Every young plant season is different. Weather conditions, light levels and temperature influence plant growth in new ways every year. In organic young plant production in particular, this requires continuous adjustment of cultivation practices, irrigation, fertilisation and plant health management.
The 2026 season also brought new challenges. In this review, we highlight the experiences we have gained and the insights that can be drawn from them for pot and container plant production. This article is not intended as a cultivation guide, but rather as a practical report based on experience, offering potential food for thought for your own business.
It all starts with the roots
A healthy root system is the foundation of any successful crop. Only a well-developed root system can efficiently absorb water and nutrients and adequately supply the plant, even under changing environmental conditions.
Time and again, it has been shown that persistently waterlogged conditions usually cause more damage to the roots than short periods of drought. Accordingly, a key focus of organic young plant production is on promoting healthy root development.
The influence of the growing medium
For roots to develop well, an optimal environment is required. And this depends on the growing medium. Selecting the right growing medium or mixture is essential for the roots and, consequently, for the growth of the plants. If the proportion of fine particles is too high, these can be washed out into the lower part of the pot over the course of the growing period, leading to waterlogging and reduced drainage there. Similarly, a substrate that is too coarse can have a detrimental effect on water retention.
As our young plant production follows organic guidelines, we use a peat-reduced growing medium. Depending on the formulation, this reduction in peat is balanced by a wide variety of additives, which in turn increases the variability of the growing medium’s properties.
Depending on the composition, origin and seasonal availability of the individual raw materials, the structure, water-holding capacity and nutrient release can differ, in some cases significantly. These differences have a direct impact on root development and, consequently, on plant growth.
Challenging fertilisation
As mentioned, we work with a peat-reduced substrate. To achieve this, we include a certain proportion of green compost in the substrate. Experience over the years has shown that the compost content already provides the substrate with a certain level of phosphorus and potassium. This must be taken into account during subsequent fertilisation. We aim to ensure this by using a fertiliser with a higher nitrogen content, or by using a pure nitrogen fertiliser directly.
Whilst the production of container plants often relies on a complete long-term nutrient supply, we deliberately adopt a more flexible approach in young plant production. This enables us to better adapt nutrient requirements to actual plant growth and weather conditions.
High levels of organic solid fertiliser, in particular, require careful planning. The rate of mineralisation, temperature and moisture levels are key factors in determining when the nutrients actually become available to the plants.
In young plant production, we rely on a combination of solid and liquid fertilisers. The solid fertiliser serves as the basic supply for the young plants. And, particularly in changeable weather, liquid fertilisation has proved to be an important tool for responding quickly to the plants’ actual needs.
With regard to the liquid bio-fertilisers available, it has become apparent that their quality depends heavily on the raw materials used.
Maintaining the plant’s vitality!
In organic young plant production, preventative measures take far greater precedence than curative interventions. The aim is therefore to ensure that the young plants develop as vigorously and resiliently as possible from the very first day of cultivation.
Plant fortification
One of the most important preventative measures is regular plant fortification. Throughout the entire growing season, our young plants are treated once a week with a combination of various plant fortifiers tailored to our specific operations. This is carried out either by spraying or using the cold mist method. The mixture consists of products based on effective microorganisms as well as plant extracts.
Our experience shows that long-term success depends less on individual products than on consistent and regular application.
Discussions with other organic producers have shown that, whilst all use the same active ingredients, the specific mixtures tailored to each company’s needs differ significantly.
The aim of plant strengthening is, on the one hand, to make young plants as resilient as possible and, on the other hand, to make the plant environment within the crop as inhospitable as possible for potential pathogens. This may involve antagonists colonising the entry points of harmful fungi, or, for example, creating an environment on the leaf surface that prevents spores from germinating in the first place or significantly delays germination.
Furthermore, fermented plant extracts can be used to repel or drive away insect pests.
About plant protection
If the fortification measures happen to be unsuccessful, or if the pressure from disease or pests is too high, there is usually no alternative but to take a plant protection measure. Depending on the product and the indication, such a measure may be prophylactic or curative. An example of a preventative plant protection measure is a treatment with elemental copper on blackberries to prevent downy mildew. An example of a curative treatment is a treatment with natural pyrethrum against sucking insects.
In organic production in particular, the right timing is often crucial to the success of a treatment. A problem detected early on is usually much easier to control than an infestation that has already taken hold.
Beneficial insects
Alongside plant hardening and plant protection measures, the use of beneficial organisms has long been a key pillar of organic young plant production, even in conventional production. At regular intervals, we deploy a wide variety of species to act as natural predators against various pests. These include, on the one hand, classic beneficial organisms such as nematodes against fungus gnats and weevils, or predatory mites against spider mites. But they also include lesser-known species such as predatory beetles against a wide range of soil-dwelling insect pests.
Conclusion
The 2026 season has once again demonstrated that successful young plant production depends above all on forward-thinking crop management. Substrate, irrigation, fertilisation, plant hardening and the targeted use of beneficial organisms mesh together like cogs in a wheel and cannot be considered in isolation.
Particularly under changing weather conditions, the ability to adapt cultivation measures flexibly to current developments is becoming increasingly important. Standard solutions quickly reach their limits in this regard.
Our experience confirms once again that healthy roots, a balanced supply of nutrients and consistent preventative measures form the basis for vigorous young plants. Those who continuously monitor these factors and react at an early stage create the best conditions for stable crops – both in young plant production and in the subsequent production of potted and container plants.
