Grower: Teratak Perpateh Farm (Hazril)
Location: Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Crop: Chilli
System: Cocopeat polybags, open-field precision fertigation
Daily checks: Leachate EC and pH from a drain station
Tools: Bluelab OnePen™, Pulse Meter and Multimedia pH Meter
Hazril runs Teratak Perpateh Farm in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, where he grows chilli in open-field conditions. His focus is on steering plant growth precisely, despite the challenges that come with climate variability, high crop demand, and low-residue growing practices.
The farm uses 100% cocopeat in 12" x 12" polybags (approx 5.2 litres) and focuses on steering plant growth through careful irrigation and nutrient management.
Chilli is known as one of the most demanding crops to grow, especially in open-field environments. Teratak Perpateh Farm also prioritises low-residue practices, using natural pesticides.
• Daily leachate checks help Hazril steer chilli growth in open-field conditions
• Crop steering is possible without a greenhouse
• OnePen™ acts as a single reference point for fertigation decisions
• Root zone data helps prevent salt buildup and nutrient lockout
The team’s approach is built around a simple idea: better decisions come from better data. Rather than relying on assumptions, they monitor what is happening in the media and the root zone each day, then adjust fertigation to steer the plants toward vegetative or generative growth based on their observations.
To achieve this, they utilize a combination of Bluelab tools that provide visibility across the entire picture, including nutrient strength, pH, moisture, temperature, and root zone conditions.
The Bluelab OnePen™ plays an essential role beyond daily drain measurements. The team uses it to verify pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature levels, and confirm their nutrient program is on track.
"We rely on the Bluelab OnePen as our single source of truth, the golden reference, to cross-check and validate the readings, ensuring our irrigation and nutrient management remain precise and consistent." - Hazril
This extra layer of validation is especially useful when mixing nutrient solutions or working at higher EC levels, where accuracy matters most. By spot-checking their measurements with OnePen™, they can stay confident that irrigation and nutrient adjustments are based on reliable data.
Each morning, the farm collects the EC pore extract from their cocopeat media using a simple drain station. They then measure the EC and pH of the leachate using the Bluelab OnePen directly from the collection cup.
This daily leachate data helps them:
Monitor plant condition and media status
Decide whether to steer toward a more vegetative or generative direction
Plan the day’s irrigation strategy using their p1 to p4 schedule
They also determine shot size based on polybag volume and field capacity. Using a typical 1%-3% shot size, they calculate irrigation duration per dripper and use dryback as a steering lever. For vegetative steering, they reduce dryback. For generative steering, they increase dryback and adjust shot size accordingly.
The team uses the Bluelab Pulse Multimedia EC/MC Meter intermittently to measure bulk EC in the media. This helps them understand what is happening closer to the root zone, including whether salt buildup is developing around the particles of cocopeat.
They also use Pulse to evaluate whether the water table in the media is at an optimal level. These readings help confirm whether shot size and irrigation timing are working as intended, or whether adjustments are needed.
The Bluelab Multimedia pH Meter is used intermittently to measure the current pH of the growing media. This helps the team identify drift over time and take corrective action when needed, including flushing the media to bring pH back into the optimum range for nutrient uptake and healthy chilli growth.
Together, these Bluelab tools enable the farm to crop steer with confidence through every stage of growth.
Each tool supports a different part of the decision-making process:
Drain station EC and pH to guide daily irrigation strategy
Root zone bulk EC and moisture to check for buildup and water table control
Media pH to stay within the optimum range for uptake
“All three Bluelab tools: Pulse Meter, Multimedia pH Meter, and Bluelab OnePen™ are vital instruments for us, as they allow us to steer the plants accurately and confidently through every stage of growth.” - Hazril
Precision crop steering is not limited to high-tech greenhouses. With the right data and a consistent routine, growers can apply these practices in open-field environments too.
For Teratak Perpateh Farm, the combination of daily leachate checks, root zone monitoring, and reliable cross-checking has become a practical toolkit for steering chilli crops and improving decision-making across the full season.
For growers working in open-field environments, Teratak Perpateh Farm shows that crop steering doesn’t require a greenhouse, only the right data, a consistent routine, and tools you trust.