QTS 3 aecoQcube is a novel system for cultivating young plants in soil blocks, which have until now mainly been produced from black peat. Previous systems based on black peat may have certain disadvantages: they are heavy, easily become compacted, do not allow sufficient aeration of the rooting zone and, if they dry out, require rapid rewetting.

The new QTS 3 aecoQcube enables soil blocks with larger dimensions to be produced. This makes them suitable not only for propagating young vegetable plants, but also for young ornamental plants and for cuttings.

Soil blocks made using QTS 3 aecoQcube keep their shape very well and do not fall apart during processing. They are less compacted, containing more air that can be warmed and more oxygen for the roots.

They have good buffering capacity due to the balance between structurally stable white peats on the one hand, and more strongly decomposed peats that have good buffering properties on the other. This is optimised by the highly beneficial attributes of the special clay used. They have superior swelling capacity and shrinking properties to soil blocks based solely on black peat. The amplitude between dry and wet conditions is ideal for many crops. Soil blocks produced using QTS 3 aecoQcube will, even if they appear somewhat dried out, still have enough plant-available moisture without the blocks being too dry or too wet.

Soil blocks made with QTS 3 hold water very well, but are also good at allowing excess water to escape from the block. This results in shorter irrigation intervals for soil blocks produced with QTS 3 aecoQcube than for those made entirely with black peat.

A crop grown in soil blocks made from QTS 3 aecoQcube requires less plastic than a crop produced in trays.

Cultivation in soil blocks made of QTS 3 aecoQcube is, fundamentally, an economically sound solution, since no costs are incurred for trays. And, being lightweight for transport, it requires less cargo or freight space, thus cutting energy costs.

During these turbulent times, everyone is looking for reliable partners for cooperation. Such partner for peat substrates and substrate raw materials is the Baltic States based company Compaqpeat.

Instead of promoting new innovations, as the company has done previously, at this IPM, Compaqpeat would like to mention its achievements of working in partnership with customers and suppliers closer.

Compaqpeat has been serving customers in more than 60 countries for more than 20 years since it has been founded.

During these years, Compaqpeat has developed into one of the leading and most innovative substrate providers for horticulture.

More than 150 employees in the Baltic States work with and for Compaqpeat. These employees achieve the goal of coordinating and controlling the entire value chain from the extraction of raw materials to the finished product. Compaqpeat is constantly striving not only to meet its own and legal quality requirements, but also to exceed them. 

Compaqpeat recognizes the importance of growing media not only for ornamental plants, but also for food plants and shrubs. Plants are significant in their importance for the climate and will become even more important in the future.

With its substrates, Compaqpeat would like to create opportunities for ecologically important plants to grow.

When working with customers, Compaqpeat learns through a dialogue what can be done differently and improved in the future. Compaqpeat supports its suppliers in the development of new substrate precursors and innovative products. The introduction of "MiCo", a microorganism complex, a special trace nutrient fertilizer, are examples of this, as is "Admina", a humic acid complex for substrate admixture.

There are major tasks ahead for a substrate producer in the future:

• the conversion of substrates to more peat-reduced products;

• the energy-efficient extraction and processing of raw materials;

• the climate-friendly transport of the substrates to the customer.

Compaqpeat will solve all of the above-mentioned in collaboration with its competent partners.

Compaqpeat therefore sees a close partnership and friendly cooperation with the people and companies in this industry as one of the most important tasks for the future.

Compaqpeat - Foods for Roots. We will continue to realize and optimize this ambition with our partners.