A Cropaid frost protection product has yielded results for the second year running for Highland Court Farm grower Simon Foad.
Cropaid visited Foad on February 26, when he reported that Natural Plant Antifreeze (NPA) helped the farm protect its apricot plants in 2007, and again this year, following six consecutive nights of frost, with temperatures falling to as low as -2oC to -6oC.
Foad said the severity of the frosts leaves little room for argument with regard to the results of the NPA usage. He is now planting more apricot trees, and other trees, thanks to NPA.
In 2007, Foad also reported a 90 per cent increase in NPA-treated Conference pear yield, against a comparative field (18.18 tonnes per hectare against 9.6t/ha untreated), and a better than expected yield increase in Victoria plums. “The product is better than anti-stress polymers, as it can be used at all stages and offers more benefits and a higher level of frost protection,” he said.
Highland Court Farms, based in Canterbury, Kent, scooped prizes for its pears and apricots at last year’s National Fruit Show.
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