Date

Location

Cultural System

Vitazyme/Fertilization

Results

1998

Sacramento, California

Variety:  prune plums

Soil type:  clayey

Harvest date:  November, 1998

Vitazyme application: 13 oz/acre of Vitazyme applied over the root zone in June.

One-year tree trunk diameter:

Control: 3.31 in
Vitazyme: 3.84 in (+16%)

Two-year tree trunk diameter:

Control: 4.68 in
Vitazyme: 5.28 in (+13%)

Fertilization: All areas received the following treatments:

February

10 gal/acre of liquid chicken compost

1 pint/acre of Vibasic BL Biological (microbes and microbial food)

May

5 gal/acre of urea ammonium nitrate (32% N)

8 oz/acre of Vibasic BL Biological

Date

Location

Cultural System

Vitazyme/Fertilization

Results

1999

Yuba City, Dingville, Los Banos, and El Nido, California

Variety:  prune plums

Vitazyme application: 13 oz/acre of Vitazyme applied foliar

Comments:

• Applying Vitazyme causes the trees to develop "a new greener leaf" within the first week after foliar application.

• 1999 was a hard year, with an early frost and a shorter than usual harvest window.  Even so, the fruit harvested were generally larger by 10 to 15% over last year.

Fertilization: 5 gal/acre liquid chicken manure and ViBasic

Date

Location

Cultural System

Vitazyme/Fertilization

Results

2000

Los Banos, California

Variety:  French prunes

Harvest date: 

Vitazyme - August 20, 2000;

Control - August 24, 2000

Vitazyme application: 13 oz/acre at 5/8 full fruit size during one of the foliar KTS applications

Plum yield:

Control: 5,780 lb/acre
Vitazyme: 6,025 lb/acre (+4%)

Income increase:

+$104.13/acre

Fertilization: KNIT (14-0-45% N-P₂O₅-K₂O) KNO₃ and KOH (0-30-0) or K₂SO₄ (0-0-50-18[S]) were applied later in the growing season to increase plum size.  Potassium also as KTS (K-thiosulfate) was applied foliar at 5 gal/acre several times during fruit filling.  Total fertilizers applied:  Ca + 32% N (90 lb/acre N);  BioK + KTS (40 lb/acre K₂O); foliar K (50 lb/acre K₂O).  Both treatments were fertilized the same.