ISP has provided several products for organic production for many years, but due to an increase in interest and the number of acres of organic produce being grown, we decided to upgrade our Organic Program significantly. After going to assorted trade shows, conventions, and several trips to South America, Europe and Africa, we made the decision to represent several products that were premier in their respective catagories.
We already had an extraordinary biostimulant (ReStore Xtra) and humic acid (PhytoStore and ReStore 3G), as well as an excellent calcium product (CalStore). There was also a biostimulant/sea plant/trace mineral product (FoliarStore) designed to be used as a foliar nutrient. Lacking was an outstanding compost product and a highly effective fish-based product. Hello Nature, originally Italpolina, from Italy, was able to provide a composted chicken manure product, which was dried and pelleted. In addition, this product, 4-4-4, had additional peptides and beneficial fungal organisms added to it. In field trials, 4-4-4 compared very favorably to domestic sources of compost. Often the 4-4-4 had a slightly higher initial cost per pound. On of the early comparisons was south of Fort Wayne, Indiana on a field of watermelon. The four photos shown below illustrate the difference between a commonly available compost, compared to 4-4-4. The two products were applied on a “same cost per acre” rate, so the 4-4-4 was applied at a somewhat lower rate. The grower made the comment that the control area was slightly more aggressive at the start of the seasons, but the 4-4-4 caught up and passed the control during early fruit set. There was a very noticeable improvement in overall plant vigor with the 4-4-4, and it yielded significantly more melons, although the grower did not keep specific yield data.
Also, from Hello Nature we added a Tricoderma/Mycorhizal product called TifiMax. TifiMax has shown to be a valuable addition when starting new plants (seeds or cuttings), providing a more robust, stocky seedling. It has also shown to be highly effective in reducing the negative effects of Phytophora. Some of this is documented in the SIP product catalog. Both 4-4-4 and TifiMax are OMRI listed.
The “fish” product we chose to represent is, a 100% salmon product from Chile. Salmon has a very high amino acid content, and the salmon is raised in containment pens that are continually moved through the clean water between Chile and Antarctica. They are moved both for a reduction in waste intake, but also to find natural krill “beds”, which are a natural food source for the salmon. ISP has performed several projects to determine the economic viability of BioTerra Green, and the results are shown in both the ISP Product Catalog, as well as some of the information on this site. Grower’s have commented that whenBioTerra Green is applied, it “really puts a shine on the crop.” In several comparative trials, one gallon of BioTerra Green was more effective than 4-5 gallons of domestic fish products.
We’re still looking for other beneficial products that may have a role to play in organic production, but at this time, we feel very certain that ISP offers the finest organic production program available.