What’s it like to use plant-based biostimulants on a variety of crops like potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, and onions? Meet Lazaros Gerolemou, an agronomist and founder of LG Agricultural Products LTD in Cyprus. In this edition of ‘The Voice of Growers’, Lazaros shares his firsthand experience with Plants for Plants® 4-Terra and 4-Good, offering insights into how these innovative products are transforming his approach to farming.
The core of ‘The Voice of Growers’ lies in growers learning from one another, especially when adopting innovative solutions like Plants for Plants®. This connection bridges Lazaros Gerolemou with Angelo van Ree, a Dutch potato grower from Agrikamp, where they recently exchanged insights on the effectiveness of Plants for Plants® (P4P) biostimulants.
Plants for Plants® 4-Terra: Increasing Availability of Essential Nutrients in the Soil
Lazaros highlights Plants for Plants® 4-Terra, our organic biostimulant derived from plant extracts known for its versatility and effectiveness across various crops including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and watermelons. He highlights its role in improving plant vigor, enhancing fruit setting, and boosting yields. By applying P4P 4-Terra through fertigation, Lazaros ensures direct delivery of nutrients to the root zone, promoting robust plant growth in favorable or challenging conditions.
Moreover, Lazaros has observed significant improvements in soil health with Plants for Plants® 4-Terra, as it enhances the soil microbiome and increases the availability of essential nutrients (NUE) like Phosphorus, supporting sustainable farming practices.
Maximizing Potato Crop Potential with Plants for Plants® 4-Good
Another organic biostimulant in the Plants for Plants® range is 4-Good, specifically used on potato crops. Lazaros has seen remarkable results with 4-Good, noting larger and more uniform tubers and overall more vigorous plants. Applied three times during the growing season, starting with tuber formation, P4P 4-Good has proven effects in optimizing potato crop yields.
Ongoing Trials and Future Prospects
Currently, Lazaros is conducting trials to further evaluate the long-term impact of Plants for Plants® biostimulants. Early results are promising, showing noticeable greening effects and healthier plants. As he awaits the final harvest results, Lazaros remains optimistic about the continued benefits these biostimulants bring to crops and farming practices, both for his own fields and for the growers he supplies.
Plants for Plants® products fully comply with the new EU Fertilizer Product Regulation (FPR) 2019/1009, certified by Ecocert for organic farming, and honored with the EU LIFE Award 2023 in the environmental category.
Lazaros Gerolemou’s journey with Plants for Plants® biostimulants exemplifies the potential for innovation in agriculture. At Van Iperen International, we are committed to supporting growers like Lazaros in achieving sustainable and productive farming outcomes. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from ‘The Voice of Growers‘!