32 Saving the peatlands The use of peat in agriculture is coming under
increased scrutiny as climate change accelerates. A carbon sink, peat has also been used for centuries as a fuel source and soil amendment. But extensive mining of bogs releases significant amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, both powerful and persistent contributors to global warming. The challenge of how to tap into the benefits of peat without destroying the rest of the environment was a challenge BV Substrates says it wants to tackle as the use of substrates expands. “Our main goal is that we want to become a net
positive company, where our operations do not have a negative impact on the environment,” Bart Verheijen told International Blueberry Organization members meeting in Richmond last summer. “It’s our goal is to make responsible substrates.” This is also important for consumer acceptance of the
fruit grown using those substrates. While substrates may facilitate local growers and make small farms more productive, Verheijen believes consumers won’t support growers who use materials that damage the environment. BV Substrates is therefore working towards sustainably
sourced peat, and restoring the bogs it mines. “We want to manage our peatlands in the most
responsible way possible. First of all, we don’t go to the unspoiled peatlands. We are going to peatlands that have already been used,” he said. “We actually want to bring these peatlands back to a better state than when we found them and, through a renaturalization of these peatlands, we want to trigger the absorption of carbon dioxide again.”
The ambition is being embraced in Richmond, too,
where Kwantlen Polytechnic University has worked to establish its teaching farm on the Garden City lands in a way that minimizes disturbances to the underlying bogland.
—Peter Mitham YIELDS paramount
necessarily the same as the suitability for soil,” he says. This is where growers need
to pay close attention to yields, because that’s fundamental to paying the significant capital costs a controlled growing environment entails. “Particularly if the grower has spent a lot of money putting in substrate, the tunnels, and capital outlay … the first thing they want to know is are we going to make money out of this, what are the yields going to look like?” he says.
When considering varieties
for substrates, Mountain Blue looks for ones with high enough yields to offset the high capital costs of establishing the planting. The fruit should be large and easy to pick, which helps cut labour costs. A good example is Eureka, which yields up to 9-10 kilograms a plant.
Disease resistance Resistance to
phytophthora and other diseases are considerations, too.
This is where the choice of subtstrate plays a role, something that’s a particular focus of Bart Verheijen of BV Substrates, a Dutch company that’s working in partnership with the Finnish company
On Febru
On February 2 y 28, 2019, the Agric gricultural En
l Environmental Ma
l Management Code of Practic
Keeping records is a r qus a requirement of the Code. The types of records needed depend on you Examples include: mple
• When us g an i • • • • • •
Maintenance Burial and i Records ar en using an incinerat nerator or using biomass as a f el for a boi er or heat
Maintenance of earthen manure lagoons; Appliic
Nutrient Management Planning;
al and incinerati
cation of nu
nutrient sources to land or crops;
ation of mortal
alities, or sol d or semi
, or solid or semi-soliid slaught
s are a useful tl tool to show how your farm or r kept for at least 5 years. Provincial inspec ors may c
The Ministry of Environment carry out the new requ
ow how your farm or ranch is meeti pectors may come on-site to v
d slaughter of poultry processing wa s meeting the requirements o
o verify comp
nment’s website has been updated with practic quirements. Visit:
BC Agriculture Council (BCAC) is assisting the Province of B.C. with communicating the key changes related to the AEM Code.
tical infor
ng waste. s of the Code and need t mplliance with the Code
ode and need to be ode, either as a r
nformation and tools to hel you under
s a routine nd tools to help you understand and nd omass as a fuel for a boiler or heater;
tice (AEM Code) came
s needed depend on your farm’s size and ac e and activities.
Kekkilä. It expanded into substrates for blueberry growers a decade ago, recognizing the market opportunity. Verheijen said blueberry substrates must have a stable composition, one that doesn’t adversely affect the plant. Air penetration, water holding capacity and the ability to maintain a stable pH are all important criteria. “We always make a combination of three raw materials that meet the requirements of the blueberry,” he told growers. Peat, for example, holds water and air well and is less susceptible to compaction. This means it’s more stable and casts up less dust on the plants and their fruit. BV substrates typically have a peat content of 25% to 40%. Perlite, a permeable
volcanic rock, is used to boost air penetration. It also holds water, making it ideal for substrates. It typically represents 25% and 35% of BV mixes. Similarly, coco coir allows good air circulation and has a very rapid water absorption capacity as well as well capillary roguing and accounts for 30% and 50% of substrates for blueberry production. The key consideration is that it be well
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • FEBRUARY 2020 nfrom page 31
washed and buffered to ensure a stable growing environment and adequate nutrition. “Well-buffered coco
ensures that nutrients for the plants are well absorbed by the coco and released again when the plant needs them,” explains Verheijen. “A stable pH level is crucial for the absorption of the nutrients.” While greenhouses and high-tunnels have created opportunities for growers of various crops, from apples to strawberries, not to mention ethnic vegetables such as eggplant and wasabi, substrates could have a tough go of it in established growing regions. “I think there’s going to be
room there for everyone, but this is going to be a capital- intensive industry,” notes McPherson.
The cost is the key factor
Cook flags for BC growers. “The established growing
areas, you’ve got to scratch your head,” he says. “It’s really got to make a difference. Putting up tunnels or putting up controlled environmental areas in BC and such for blueberries is questionable unless you’ve got rain issues or you’re pushing varieties into different market windows that haven’t been historically available.”
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