Vulture Creek Clino is a natural zeolite mineral which is extremely porous and composed of aluminosilicates. The particular type of Zeolite that Pratley mines and processes is called Clinoptilolite. Zeolites have a strong internal negative charge and will absorb positively charged particles called cations from their environment. They will hold onto these cations and under certain conditions, release them and exchange them for another type of cation. All fertilizers are manufactured from positively charged cations such as Potassium, Ammonium, Sodium and Calcium. Vulture Creek Clino, being negatively charged will continually exchange these cations in the soil and will act as a natural regulator in the soil, with the ability to absorb and release these nutrients as required by the plant. Vulture Creek Clino therefore acts as a slow-release fertilizer. Due to its unique characteristics, Clinoptilolite has even been considered as the growing medium of choice for future missions to Mars.
Applications
Vulture Creek Clino is completely inert and non-toxic, and as mentioned will absorbs the cations within the fertilizer and again slowly release them over a prolonged period. Thus, it will act as a slow release fertilizer. This not only makes the fertilizer a lot more effective, but also minimizes the overdosing of fertilizer, which could adversely affect the growth of the plant.
Vulture Creek Clino can most certainly be used for all crops and will increase the yield of any planted field. Some of the biggest customers are golf courses that use the product on their fairways and greens as well as companies that blend growing mediums for the commercial vegetable growers in the country.
Directions for usage
Practically 1kg of Vulture Creek Clino will be mixed into the first 100mm of a square meter of soil. One can obviously increase or decrease this mixing ratio, depending on the condition of the soil. Normally, sandy soils will require more Vulture Creek Clino than compact soils. The main reason for this is that with sandy soils, the nutrients are quickly leached into to soil and the Vulture Creek Clino will assist in retaining the nutrients in the rootzone of the plant.
Pratley was a confirmed exhibitor at the postponed Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day that was to take place last month.Fortunately, and according to the company’s Marketing Director Eldon Kruger, failure to exhibit at the NAMPO Harvest Day has not adversely affected the sales of Pratley’s mineral products. Conversely, he adds, they have recorded an increase in sales and foresee a further surge in the same due to the change in season.
Over the lockdown months of April and May, sales were obviously down as the economy was essentially closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pratley, however, reports a significant uptick in sales over the last couple of weeks. This, Eldon says, can be attributed to the fact that most of their products are essential products to the farming industry. Furthermore, he asserts that the company is showing a steady growth in sales and expects this to continue even during the pandemic.
Pratley is currently exporting the product to most neighboring countries and even as far as Zambia. However, Eldon notes room for growth across Africa, especially since most African countries are experiencing a food shortage and Vulture Creek Clino can increase the yield of any planted crop.
