Gramoflor press release for IPM 2023
Quality wood fibre LIGNOFIBRE® - a real peat substitute booster!
After years of research as well as constant further development, Gramoflor's quality wood fibre LIGNOFIBRE® has emerged and established itself as the most important alternative substrate raw material. Today, the company has four structural variants of the wood fibre: from extra-fine coloured to coarse uncoloured. With these different qualities, we cover the entire substrate range from press pots to containers. Well combined, the four wood fibre types can replace peat in higher shares in the substrates. This makes LIGNOFIBRE® a real "peat substitute booster"!
So for IPM 2023, everything is focused on the two newest LIGNOFIBRE® quality wood fibres. Since the end of 2021, we have been using LIGNOFIBRE®c Xtrafine+ with an extremely fine structure. This is perfectly suited for use in all growing and propagation or press-pot substrates.
Finally, Gramoflor has developed a new coarse wood fibre, LIGNOFIBRE® coarse. This grade is perfectly suited for coarse substrates and therefore for larger pots and containers. Gramoflor has recreated the structural characteristics of coarse white peat, making LIGNOFIBRE® coarse an adequate alternative for it and supporting structural stability in coarse substrates. A decisive advantage of this new quality wood fiber is that it avoids waterlogging even in coarse substrates due to its good structural properties. Coupled with its good drainage properties, LIGNOFIBRE® coarse thus supports healthy root development. It also facilitates re-wetting and promotes air capacity. At the same time, it ensures dry surfaces on the containers and thus reduces weed and moss formation on the substrate.
Quality wood fibre from our own production and domestic raw materials
Gramoflor has been producing its quality wood fibre LIGNOFIBRE® from renewable and domestic raw materials in its own wood fibre plant since 2018. In this area, Gramoflor is pushing for constant further development and improvement in order to efficiently optimize the production process. The woodchip residue, which comes from an external pre-production stage and is sustainably utilized at Gramoflor, is of certified quality and, after its thermal-mechanical defibration, forms the basis for a high-quality substrate raw material.
All LIGNOFIBRE® qualities are RAL quality assured and available as LIGNOFIBRE®c Xtrafine+ (extremely fine, coloured), LIGNOFIBRE®c (medium structure, coloured), LIGNOFIBRE® (medium coarse, uncoloured) as well as LIGNOFIBRE® coarse (coarse, uncoloured).
NEW: Gramoflor peat-free tomato & vegetable soil 50 l
Our focus on peat substitute products is also reflected in the hobby segment: At the IPM we present the new tomato & vegetable soil, the first soil in the conventional range of Gramoflor hobby soils that absolutely meets the political and climate protection-driven requirements for peat-free soil.
Self-sufficiency with one's own vegetables has been the trend among young and old for quite some time and the current massive increase in food prices will further strengthen this development. The demand for suitable soils for growing vegetables in raised beds, tubs or balcony boxes will therefore increase in the coming season. And so the new Gramoflor peat-free tomato & vegetable soil with a modern design and a convenient 50 l bag comes just at the right time.
The recipe of this soil has been convincing active and also new hobby gardeners for a long time when growing their own e.g. tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, pumpkins as well as chillies and chilli peppers. Supported by a mineral fertilizer, the so-called "heavy growers" in particular receive the best possible care. Here, an organic fertilizer quickly reaches its limits.
Peat-free soil does not necessarily have to be organic, because many customers want a simple sense of achievement with a good enough harvest of tasty vegetables.
Instead of peat, the peat-free tomato & vegetable soil uses the tried and tested peat substitutes LIGNOFIBRE® wood fibre, cocopeat and quality compost.
In addition to the peat-free organic soils, which have already been available from Gramoflor since 2013, this soil is thus a further milestone on the way to the year 2026, by which time the BMEL (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) will only require peat-free hobby soils on the market. With the introduction of this new product, Gramoflor is also taking a further step towards more sustainability in its goal of peat-free hobby soils.
All in all Gramoflor remains true to its motto "Well combined - peat reduced", both in professional substrates and in the area of hobby soils, and continues to actively move forward on the topic of peat substitutes!
With a peat replacement quota of real 28 % by volume across all professional substrates, we are now above the industry average in our main business segment!