Ken Bailey of Haslen Technologies collaborates with farmers to improve the quality of their soil and pasture, ultimately looking to improve the health of their animals and associated outputs.
Operating in the most sustainable way possible, Ken is often on the lookout for more natural farming inputs, like Phosta K - a slow-release, high-potassium retort ash with 30% K, from ECTOL.
Clients of Haslen Technologies, Andrew and Claire Jenkins of Denmark, WA, are now in their second year of using Phosta K on their 950 Ha dairy farm.
“We initially started applying Phosta K in our high production silage paddocks where low K was a problem and have since been motivated by its slow-release properties to expand this to all our silage paddocks,” said Andrew.
“We are always focussed on minimising nutritional losses from the farm and gaining maximum utilisation from applied nutrients. Aplying Phosta K at a rate of 100kg/Ha, we are noticing that potassium is remaining more available to the plant. Not only is this having obvious benefits on farm, but it is also allowing us to pull back on the levels of muriate of potash previously used,” he added.
While it is still early days, Andrew is hoping Phosta K will assist with increasing dry matter production, with plans to increase his application rate next autumn.
“We’re keen to move toward more regenerative farming practices, so for us, Phosta K fits in nicely with our future farming direction,” said Andrew.
Phosta K provides an organic alternative to water soluble acidic fertilisers and complements the work Haslen Technologies is doing to help clients reduce the volume of synthetic fertilisers in their farming systems, including offering compost blends and prescription mixes.
After a number of small trials in 2022, Ken now has nearly 20 of his clients in WA, including mixed farmers, grain and beef producers, seriously trialling the product.
ECTOL is proud to be Australia’s sole supplier of Phosta K. Available in two forms, including prilled 3-5.5mm granules for application via a seeding machine or as a top dress, and a non-prilled powder, suitable to distribute in Tow and Fert equipment. Both are shipped in 1.25 tonne bulka bags. For more information visit ECTOL Plant and Crop Nutrients www.ectol.com or phone 0438 918 135 to arrange a technical call.
Andrew and Claire Jenkins on their dairy farm in Denmark, WA
More about Phosta K
Derived from the sugarcane industry, not only does the product contain Potassium but also Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur and all the trace elements that were in the plant at the time of incineration. It is more than simply a Potash source, with all the non-volatile minerals still present.
The form of the Potassium in the ash is understood to include Potassium Sulphate, Potassium Carbonate and Potassium Phosphate, with these three compounds able to greatly enhance plant efficiencies and the stability of the Potassium in the soil.
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