H2Gro and Peat Substitutes

Practical experiments have already shown a very good effect on a variety of differently structured substrates. A trial conducted under the supervision of Dr. Lohr at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University in Germany confirmed this effect and the long-term effect of H2Gro in peat-reduced substrates.

In this experiment, a peat-wood fiber mixture with a ratio of 70% peat and 30% wood fiber was used in 12 cm pots. The substrate in the pots was completely saturated and then dried in a climate chamber at 25°C (5% relative humidity). This cycle was then repeated 10 times. The long-term effect of H2Gro was confirmed throughout all 10 saturation cycles.

Water uptake in ml/pot with H2Gro (150 ml H2Gro/m³ substrate) over the 10 saturation cycles (with subsequent drying back) compared to the control without a wetting agent.

Reduced water uptake compared to peat substrates

With an increasing proportion of peat substitutes, the water uptake steadily decreases compared to pure peat substrates. Therefore, the irrigation strategy should be adjusted accordingly and monitored closely. An application of 1.5 ml H2Gro/liter of irrigation water immediately after setup ensures good water uptake and provides more uniform plant growth.

Peat substrates also serve as water buffers. Re-wetting becomes particularly important when using peat-free substrates. Thanks to its characteristics, H2Gro improves the water balance when using peat-substitute materials.

Experiments conducted at ICL in the United Kingdom clearly showed that good re-wetting is crucial for successful cultivation.