A new Multicote high phosphate controlled release fertiliser is set to transform the forestry business and dramatically reduce potential environmental damage which can be caused by conventional fertilisers.

Hortifeeds, in conjunction with Alba Trees in Scotland, has introduced the pioneering Multicote product into the forestry market place.

Alba Trees is Britain’s largest producer of forestry trees grown in small containers. The company produces over six million trees per annum at its modern nursery facility in East Lothian, Scotland.

The new Multicote polymer-coated CRF releases nutrients at a rate to match plants’ requirements. It is ideal for use in place of traditional rock phosphate and is far kinder to the environment, as well as being much more efficient.

“Rock phosphate is widely used in forestry but it is very prone to leaching, which can cause damage to the soil and water table,” explained Richard Cameron, Hortifeeds Area Sales Manager in Scotland. “We were asked to come up with a product that could be used in its place that would deliver the nutrient to the plants without the leaching.”



The Multicote CRF is manufactured by Haifa and blended at Hortifeeds’ manufacturing plant in Lincolnshire. It provides an effective feed which delivers a much higher percentage of its nutrients direct to the plants – around 90%, compared to just 13% in the case of rock phosphate. This improved efficiency helps to reduce labour costs and eliminates the environmental issues associated with rock phosphate.

The new product is being used by Alba Trees Plc in a highland forestry area, and the results have been very encouraging.

The release rate of the new Multicote CRF is governed by the soil temperature – the higher the temperature, the faster the release rate. Soil water content, soil pH and microbial activity do not affect the release rate significantly.

The incorporation of thecontrolled release fertiliser at the time of planting means that just one tonne of the new product achieves the same result as 12.5 tonnes of rock phosphate spread at regular intervals throughout the growing season.