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To determine how balanced nutrition programs increase the
productivity of crops and vegetables, AGGRAND scientists compared
petrochemical fertilizers with AGGRAND fertilizers. In one AGGRAND
experiment conducted in the AMSOIL Growth Center, cabbage fertilized
with AGGRAND produced larger, more flavorful heads compared to those
produced by Miracle Gro®.
There were several AGGRAND treatments which were compared to Miracle
Gro®. Two of the AGGRAND treatments were grown on soilless media, and
the Miracle Gro® treatment was grown on media with soil to see if
AGGRAND could outproduce Miracle Gro® without relying on the extra
nutritional value of the soil. One AGGRAND treatment was applied to the
media every two weeks, and the other AGGRAND treatment was applied in
the same way with an additional foliar treatment applied before heading
and a banded treatment applied at transplanting. Miracle Gro® was
applied to the media every two weeks just like the AGGRAND treatments.
Three ounces of the newly formulated AGGRAND 4-3-3 Natural Fertilizer
were mixed with one gallon of water to be applied to the media and to
the leaves. For the Miracle Gro® treatments, one teaspoon of fertilizer
was mixed with one gallon of water and applied to the media as stated in
the directions. For the banded treatment at planting, two ounces of the
new 4-3-3, two ounces of AGGRAND 0-12-0 Liquid Bonemeal and one ounce of
the newly formulated AGGRAND 0-0-8 Natural Kelp and Sulfate of Potash
were mixed in one quart of water. This mixture was placed into a trench
below and to the side of the roots. The additional AGGRAND treatment
(root feeding plus foliar plus band) would tell the scientists whether
the
additional products and treatments (AGGRAND Plus) were effective in
obtaining even higher yields than the single product and treatment
(AGGRAND). The AGGRAND and AGGRAND Plus treatments both produced highly
significant increases in mean head weights over the Miracle Gro®
treatment (see bar graph). The AGGRAND treatment produced a 308%
increase in mean head weight and the AGGRAND Plus treatment produced a
379% increase in mean head weight. The AGGRAND Plus treatment also
produced an increase of 71% in mean head weight over the AGGRAND
treatment. The take-home message tells us that AGGRAND is more effective
than Miracle Gro® even when the AGGRAND plants are grown in soilless
media. In addition, the use of banded and foliar applications with a
combination of AGGRAND products are effective in obtaining even higher
yields than soil applications of one AGGRAND product alone.
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