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Hortifibre a Key Component in Proptec Topmix

Proptec

Proptec Hortifibre

Hortifibre is a wood fibre product optimized for horticulture, designed to promote superior root growth. Produced by Florentaise, the company has over 20 years of experience with this product. 

 

What Is Hortifibre? 

Hortifibre is a natural, fibrous material. It is made from responsibly sourced softwood chips, which are heated to high temperatures and spun into fibres using thermo-mechanical patented process. This process ensures the final material is free from weeds, diseases, and harmful organisms. The end result is Hortifibre. 

Hortifibre is approved for organic production. It is suitable for use in organic agriculture. 

 

Key Benefits of Using Hortifibre 

Using substrates with Hortifibre offers several benefits for plants and growers: 

  • Superior Root Growth: The improved physical structure of the substrate enhances root growth, leading to more root hairs and better plant establishment. 

  • Improved Air/Water Ratio and Drainage: The fibrous quality of Hortifibre results in a substrate with a high air content without reducing the active rooting volume. This allows the plant to get a sufficient supply of water and nutrients while reducing the risk of overwatering. 

  • Improved Water Distribution and Dry Surface: Hortifibre’s hydrophilic nature allows water to distribute more quickly and evenly throughout the substrate, leading to more uniform plant growth and easier irrigation management. The relatively dry surface also helps reduce the growth of algae and liverwort and assists in disease management. 

  • Lightweight Substrate: Made from wood fibre, Hortifibre makes substrates lighter, which makes handling easier during production and reduces the total weight of the pots. 

  • Stabilization: The thermo-mechanical manufacturing process ensures structural stability. 

 

Recommendations for Use 

For the Topmix product range, Hortifibre is typically added as Woodpeat, a mixture of 50% Hortifibre and 50% coir pith at a rate of 45-70% for general potting mixes and most crop-specific mixes. For propagation mixes, a 30-40% rate is recommended for better flow in propagation trays. These ratios have been shown to provide the best results for most crops, though custom ratios can be requested. 

To achieve the best results with Hortifibre substrates, Proptec recommends the following steps when starting to use Topmix: 

  • During transport, bulk bags will compact. Endeavour to loosen the substrate while emptying the bags.  

  • When potting, avoid over compaction to ensure porosity of the media is maintained for good root development. 

 

Product Specifications 

Porosity 

95% 

Air Capacity 

720 ml/l 

Water retention 

230 ml/l 

Density 

60 +/- 10  kg/m3 

pH 

5.5 +/- 0.5 

EC 

0.01 mS/cm  

Thickness 

0.25-1.00 mm 

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