01/21/2025
Jared's Story
Jared started working with us this past year and ran our program on 3 of his greenhouses. In one of the tunnels he wanted to see if Transplant Formula was worth the cost. He ran a trial on 3 of his rows. All three of the rows got the same broadcast, same fertigation, and the same foliar applications. The main variable was the use of Transplant Formula.
The first row was a control group and got no Transplant Formula. The 2nd row got a half rate which is ½ cup and the 3rd row got a full dose which is 1 cup. His results are dramatic!
Yield/Plant (lbs.)*
Control 13.6, Half 29.2, Full 40.9
Ave Brix:
Control 9.6, Half 11.2, Full 12.0
* Grade A, Number 1, properly sized marketable yield, not total yield of the plant.
Jared’s observations:
• Increased Flavor
• Increased Yield
• Increased Brix
• Increased Disease Resistance
• Increased Plant Health and Vigor
Stem diameter of control group averaged about the size of a nickel. Stem diameter with the full amount of Transplant Formula averaged about the size of a quarter. The root structure is significantly larger and more developed with the full dose as well.
Jared said achieving high quality is very important to him because he has been working hard for years to strive for quality and his customers are noticing the difference. In fact, he shared that he missed a market once this summer due to mechanical issues and the next week he got flak from some of his regular customers because they had to buy from other vendors and they were disappointed in the quality!
Last year he had issues with a high rate of “green core”. This year he cut open many and only had a hint of green core in maybe 1 out of 30!
Couple notes on his results:
1. Yield – Jared has 5 rows in his 5,000 sf greenhouse and row 1 (the control group) normally does not perform as well due to the taller trees nearby shading out the morning sun. Rows 2, 3 and 4, however, are historically pretty consistent. Row 2 got half rate of Transplant Formula and resulted in 20.1 lbs of number 1 tomatoes. This is not total yield, just tracking the best sellable #1’s. Row 3 had a dripline malfunction so data from row 3 was not included. Row 4 got the full rate of Transplant Formula and resulted in 40.9 lbs of #1 tomatoes. Variety was the same on rows 1-4. Row 5 tends to under-perform like row 1, but also was a different variety so the results were not included here. Given that row 1 normally does not perform as well, it may not be a true reflection of a control group, but row 2 and 4 do highlight the effect of increased Transplant Formula!
2. Brix – After speaking with Jared, it became clear that there was a misunderstanding on how to take a brix reading. He halved and then quartered each sample and then used a digital refractometer to test the jellied area that contains the seeds. The proper method is to take the whole quarter wedge from top to bottom and then masticate with a mortar and pestle first and then extract juice from the masticated pulp. The jellied material around the seeds will typically read higher than if all the flesh was masticated. While the numbers may not reflect the true brix reading, the data still show that the brix was increasing as the Transplant Formula increased!
3. Sample size and methodology – This is not a scientific study and I had no idea Jared was even doing this “test”. While it may not have been laid out 100% perfect, Jared was very meticulous in weighing all the number 1 tomatoes. He marked off 50 feet in each row and kept track each time he harvested. He actually had higher yields than what is recorded above, but wanted to count only the best.
What's Really Going On?
Why did Jared see the results he did? First of all, we need to understand the product and the process. Transplant Formula is a full spectrum rock powder blend with a side of bio-stimulant carbons and live soil microbes. By full-spectrum we refer to:
• Major Minerals
• Secondary Minerals
• Trace Minerals
• Rare Earth Elements
Transplant Formula functions by stimulating and feeding the live soil microbes to digest the rock powders. As this happens over the growing season, the plant accesses all the building blocks it needs to build the infrastructure of the plant and deliver full spectrum nutrition into the produce. This is what creates the outstanding flavor. By having the full gamut of minerals in the leaves they, in turn, create more sugars in the produce. This is the source of the extra sweetness.
In summary, Transplant Formula supplies full spectrum nutrition to plants and soil microbes. Through microbial digestion, full spectrum nutrition carries into the produce… and boy does it taste good!
Application Rates
For normal use in a mixed vegetable garden, we typically look at roughly 10 lbs / 1,000 sf. This rate can be increased significantly, though, and there are some situations that can call for much higher rates. For example, we use Transplant Formula at the rate of about 1 Tablespoon / clove when we plant our garlic. When I did the math on how much that would be for each bed it translated to about 130 lbs / 1,000 sf. Instead of taking the time to add 1 scoop per clove at planting, we just added the appropriate amount to the other minerals and applied as a dry broadcast and worked in before planting.
Other scenarios that may call for higher rates are for High Value Crops like Tomatoes, Peppers and Medicinal Herbs. We normally look at 1-4 Tbs per plant, but some crops, like tomatoes are huge nutrient hogs and 1 cup per plant is extremely beneficial, which is what Jared used.
Typical Uses:
• Transplants – 1 to 4 Tbs
• Direct Sow – 1 Tbs / row foot
• Fruit Trees – 1 to 2 lbs per tree
• Perennial Crops like Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries – 2 Tbs to 1 cup
• Flowers, shrubs and even house plants – 1 to 4 Tbs
• Add to potting mix – 1 cup per cubic foot
The application rates are general guidelines. But I suggest you create your own experiments. Take a few plants and really load them up with Transplant Formula. Keep track of yield and flavor. Then contrast that with the extra cost. Was it worth it? You decide. But please share the results with us.....
You can learn more about Transplant Formula, here:
https://fixmysoil.com/store/Transplant-Formula-3-lb-p36383477
While Transplant Formula contributed greatly to Jared's success, it was built upon the solid foundation that started with a soil test. If you'd like to get started growing higher quality, we can help you get there. It just starts with a soil test:
https://fixmysoil.com/
