He gives advice and has been helping me take samples and develop a fertilizer program for my new crops. It's amazing how fast they grow. The crop can be ready in 60 days. Rouse needs only half that amount for his acreage and can sell the rest to offset his costs. Johnson helped Rouse make a smooth transition into transplant production by advising him about fertilizer solutions and making sure he knew how to take solution samples to check the quality of his source water and to monitor the nutrient content of his floatbeds.
Solution reports alert growers to potential problems.
For example, source water in eastern North Carolina often has high alkalinity that can interfere with nutrient availability, and in some parts of the state, excessive mineral concentrations can clog irrigation devices or be toxic to plants. Solution analysis provides a measure of insurance for these high-value crops. For Rouse, tobacco transplant production has been relatively trouble free. Plants grow rapidly and require little maintenance. Rouse hopes his transition into cotton production will be as smooth, but he recognizes there will be many more factors to consider.