advance grades bring benefits

In 2025, following extensive R&D and major investment at our UK growing media facility, ICL was pleased to launch two additional Fibagro Advance woodfibre grades; Superfine (0-3 mm) and Fine (0-10mm). While Superfine is for propagation, the Fine grade is ideally suited to peat-reduced and peat-free bedding mixes. Compared to the existing Coarse and Standard Fibagro Advance grades, it flows well into smaller pots and packs and has a higher water holding capacity. This makes the Fine grade an important component in peat-free mixes, where achieving the right balance of air-filled porosity (AFP) and water holding is crucial.

Tailoring your nutrition

All our bedding mixes – whether standard bagged product or a bespoke mix – contain H2Gro wetting agent, Micromax Premium trace elements, base fertiliser and additional nitrogen – as Osmoform High-N 8-10 weeks. This granular slow-release fertiliser supports early growth and reduces nutrient loss through leaching.

Depending on the crops you are growing, and your production systems, you may wish to include Osmocote controlled release fertiliser. This could be Osmocote Bloom, Osmocote Exact Mini, Osmocote Exact High-K or Osmocote 5 – our 5^th generation product with a tailored release pattern which matches nutrient release to plant growth. Alternatively, high quality water-soluble fertilisers, such as products from our Peters and Universol ranges, can be used depending on your nursery’s water quality.  I recommend taking a water sample at the start of the season, prior to potting, as water quality can change, and you want to ensure you are using the correct water soluble fertiliser.

Additional additives to boost quality

Some bedding species can be susceptible to a range of root diseases such as Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Botrytis.  It can be prudent to mix Prestop bio-fungicide into your growing media or apply as a drench. While helping to give young plants a strong start, Prestop provides added protection through the vulnerable transplanting stage.

To further enhance plant quality and resilience, consider including Vitalnova Triboost – our powerful biostimulant that builds a healthy root-zone microbiome. Mixed into the media, or applied as a drench, it amplifies microbial activity and supports plant performance, particularly in peat-free mixes.

Now is the perfect time to reflect on the 2025 bedding season and assess your growing media recipe for 2026. One or two small adjustments could make a big impact, so contact your local Technical Area Sales Manager today and get planning for spring 2026.