Page 3 - Griffin Gazette Issue 3 - 2018

properties it is easier to manage irrigation / chemical use, improve drainage, reduce equal lost profits. In a recent trial (See
frequency and leaching fraction within stress, and conserve resources. chart below), plants treated with H2Pro
practical limits. maintained turgor for over a week after
One area where H2Pro really shines is
The ideal mix will readily take up applied with long-term activity. Wetting agents being watered while untreated plants
reached permanent wilting by Day 5
moisture, fully saturate quickly, avoid have polar molecules with lipophilic ends and were not salable. Additionally, when
channeling, and drain free water quickly that attach to organic components in dry pots were watered with 16 fl. oz.
to avoid anaerobic pockets in the root the growing media and hydrophilic ends of water after this extreme dry down,
zone. Growing media are made from a that hold plant-available water in the root H2Pro treated pots held 12 fl. oz. (mix
variety of raw materials and some of these zone. H2Pro contains wetting agents with held 75% of applied water) whereas the
can present barriers to water penetration, a variety of chain lengths. As the longer untreated pots held only 7 fl. oz. (only
infiltration and free drainage, e.g.: chains break, the segments reattach to 44% of applied water was held). H2Pro
the media, providing extended wetting
• Sphagnum peat moss is derived and rewetting ability through repeated treatment led to higher survivability of
from decayed bog plants with waxy wetting and drying cycles. crops subjected to drought stress and
cuticles. better mitigation and recovery of dry
• Poorly aged or composted bark can H2GRO CAN BE USED IN A growing media.
contain fungal mycelium that can VARIETY OF WAYS: KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS
shed water as well. • Incorporated in the growing media OF H2PRO WETTING AGENTS
• Raw wood products can repel water. • As a drench application INCLUDE:
A good commercial media will be made • At low rates in the irrigation/ • Available in liquid and granular
with quality components and likely fertigation system formulations to fit a wide range of
contain a wetting agent applied during • As a misting agent over freshly applications
blending. If the mix is fresh, water relations stuck cuttings • Low foaming
in the container can be excellent right • As a continuous overhead • Liquid is highly compatible in
after potting. However, one common watering application tank mixes
issue with these wetting agents is that
they commonly don't last as they're • To remove sitting water on foliage • Excellent initial wetting, spreading,
subject to environmental and microbial • As a drench on containers and better penetration
breakdown. Since mix can be stored for baskets prior to shipment • Stays in solution even at cooler
long periods of time after production at water temperatures
the mix plant, in distributor warehouses H2Pro applications can be an excellent • Economical and long-lasting
or at grower operations, these wetting way to minimize plant loss in the post-
agents can decay and become less production environment of the big box More information is available at: https://
effective. When this happens, mix can or garden center where watering may icl-sf.com/us-en/explore/surfactants/
become harder to wet, contain dry spots be less than optimal. Here, lost crops
or layers, hold less water and can even
be poorly drained. This, in turn, can H2Pro Greenhouse & Nursery
cause all sorts of production problems H2Pro Greenhouse & Nursery
and plant stresses including wilting, Verbena Trial
overwatering and poor nutrition.
Leachate Test
The solution for growing media with 16oz of Water Added Upon
poor wet out is to apply a high quality Completion of Trial
growing media surfactant. H2Pro™
For Greenhouse and Nursery, wetting
agents is a fairly new product line from
ICL Specialty Fertilizers specifically
designed for potting soils to prevent
poor wet out, channeling and excess
drying of pots. H2Pro is a proprietary
blend of wetting agents, penetrating
agents and re-wetting agents that can
optimize the water relations in stressed
growing media. This unique, long-lasting
wetting agent can be an excellent tool to
increase the efficiency of water / nutrient
*May reduce water requirements for extra shelf life with some varieties at Garden Centers

GRIFFIN GAZETTE 2018 | 3