This nutrient is ideally placed to produce a significant growth response. It is much more effective than a similar quantity of broadcast fertiliser. Improved early growth and an economy of fertiliser use can both be achieved through the use of starter fertiliser. Excellent commercial results have been achieved using this technique across the UK, Ireland and Europe.

To read more about starter fertiliser, its effects and the equipment we supply please click and download the files below.

Starter Fertiliser in Salads and Vegetable Crops - 362kb
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D A Stone - Starter Fertiliser - 141kb
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The starter fertiliser injection kit consists of a tank, precision pump, blockage detection kit and tines together with associated tubes and valves mounted onto the drill or planter framework.

Blockage detection kit for nutrient injectors

Starter fertiliser is gravity fed to the tine once it has left the peristaltic pump, so under normal operating conditions there is no pressure in the hose between the pump and the tine. A blockage at the tine outlet will cause a build up of pressure in the hose. Therefore a pressure sensor installed between the pump and tine will detect a blockage.

An electrical pressure sensor is connected to the existing diaphragm check valve (DCV) on each tine feed hose to sense pressure. An audible alarm alerts the tractor driver of a build up of pressure in a DCV and a light shows the driver in which row the tine is blocked. The warnings remain active until the pressure is released from the hose and the tine is unblocked. There is an override switch for the audible alarm.