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Better buds = better fruit

For most perennial crops, next year’s buds are initiated while the fruit is still on the tree or just after harvest. By applying nutritional applications during the post-harvest season, you can dramatically influence the success of next year’s crop.

Post-harvest nutrient applications help to ensure:

  • Increased number, size, and quality of fruit buds
  • Increased cold tolerance
  • More successful pollination
  • Higher potential fruit size
  • Reduced disease susceptibility
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Key Nutrients for Post-Harvest

  • Ca

    Calcium

    • assists nutrient movement from the roots out to the developing buds.
    • promotes freeze resistance in buds before dormancy
    • improves cell membrane integrity
  • B

    Boron

    • helps move nutrients and sugars to the buds
    • improves size and freeze resistance
  • Mn

    Manganese

    • plays a vital role in bud development
    • helps buds maintain resistance to cold and abiotic stressors
    • plays a crucial role in photosynthesis
    • ensures healthy development of pollination structures
  • K

    Potassium

    • promotes freeze resistance in buds before dormancy
  • Zn

    Zinc

    • assists with the growth of large spur leaves
  • Cu

    Copper

    • provides systemic disease resistance
    • creates sturdy, flexible stems
Shop Post-Harvest Nutrients
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What is the Post-Harvest Season?

The post-harvest season typically happens four to six weeks before dormancy. For some crops, such as nuts, this phase may occur when there’s still fruit on the tree.

Post-harvest is an important part of the lifecycle of perennials, but unfortunately, most growers cease nutritional applications at this stage. An imbalance in nutrition at bud initiation leads to fewer buds that are smaller and weaker, fruit abortion, a lack of uniformity in buds, and buds that remain vegetative instead of productive.

Our agronomy experts recommend foliar applications before dormancy to help plants navigate winter stress and give them the energy needed to start in spring.

“I liken it to making sure the buds we’re sending off into winter have their bags packed with everything they’re going to need the coming spring to grow big leaves and healthy blossoms.
Mike Omeg

Mike Omeg

Orchard View Cherries

Implementing a Post-Harvest Program

  • Use differential sap analysis to identify the exact nutritional profile of your crop.

  • Analyze the nutrition levels to detect any deficiencies.

  • Pay particular attention to vital post-harvest nutrients, including copper, manganese, zinc, boron, and calcium.

  • Contact your AEA consultant for a customized nutrition plan, or get in touch with our Customer Care Team to learn more.

Post-Harvest Program Products

We’re here to help!

AEA produces a wide range of targeted nutritional foliar products that can be used during the post-harvest season. These applications are teeming with biology and nutritious goodness and are designed to supply everything your crops and soil need to bounce back after a long, fruitful season. Working with an AEA consultant will ensure you apply the correct nutrients to resolve any deficiencies.

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