Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Quantum Growth Beneficial Bacteria Radically Improves Plant Growth
Are your nursery plants under stress or weakened by disease? Here is a suggestion: Apply Quantum Growth beneficial bacteria. You may be pleasantly surprised to see a marked increase in plant vigor in a few short weeks. The picture to the left shows Quantum in action on blueberry plants after just 3 weeks.
Biologist and agronomist have long known that beneficial bacteria are essential in transforming atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium, which the plant can uptake. Other bacteria transport nutrient to the root zone; while others kill harmful pathogens.
What makes Quantum Growth unique is that it is a mixture of at least 12 strains of active beneficial bacteria, each providing unique features to the plant. This means that the bacteria go to work in the soil immediately. They are not in a dormant state, which requires several weeks of ideal soil conditions to come alive. Even more novel, Quantum Growth has a shelf life of up to five years, even after opening the jug (providing it is tightly sealed after use).Growers tell us that they can now reduce nitrogen fertilizer by more than 50% without a decrease in growth or yield using Quantum Growth. Quantum is also ideal in hydroponics systems.Quantum comes in five different varieties depending on soil type and application. For example, Quantum VSC is designed for turf use and incorporates additional strains to decompose thatch. Quantum is particularly effective in restoring health to damaged or stressed plants. Golf course superintendents love this product to restore damaged turf. So do nursery growers.Spring is here and now is the perfect time to apply Quantum Growth to accelerate plant growth. For more information go to http://www.smartfarmingsolutions.com/
Labels: beneficial soil bacteria, decrease nitrogen leaching, how to reduce fertilizer use, Quantum Growth, reduce fertilizer
Sunday, July 12, 2009
CHOOSING THE RIGHT POTTING SOIL FOR OPTIMUM PLANT GROWTH
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Plant growth can vary significantly depending the soil composition. This is perfectly illustrated with the basil plants in the picture. The two pots to the left have muck soil, rich in organic matter. The two pots to the right are filled with sand. The pots were seeded at the same time. As you can see, the growth rate difference is nothing short of remarkable.
Organic rich soils, those containing humus, are the best soils to grow most plants. They retain both moisture and nutrients. Humus particles are both positively and negatively charged. As a result, positively charged ions such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as negatively charged nitrates and phosphates bind to their surface. Water is also held to the surface of the humus colloids. This physical property of humus prevents leaching of nutrients and retards water evaporation. Humus soils are also rich in microbial life, essential for the transport of nutrients to the root zone, and nitrogen fixation.
Sandy soils on the other hand have no physical means of retaining water, nutrients or bacteria. Nutrients are rapidly leached with rain; and the soil also rapidly looses moisture. Nevertheless, some plants (such as cucumbers and tomatoes) thrive in this environment as long as moisture and fertilizers are available.
I find that most potting soils on the market are too light of a mix to grow garden vegetable without constant watering. This can be remedied using Hydretain. Hydretain is a remarkable liquid humectant, which retains moisture at the root zone and limits moisture evaporation. Unlike polymer beads that must be incorporated in the soil at time of planting, it can be sprayed on the lawn or pot at any time. Hydretain is a huge hit with golf course superintendents because they can cut their water use by 50% to 70%, saving them tens of thousands of dollars in water cost every year.
Another solution is to make your own mix, specific to the plant you want to grow. For example, for tomatoes, I combine an equal mixture of potting soil, backyard sand and topsoil (muck). This gives me a good balance between drainage and nutrient retention. I also add Inoculaid at planting and every two weeks thereafter. Inoculaid is a newly available strain of beneficial bacteria, that create moisture in the soil and turns nitrogen in the atmosphere to ammonia that the plants uptake. As a result, I cut my fertilizer use in half. Another reason for using Inoculaid is that the beneficial bacteria attack harmful pathogens. I no longer use fungicides, even during our hot and wet summers.
So before buying any potting soil, first determine the plant’s needs in term of water and nutrients and also consider your climate. For example, if you live out west in a desert or semi desert conditions, a typical peat potting soil will fail to provide the necessary moisture. In such case, making your own mix may be more appropriate.
Organic rich soils, those containing humus, are the best soils to grow most plants. They retain both moisture and nutrients. Humus particles are both positively and negatively charged. As a result, positively charged ions such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as negatively charged nitrates and phosphates bind to their surface. Water is also held to the surface of the humus colloids. This physical property of humus prevents leaching of nutrients and retards water evaporation. Humus soils are also rich in microbial life, essential for the transport of nutrients to the root zone, and nitrogen fixation.
Sandy soils on the other hand have no physical means of retaining water, nutrients or bacteria. Nutrients are rapidly leached with rain; and the soil also rapidly looses moisture. Nevertheless, some plants (such as cucumbers and tomatoes) thrive in this environment as long as moisture and fertilizers are available.
I find that most potting soils on the market are too light of a mix to grow garden vegetable without constant watering. This can be remedied using Hydretain. Hydretain is a remarkable liquid humectant, which retains moisture at the root zone and limits moisture evaporation. Unlike polymer beads that must be incorporated in the soil at time of planting, it can be sprayed on the lawn or pot at any time. Hydretain is a huge hit with golf course superintendents because they can cut their water use by 50% to 70%, saving them tens of thousands of dollars in water cost every year.
Another solution is to make your own mix, specific to the plant you want to grow. For example, for tomatoes, I combine an equal mixture of potting soil, backyard sand and topsoil (muck). This gives me a good balance between drainage and nutrient retention. I also add Inoculaid at planting and every two weeks thereafter. Inoculaid is a newly available strain of beneficial bacteria, that create moisture in the soil and turns nitrogen in the atmosphere to ammonia that the plants uptake. As a result, I cut my fertilizer use in half. Another reason for using Inoculaid is that the beneficial bacteria attack harmful pathogens. I no longer use fungicides, even during our hot and wet summers.
So before buying any potting soil, first determine the plant’s needs in term of water and nutrients and also consider your climate. For example, if you live out west in a desert or semi desert conditions, a typical peat potting soil will fail to provide the necessary moisture. In such case, making your own mix may be more appropriate.
Labels: beneficial soil bacteria, Hydretain, Inoculaid, potting soil, soil moisture
Monday, June 22, 2009
INOCULAID® (BENEFICIAL SOIL BACTERIA) PROTECTS PLANTS FROM HARMFUL FUNGI
Inoculaid (beneficial soil bacteria) not only reduces nitrogen fertilizer application by as much as 50%, it is also very effective against harmful fungi, nematodes and other pathogens. The month of May was the second wettest on record for Florida; and provided the perfect conditions for fungal diseases- heat and constant rain. For us, it was a perfect opportunity to put Inoculaid to the test. In April, over a period of several weeks, we seeded or transplanted hundreds of tomatoes, celery, several variety of peppers and basil plants to pots and left them to mother nature without any synthetic application of fungicides. The same for cucumbers and squash, which we seeded on bare ground. Instead, we applied Inoculaid twice during the plants’ growth stage. The results impressed us.The cucumbers, whose vines grew on bare ground, experience downy mildew but survived and produced unblemished fruits, without any spots. The only other plants with fungus growth were the spaghetti squash, which had some powdery mildew but also produced excellent fruits without any belly rot.We recently compared notes with many watermelon and cucumber growers; and unfortunately learned that they did not fare well against fungal diseases using synthetic fungicides.
For a terrific look at how Inoculaid works, through the lens of a microscope, log on to http://www.smartfarmingsolutions.com/
Inoculaid will reduce the amount of fertilizer and fungicides you currently use on your lawn, garden or nursery.
For a terrific look at how Inoculaid works, through the lens of a microscope, log on to http://www.smartfarmingsolutions.com/
Inoculaid will reduce the amount of fertilizer and fungicides you currently use on your lawn, garden or nursery.
Labels: beneficial soil bacteria, fertilizer, fungicide, fungus, Inoculaid, plant disease
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