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Holganix Case Study: From Blossoms to Peaches

Each year, photographer Samantha Bachand of Two Little Monkeys Photography would organize popular photoshoots among South Carolina’s iconic peach trees. When the orchards closed to the public in 2019, Samantha’s husband, Keith Bachand, horticulturist, lovingly planted 200 peach trees, creating Lakeside Peach Orchard.  

“My goal was to create a place for my wife to do her photoshoots, while also growing the best peaches using fewer chemicals,” explains Keith. “I had formerly owned a lawn care company where we used Bio 800+ on landscapes. We saw great results in turf, like amazing root growth and disease resistance, so I knew I wanted to use the products on the orchard.”   

In our interview with Keith, we explored the following topics. Click the link to skip to the topic of your choosing or continue scrolling to read the full interview.  

  1. About Lakeside Peach Orchard 
  2. What results has Lakeside seen with Holganix products? 
  3. Lakeside Peach Orchard’s Program 
  4. Why should your farm use Holganix Bio 800+? 

 

What makes Lakeside Peach Orchard special? 

From its inception, Lakeside Peach Orchard was created so my wife could do photoshoots in the spring blossoms. I planted 205 peach trees from six varieties of peaches including: Winblo, Contender, Flameprince, Harvester, SunnyJ, and Elberta. 

My goal was to grow the best peaches possibly while using fewer chemicals than what's traditionally recommended.  

I planted the trees in the winter of 2020. Our trees are still young, but we look forward to opening Lakeside Peach Orchard to the public in 2022. 

 

What results has Lakeside Peach Orchard seen with Holganix products? 

The first thing I noticed was growth. When we planted, I pruned each tree to have an open center with 3-to-5 scaffolding branches. If I compare our trees to other orchards’ trees of the same age, that are not treated with Holganix, our trees showed more growth.   

I also feel that I haven’t seen the disease pressure I would have expected, and that the hot weather conditions haven’t affected our trees.  

While we haven’t reduced inputs yet, based on our most current soil analysis, I believe we will be able to reduce inputs moving forward.  

Holganix makes great products that can truly improve plants. I chose to use Holganix in our peach orchard to primarily help with disease pressure, drought tolerance, brix index, and to achieve an overall healthier plant.  

 

Lakeside Peach Orchard’s Program 

I use a pull-behind sprayer that is calibrated for 1.5 gallons minimum. I mix 2.25 gallons of HGX PRO Bio 800+ Tree & Shrub per 150 gallons of water and I make applications monthly during the growing season. I also add HGX PRO Blue Sky 21-0-0 and HGX PRO PreBiotic 2-10-20 in the mix. To curb the weeds, I rely on a bioherbicide product. 

This fall, I’m planting tall fescue between the rows of trees, and I’ll be using HGX PRO Bio 800+ Turf to help it get established.  

 

Why Should Your Farm Use Holganix Bio 800+ 

It all comes down to soil health and investing in the legacy of your family's farm. Holganix Bio 800+ Agriculture harnesses the power of over 800 species of soil microbes to increase yield, improve crop resilience against stress and boost soil health.  

At Holganix, we believe that by charging soil with diverse microbes, we help our farmers improve the health of their soil, and in turn, invest in the legacy of their farm for future generations.   

Plus, farmers using Holganix Bio 800+ Agriculture see a yield improvement in just one season!   

  • Develop soil health  
  • Increase yield  
  • Faster establishment 
  • Boosts roots; contributing to soil organic matter 
  • Maximize uptake of nutrients, minerals, and water  
  • Improve plant resilience against stress from tillage, weather, fungicides, and other stressors

 

Dig Into the Data: University and Commercial Grower Trial  

Over the years we have compiled data on several different crops, in different geographic zones, to deepen our understanding of how Holganix Bio 800+ Agriculture can help farmers maximize crops. Click on the button below to access a sample from our 2017 - 2020 collection. 

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Posted by Kaitlyn Ersek on Sep 9, 2021 11:00:00 AM

Kaitlyn Ersek

Topics: holganix reviews, agriculture, trees

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