Ashborne Avocadoes case study

Soil analyses of the property at Ashborne Avocados.  

Started out 4 years ago as a ‘dead’ farm with very poor soil quality and low yielding  trees in poor health producing poor quality fruit. Frank Belperrio commenced on a program utilising Sampi fish to promote biological activity to achieve its current status of a model farm with organic certification as a handy by product. Soil structure has been transformed to a self sustaining condition with no conventional chemical fertilisers required and minimal or no herbicides and pesticides. Input cost savings have been enormous, Trees are healthy, fruit is large and plentiful with no fruit drop or disease problems, longer shelf life and increased nutritional value with heightened omega oil content, selenium and other valuable nutrient. Water requirement is reduced by over 30%, organic matter content is now very high and abundant soil biology sequesters nitrogen from the air, delivering plant available nutrient. Buyers pay more for this fruit and are ready to promote produce from sustainable, chemical free sources. The farm is now profitable and growers Austrlaia-wide are embracing Frank’s proven success. Proven with a model, the analyses and the exciting financial savings.        

Analysis results carried out can be downloaded below:

• Microbial Activity F3
• Microbial activity
• Microbiology suite F1
• Microbiology suite
• mycorrizal colonisation basic
• mycorrizal colonisation
• mycorrizal spores in soil B
• mycorrizal spores in soil
• total glomalin in soil D
• total glomalin in soil