As the harvest season draws to a close, many growers focus on the fruits they’ve just gathered, eager to celebrate their hard work.

However, it’s essential not to overlook the critical steps which can influence the quality of the next season’s crop.

The post-harvest period is one of the most vital times for ensuring strong, healthy fruit and trees for the upcoming season. 

While many growers stop applying nutrients after harvest, targeted post-harvest foliar treatments can significantly enhance fruit quality, tree resilience, and overall productivity in the next cycle.

One such product, which has proven itself year after year, is Kendon High K, a premium foliar fertiliser enriched with NPK and EDTA chelated trace elements.

Specifically formulated to support the development of next season’s fruit buds, Kendon High K enhances bud quality, size, and overall tree health.

When applied during the post-harvest period, it not only improves fruit quality but also boosts the tree’s resistance to cold, pests, and diseases, preparing it for the challenges of the upcoming season.

Why post-harvest nutrition is essential
For perennial crops, the buds that will bear next year’s fruit often begin to form during the post-harvest period.

Applying the right nutrients at this critical time can significantly improve bud size, quantity, and quality.

Furthermore, these nutrients strengthen trees, helping them better withstand freezing temperatures, pests, and diseases. Unfortunately, many growers miss this opportunity, potentially leaving next season’s crop at a disadvantage.

Addressing the nutritional needs of your trees during this phase ensures that the next season’s harvest reaches its full potential and increases farm profitability.

Key benefits of post-harvest nutritional applications

1. Larger spur leaves
Spur leaves provide the majority of the energy for fruit development. Healthier spur leaves contribute to healthier fruit. Post-harvest nutrient applications support the growth of these essential leaves, leading to improved fruit development in the upcoming season.

2. Better pollination success
Stronger reproductive structures enhance the chances for successful pollination and boost the tree’s resilience to cold, pests, and diseases. Healthier buds and reproductive structures are vital for higher yields in the next season.

3. Lower disease susceptibility during blossoming
Reproduction is an energy-intensive process, and unhealthy trees struggle to defend themselves against diseases. Post-harvest applications help reduce disease susceptibility, providing a healthier start for trees when buds swell and blossoms appear.
 

4. Nutrient mobilisation for spring
Post-harvest applications help mobilize stored nutrients during dormancy, so they’re ready to support bud swell when spring arrives. This gives trees a head start, even before they begin absorbing nutrients from the soil.
 

Why timing matters
Spring often brings rapid warming, shortening the time between bud break and fruit formation.
During this period, leaves are still small, making foliar applications less effective.
By applying nutrients after harvest, trees receive essential building blocks in advance, enabling them to respond quickly when the growing season begins.
 

Key nutrients for post-harvest health
Several key nutrients play a crucial role in post-harvest applications, promoting bud development, freeze resistance, and overall tree health:
• Potassium: Enhances freeze resistance in buds by lowering the freezing point of water within bud cells.

• Calcium: Aids in nutrient and sugar movement to developing buds, improving freeze resistance and overall tree health.

• Boron: Supports nutrient movement, contributing to larger buds and better freeze resistance.

• Manganese: Vital for bud development, photosynthesis, and resistance to cold and biotic stress.

• Zinc: Promotes the growth of larger spur leaves, supporting overall tree health and productivity.

• Copper: Strengthens stems and provides systemic disease resistance, improving tree resilience.
 

Maximise your investment in the next crop

Post-harvest nutritional applications are a strategic investment in the next season’s crop.

By prioritising this step, you set your trees up for success, preparing them to handle the challenges ahead.

With Kendon High K, you ensure your buds are stronger, healthier, and more resilient to cold and pests, which paves the way for better fruit and higher yields.

Take action today

The post-harvest period is a window of opportunity you can’t afford to miss.

Apply Kendon High K at the right time to give your crops the best possible start for the next season.

By investing in post-harvest nutrition, you’re not just taking care of your trees now — you’re setting the stage for a prosperous and bountiful future for your farm.