In the 2025-2026 cropping season, the fourth summer of the Carbon Positive trial, we are growing butternut pumpkins for Heinz-Wattie’s. Our planned planting date of the 15th of November is fast approaching.
The conventional treatment was broadcast sprayed with glyphosate in mid-October and cultivated in early November. It was disced, then aerated, rotary hoed and rolled. It will be planted with treated seed and 300kg/ha of Complex. After planting, 50cm strips of pre-emerge will be sprayed over the plant line.
The Hybrid treatment was strip-sprayed in mid-September, and was strip tilled at the end of October before being broadcast sprayed with Glyphosate to remove the living strips. It will be planted with treated seed coated in TrichoStart, 250kg/ha of Complex and Mycorrcin, Biostart N, and TrichoStart via liquid injection. It will get sprayed with pre-emerge over the plant line.
The Regenerative treatment was strip-sprayed at the same time as the Hybrid treatment, and before it was strip tilled, a mixture of OMYA Calciprills, Humates, Sulphur, and Boron was applied by drone. This mix has been applied every year in the Regenerative treatment in the Carbon Positive trial when the cover crop is breaking down, before planting. This mix stimulates worms and soil microbiology, which improves soil health. We used 150 kg/ha of OMYA’s Calciprills and 10 kg/ha of Boron as calcium and boron are essential for soil health and plant growth, and it is important that the correct balance is maintained.
Since our soil is naturally low in sulphur and sulphur is slowly released from organic matter decomposition, we applied 10 kg/ha of Sulphur to ensure sulphur will be available to the butternut crop. 5 kg/ha of Humates was applied as it is a microbial stimulant, it stimulates Mycorrhiza fungi, which helps plant roots access nutrients, and it also improves fertiliser efficiency.
It will be broadcast sprayed with Glyphosate to remove the living strips and any weeds that germinated from strip tilling. It will be planted with untreated seed, 150kg of Complex, 5kg/ha of Humates and Mycorrcin, Biostart N, and TrichoStart via liquid injection. It will also get two 50cm strips of pre-emerge over the plant line.
Throughout the season, the Operations Advisory Group and Heinz-Wattie’s agronomists will meet weekly to track how the butternuts are growing. Together, they’ll make the calls on crop protection, weeding, fungicide and insecticide use, and adjust management decisions as the season unfolds.
We are particularly grateful to OMYA for supplying us with the Calciprills, Webster’s Lime for providing us with Boron and Sulphur, and BioStart for supplying us with Mycorrcin. We are thankful for the ongoing support of Heinz-Wattie’s, Gareth Holder from Redloh Horticulture and Hamish Thomas from NH Packing. We look forward to working with them as our butternuts are sown, grown and harvested! Carbon Positive is a partnership between LandWISE, the HB Future Farming Trust, McCain Foods, Heinz-Wattie’s and Process Vegetables NZ.