http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.fertco.co.nz en-us Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:20 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/164050/fertiliser-choices-for-organics/ Good farming practice dictates that nutrients removed from the farm via meat, milk or plant products must be replaced. However, for organic farmers and growers in NZ, this hasn’t always been an easy task due to a shortage of organically-certified fertilisers.But with the value of the organic sector recently reported at over NZ$1.1 billion, and expectations that both domestic and export markets will continue to grow, the need for fertilisers aligned with organic agriculture and horticulture pri... Mon, 04 May 2026 12:00:00 +1200 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post164050 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/162652/use-pcu-to-build-a-winter-feed-wedge/ In recent columns, we’ve talked about polymer coated urea (PCU). We’ve explained how PCU is more nutrient efficient than conventional urea because the nutrients are gradually released from the granule to closely match plant growth requirements. We’ve also noted that the best PCU coatings are made from ultra-thin biodegradable vegetable oils. But what we haven’t said much about is how to integrate PCU into your farming practices to get the best from it. One of those ways is to apply PCU n... Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +1200 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post162652 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/161189/time-for-nutrient-efficiency/ A major goal of The International Fertiliser Association (IFA) and its 500 global members is to improve nutrient efficiency, enabling farmers to increase their yields while simultaneously reducing fertiliser inputs.The nutrients most under scrutiny are nitrogen and phosphates because they are needed in large quantities to optimise plant growth, although potash and sulphur are also at issue. At Fertco, we’ve been promoting the use of efficient fertilisers for more than 25 years and are continua... Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post161189 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/158388/new-year-time-to-reflect/ If you make new year resolutions, you’re participating in a practice that is over 4,000 years old! According to National Geographic, the ancients celebrated solstice and the new year by thanking their gods for a successful harvest and offering sacrifices to ensure an equally successful one in the coming season. The Babylonians vowed to be better rulers, while the Romans focused on starting the new year with a clean slate.Today, our new year resolutions tend to be more personal. But the new yea... Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post158388 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/156332/plan-now-for-summer-and-beyond/ In the farming world, planning ahead is essential. If you’re aiming to boost summer pasture quality, re-grass paddocks in the autumn, or produce some autumn-saved pasture before the cold weather sets in, then now is the time to prepare.... Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post156332 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/153948/put-nutrients-back-after-harvest/ When it comes to managing soil fertility on your property, a guiding principle states that you should put back the nutrients that you take away. Silage, baleage, and hay, which are either stored for use later in the season or sold off the farm, are part of the ‘take away’ side of this equation since the nutrients to grow these crops have been taken up from the soil.... Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post153948 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/153954/sustainable-fertiliser-is-smart-fertiliser/ The word ‘sustainable’ is being applied to everything these days, from everyday items like coffee cups, to global industries like fashion. Farming and fertiliser is no exception. But while choosing a reusable coffee cup, or perusing your local op shop for a preloved jacket are reasonably straight forward acts of sustainability, what might sustainablity entail when fertiliser is at issue?One strategy is to employ the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship (right source, right rate, right time, righ... Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post153954 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/153306/particle-size-creates-efficiency/ Science and research are continually developing new fertilisers that allow us to improve nutrient efficiency and reduce environmental loss without compromising yields. One of the latest developments is based on the understanding that the smaller the particles of fertiliser are, the faster the nutrients become available to plants.This is not necessarily a new idea. But the technology to turn this idea into reality has only recently become available.H Sulphur, a Korean-based company, is now using ... Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post153306 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/152014/how-to-choose-fertiliser-for-your-lifestyle-block/ So you know you need fertiliser for your lifestyle block (read more here). You want fertiliser for your vegetable garden, your fruit trees, the sheep or horse paddock behind the house, and a few paddocks that you use to rear calves or beef. So far so good.... Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +1300 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post152014 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/post/152012/always-soil-test-before-planting-maize/ Since the 1990s, pastoral farmers in NZ have been using maize silage to fill feed deficits in the drier months of summer, or in the colder, wetter months of winter.With an expected yield of 18t-28t DM/ha in optimal conditions, that’s more dry matter than most other crops. While optimal conditions include warm soil temperatures, good moisture levels, and lots of energy from the sun, the highest growth rates will only be achieved when nutrient levels are sufficient. But how much is ‘sufficient... Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +1200 http://www.fertco.co.nz/blog/#post152012