DJ Turfcare calls on industry to act

The Viano factory in Belgium. Photo: Viano.

Driven by a desire to protect our planet, DJ Turfcare’s David Jenkins explains how chemical usage is causing long-term - and possibly irreparable - damage to our soil.

Retail

3 July 2019

DJ Turfcare, suppliers of Viano organic fertilisers in England and Scotland, is issuing a call-to-action to the industry to consider the impact chemicals are having upon our eco-system.

“One of the main dangers to our environment is the degradation of the soil on which we depend for our food and a healthy sustainable planet. But the majority of the human race has become conditioned to expecting and receiving cheap and plentiful food which is produced by using chemicals like herbicide and chemical fertilisers.”, said DJ Turfcare’s David Jenkins.

Jenkins continued: “The use of these weed suppressors and artificial growth promoters has a damaging effect on the soil and the micro-organisms which live within it. These micro-organisms consist of healthy bacteria and fungi which first break down plant food and then move it through the soil to the plant roots. Without this process the soil becomes inert and unable to sustain plant growth.

“These micro-organisms can only thrive if there is a good percentage of organic matter within the soil, but the continual use of chemical fertilisers reduces the organic content to virtually nothing.

“In other cases, an overdose of chemical fertiliser can produce an overgrowth of some bacteria and fungi. This overgrowth can have a damaging impact on the micro-organisms reducing their activity and, in the process, diminishing soil fertility – when in fact we want to encourage the micro-organisms for a positive effect upon the soil.

“The misuse of fertilisers can also contribute to locking up trace elements and essential soil minerals within the soil. Whilst the major portion of this damage is done in intensive farming, our gardens are not free from doing harm. Often fertilisers are washed through the soil and end up in water courses where they cause damage to the plant and fish life.

“Organic or organic-based fertilisers can be used as an alternative to the chemical fertilisers frequently used in our gardens or vegetable patches. In some cases, they may cost a little more but the cost of not using them can be even higher.”

Viano is a manufacturer based in Belgium which specialises in manufacturing organic or organic based fertilisers, and bases its company ethos around its motto “Viano: keeping a green tomorrow in mind”. The question for many suppliers, including garden centres, is “are you supplying the increasing demand for organic fertilisers or are you following behind the wave?”, Jenkins concluded.

DJ Turfcare is the exclusive distributor of Viano products in England and Scotland with National Agrochemical Distributors (NAD) being the exclusive distributor of Viano products on the island of Ireland.

NAD supply a range of products including the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) approved MO Bacter (5-5-20), an organic based fertiliser for lawns with an indirect action against moss by providing the necessary nutrients for the lawn and ensuring that existing moss is indirectly inhibited in growth.

NAD also distribute a range of Viano products including Recover, BIO-Lime, as well as a range of plant food approved by the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA).

Check out NAD here and learn more about organic fertilisers and the benefits they bring to the trade. English and Scottish based readers can check out DJ Turfcare here.