First of Its Kind: SERAMIS® Specialty Substrate for Hydrangeas
Posted on March 25, 2010 by Hugo
HYDRANGEA
At this year‘s IPM plant show in Germany, a new product was presented in time for the hydrangea season, a first of its kind: SERAMIS® Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas, is an expansion of the established SERAMIS product range and also includes a complementary Liquid Plant Food.
The new SERAMIS Substrate for Hydrangeas is a development by the research department at MARS Symbioscience in collaboration with the Institute of Horticulture Research Institute Geisenheim. It has been created with the goal of "longer lasting and healthier hydrangeas”, and is suitable for hydrangeas of all types and colors.
It consists of high quality peat blend and specially manufactured, large SERAMIS -granules of natural clay. In addition, the special substrate contains a slow release fertilizer that adds nutrients to the hydrangea slowly and evenly up to 6 months after planting. As the plant grows, its need for more fertilizer can be achieved by the addition of the new SERAMIS Liquid Plant Food for Hydrangeas.
The SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas has a variety of plant health benefits:
1. It provides an ideal supply of water.
Hydrangeas need plenty of water, especially in summer, but they are also sensitive to waterlogging. The SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas contains SERAMIS which has large internal pores which absorb large amounts of water and makes it available to the roots slowly as it is needed. Simultaneously, the oxygen supply, which is also vital, remains available to the plant. Waterlogging is reliably avoided.
2. It contains a "slow release" fertilizer providing sustainable long-term and balanced nutrition.
If the hydrangea has been purchased commercially, it has generally used up a considerable amount of the nutrients in the soil that it was originally grown in. and will be in urgent need of food for continued flowering and vegetative growth. Optimal fertilisation is a crucial factor in the health and longevity of the Hydrangea.
The SERAMIS Specialty Substrate for Hydrangeas includes a "slow release" fertilizer, carefully formulated with essential nutrients, which enables these long-lasting vital nutrients to be made available slowly to the plant over a period of about 6 months,. Plant stress is avoided and the best conditions for good growth, development of flowers, and long-lasting, vibrant blooms are provided.
3. Is for all hydrangeas in any form and colour, both indoor and outdoor varieties.
Different plant types grow best in specific pH ranges. The pH value in SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas is optimized to support the health and growth of all hydrangeas.
For “Blue Hydrangeas” special care is needed as the time of flowering approaches. Aluminium may need to be added as a supplement so that the blue color can be achieved, and to make the aluminium available to the plant, the pH needs to be lower than the optimum for the plants actual growth. More information about how to best modify the use of SERAMIS for blue hydrangeas is detailed on our packaging and on the seramis.de website.
SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas has an excellent water absorption capacity. SERAMIS binds up to 58% of water immediately in contrast with some other hydrangea substrates which only bind 20-35%.
The open structure of the SERAMIS substrate allows it to remain structurally stable for long periods of time, remaining loose so that water can be absorbed. Conventional soils, on the other hand, often compacts quickly, keeping water on the surface rather than allowing it to be absorbed and therefore not allowing the water to soak into the soils for the benefit to the plant.
The SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas also contains clay which acts as an ion exchanger, helping to deliver a balanced supply of nutrients.
SERAMIS Liquid Plant Food for Hydrangeas
SERAMIS Liquid Plant Food for Hydrangeas is the ideal complement to the special SERAMIS Hydrangea substrate. It has an optimal composition and ideal trace element profile. The Liquid Plant Food is supplied in a simple-to-use bottle and provides a balanced supply of nutrients when mixed with water and is. When you follow the instructions on the bottle, the plant food ensures that the hydrangea is optimally fed in order to last through the winter while in their resting phase.
The SERAMIS Speciality Substrate for Hydrangeas and the Liquid Plant Food became available for order at the IPM Conference.
