The title of this article reminds us of a short children’s book by Lizzy Rockwell. The first few lines of the book say, ‘I am a plant eater. Plants reach out for the sun; they grow in the ground. I eat different parts from different plants, sometimes I eat the leaves, other times the roots, bulbs, stems and flowers too.’ We love this little story because it teaches children, while they are still young, that homegrown food that grows from the ground is nutritious.
We know now that eating is learnt behaviour; children watch us like we did our parents. Let’s go back a million years, to when humans were learning to understand the plants around them.
The history of plant food and homegrown food
According to scienceabc.com, ‘Our early ancestors were far more connected to the earth than most modern humans, and had to have a deep understanding of the plants and ecosystems where they lived. Their learned behaviour came from observing the generations that came before and absorbing that knowledge.’
‘Once humans became largely agricultural-based and narrowed their diets down to staple foods, much of the knowledge of wild plants was lost, or faded, but dietary traditions and regional standards persisted, based on what could best be cultivated in the area. Similarly, during the age of exploration, many legendary explorers and their crews became sick and died, often after eating the native plants. Without the regional knowledge or a local guide, they lacked the ‘learned behaviour’ that would keep them safe in that area.”
Store-bought veggies or homegrown food
Now that we have learnt this eating behaviour from our ancestors, we know which plants are safe to eat and which aren’t. The next step is to speak of growing our own food. A sustainable garden has become very trendy over the past few years, and even some well-known celebrities have shown that following a plant-based diet can be good for your well-being.
Yes, it is easier and more convenient to buy our veggies and fruits from our local stores, but homegrown food produces much tastier food that stays fresher for longer, and can be pesticide and chemical free (if you make an effort to make it so). Growing your own food is organic, healthy and even a solution to health, environmental and economic problems.
So the next time you buy your fresh produce, think of all the fun you could have had enjoying the outdoors and growing your own.
Veggies to plant
Crop pairing
A fabulous veggie gardening trick is to grow compatible plants together. You can think of this as growing your garden in layers, with plants growing upwards, ground dwellers and also climbers. Great pairings include:
Corn, beans and squashes;
Tomatoes, basil and onions;
Leafy lettuce, peas and brassicas (broccoli, cabbage).
Cut-and-regrow vegetables
Some vegetables and herbs regrow after you harvest them, producing new leaves in place of the ones you cut off. These plants include well-known favourites such as beetroot, coriander, kale, mustard, parsley, rocket, basil and spinach.
Rotating planting
This concept involves the rotation of crops in a space, and replanting new seasonal crops. This rotation method helps you to make the same garden space productive all year round, filled with fresh vegetables each season.
Planting and harvesting homegrown food
Since plants are so generous, we could learn from them to give freely by also planting plants that other living creatures can enjoy. If we follow this concept we will help to keep the circle of life going!
For more info and assistance on vegetables and fruits visit Plantland
We need insects in our garden, so use a product that only controls the pests.
Insects are necessary in our gardens. They play an important role in the natural ecosystems that keep our gardens healthy and alive. As such, using blanket pesticides with the intention of killing pests, can wreak havoc on all insect populations, and is not only irresponsible, but also counterproductive. Our gardens need biodiversity and balance. Without this balance keeping your garden healthy can be tricky. This is where using a product like EcoBuz Pest Pro comes in useful.
Some pests, that are insects, that do need to be controlled are red spider mite, whitefly, tomato leaf miner and false codling moth, and Pest Pro is registered for all of these.
Red spider mite pests
Red spider mite pests can be a real pain, especially in dry conditions during summer. They breed and spread rapidly, are difficult to detect, and require perseverance and persistence to control them once they have established themselves. Look out for tell-tale signs of infestation: discolouration of the upper leaf surface, lack of new growth, and plants looking dull and lacklustre. These pests need to be controlled as they suck the sap from the leaves, causing plants to lose condition rapidly.
Whitefly pests
Whitefly can be difficult to control because as soon as you start to spray they fly off and settle on another plant. They suck the sap of plants, weakening them and also potentially transmitting disease. Like red spider mites, they are particularly problematic during the hot months, although they prefer humidity.
Tomato leaf miner pests
Tomatoes suffer from many diseases and pests under the sun, one of which is tomato leaf miner. The little pests, which are the larvae of moths, ‘mine’ their way through the leaves of the host plant, creating trails that can be seen on the leaves. In low numbers these larvae cause just cosmetic damage, but if the population explodes then the damage can affect the plant’s health and crop, also making it more vulnerable to other afflictions.
False codling moth pests
It is the larvae or caterpillars of the false codling moth that causes the damage. They hatch after the adult lays the leaves on the surface of the fruit (avocadoes, citrus, macadamias, grapes, etc) and then burrow into the fruit. Not only do these pests eat away at the inside of the fruit, but the holes they create in the surface allow entry to other pests and diseases.
Pest Pro contains spores of the beneficial fungi Beauvaria bassiana – a soil-borne fungi that occurs naturally and commonly in many soils. The strain used in Pest Pro was originally isolated from beneath a rooibos plant in Clanwilliam and is well adapted to the hot, dry conditions of our country. Pest Pro is a 100% South African product, comprehensively researched, developed and commercialised in KZN. Pest Pro is well established in the local agricultural industry and is currently being registered in the EU and USA. Pest Pro (Reg No L 10579, Act 36 of 1947) is a biological pest-control solution that is safe, non-toxic and friendly to beneficial insects including bees, ladybirds, parasitoid wasps, lacewings, earthworms, birds and fish. Pest Pro is also OMRI certified (Organic).
How does Pest Pro work?
Pest Pro applications are recommended as a foliar spray. Best efficacy is obtained with direct contact of the target pests, so ensure good coverage of the affected foliage and flowers or fruit. It is important to note that whitefly and red spider mite are commonly found on the underside of leaves, so ensure you reach these areas. When spores make contact with the pests (or are ingested), they germinate, penetrate, grow and multiply inside the body, ultimately resulting in the death of the pest. This process takes 3 – 5 days, but pest behaviour alters much sooner. Pest Pro is effective on all life stages – insects, eggs and larvae. Three applications are recommended at 7 – 14-day intervals.
Important info when using biological products such as Pest Pro
Because the active ingredient in Pest Pro is a fungus, the use of broad spectrum fungicides should be avoided for at least three days before and after applications. For increased efficacy applications should be made during the late afternoon or early evening as spores are UV sensitive.
Summer has arrived and so have the creepy crawlies. For many garden lovers the detection of caterpillars in their veggie gardens is soul destroying, normally for two very different reasons. Firstly, the devastation of their attack and the inevitable ruin and damage to your efforts and harvest. Secondly, and often most importantly, you are then faced with the really tough decision as to ‘if’ and ‘how’ you should get rid of them…
The good news is that there is now a safe and effective biological larvicide for the control and management of a wide range of caterpillars. What is meant by the term ‘biological larvicide’? Larvicides specifically target the ‘larval’ stage of an insect and ‘biological’, as you know from previous issues, refers to the introduction of a natural enemy.
The natural enemy in question, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), is a beneficial soil-borne bacteria occurring naturally in soils. Bt is one of the first commercialised and most successful biocontrol products globally, and has been used since the 1950s for natural insect control. Bt is highly adaptive to different environments and is target specific, only being toxic to lepidopteran larvae. Bt has no effect on beneficial insects such as bees, ladybirds, lacewings and predatory wasps.
Larvae Pro is a commercial product that forms part of the EcoBuz Bio-Protect range and contains spores of the beneficial bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) subspecies Kurstaki strain SA-11.
How does it work on caterpillars?
The Bt spores are activated when mixed with water. The solution needs to be sprayed onto foliage and plants affected by caterpillars, where the spores will germinate and multiply. They need to be ingested by the larvae in order to be effective, and this is achieved when the caterpillars feeds on treated plant material. Each Bt spore contains a special protein crystal that once ingested becomes active in the alkaline gut of the larvae to form a toxin that paralyses and ultimately kills the larvae.
Larvae Pro is highly specific. The Bt crystal contained in the Larvae Pro spore only activates in the alkaline gut of Lepidopteran larvae. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) is the second largest order in the class Insecta. Nearly all lepidopteran larvae are called caterpillars, and have well-developed heads and chewing mouth parts for feeding on plants, which makes them a common pest in gardens and agricultural crops.
Larvae Pro is easy to mix and apply, with consistent results. Spray onto the affected area as soon as caterpillars are detected, taking care to cover both the surface and underneath of leaves. Once ingested larvae will stop feeding within 24 hours and die within a few days. Larvae Pro treatment will be faster and more effective on small, young larvae. Most importantly, Larvae Pro is nontoxic, completely natural and OMRI listed (Organic Materials Review Institute). It is safe for use, for consumers and the environment, it has no withholding period so you can spray today and eat today. Larvae Pro is registered for the suppression of African bollworm, tomato leaf miner and fall armyworm on crops as listed.
This particular bacterium, or disease, is one of the good guys, keeping fungal outbreaks under control.
It’s easy to see things happening in the spring garden: shoots peak out of the soil, leaves unfoil, buds burst open and everything grows seemingly overnight. But there is as much, perhaps even more, happening that we can’t see with the naked eye.
Behind that patina of spring colour and new life is a fierce battle raging throughout the garden, above the soil and below its surface, on leaves and amongst roots. Microbes are locked in territorial warfare, competing for space and resources to ensure their own survival and their expansion.
We tend to think of bacteria and fungi in the garden as the bad guys, to be eliminated in the pursuit of a pristine and ‘clean’ landscape, but some of these microbes need to be there, are beneficial and play a vital part in the garden’s ecosystem.
One of these bacterial ‘good guys’ is Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Ba), discovered in 1943 and intensely researched since then for its properties as a plant growth stimulant and broad-spectrum biofungicide. Ba is a beneficial bacterium that occurs naturally in soils, and is now globally recognised as an effective, nontoxic biofungicide that is widely used in agriculture and suitable for use in organic production. Ba is now available on retailers’ shelves as EcoBuz Disease Pro, offering home gardeners a biological disease-management alternative.
Disease Pro offers a natural disease-management solution that has no impact on the environment or beneficial insects, pets or children playing in it. It is also residue-free and has no withholding period, which means that edibles can be harvested after being treated and immediately eaten. You can literally apply Disease Pro, pick a fruit and eat it, totally safely.
Disease Pro is an excellent resistance management product, helping to prevent pathogens from becoming resistant to a particular treatment. Due to its unique mode of action it may be used in a program to avoid routine spraying of the same chemical actives, which can result in resistant disease populations that become very difficult to manage. It can also be used in conjunction with and at the same time as chemical fungicides (excluding copper based products).
More about Disease Pro:
The ‘active ingredient’ in Disease Pro consists of Ba (strain D747) bacterial spores, which are mixed with water and then applied to plant surfaces, where they germinate and grow. Disease Pro supresses powdery mildew and downy mildew, and is registered as such on a number of crops such as table grapes and cucurbits (the pumpkin and squash family).
Disease Pro produces substances (antimicrobial metabolites) that prevent the growth of fungi and other bacteria.
Disease Pro is fast growing and quickly colonises plant surfaces, competing for limited nutrients and space. This makes it difficult for diseases to get established.
Disease Pro boosts the plants natural immune system, which over time improves the plant’s resistance and makes it less susceptible to pathogens.
Disease Pro works best as a preventative spray, applied before the onset of a fungal infection. If you know that you live in a damp area or that your garden is prone to mildew infections, inoculate susceptible plants before mildew becomes a problem. The Ba spores will quickly colonise the plant surfaces, occupying space and resources that the mildew or other pathogens would need to become established. Apply weekly with a minimum of three applications. So get out there and get multiplying those spores!
We always say, “you are what you eat”, and most of us think we’re being healthy when we eat five servings of fruit and veg a day. But do we really know what we’re eating? When we buy a punnet of plums or a bag of kale from the supermarket, do we know what they were sprayed with while growing or after they were picked? No we don’t, which is the real benefit of eating plants you planted, nurtured and harvested in your own garden – you can control what goes onto them, and therefore what goes into your body. This is why we all need to be talking more about biological control, or ‘biologicals’.
Simply explained, biological refers to a natural ‘circle of life’ – the predator and prey relationship found in nature, like a lion catching a springbuck. The lion kills something, which is gruesome, but there’s no collateral damage – only the springbok is hurt. With biologicals we take that part of nature and focus it to benefit our gardens – we take the natural enemies of a pest in our garden, and we use them to keep the pest (and only the pest) under control: birds eat caterpillars, ladybirds eat aphids, and beneficial bacteria, viruses and fungi keep other pests and diseases in check.
A biological approach, or biologicals, centres around nature, embracing the synergistic relationships that occur naturally to ensure survival and sustainability. ‘Biologicals’ view nature as being brilliantly creative and diverse – with soil (a living ecosystem) being integrally interconnected with roots and plant health. As an example of the complexity of the soil ecosystem, there are about a million fungal and bacterial organisms in a single teaspoon of soil, each of them playing a part in the natural cycle of life in the garden.
If you want an example of how effective biologicals can be in pest control, look no further than the declining infestations of prickly pears in South Africa. At the beginning of the 20th century prickly pear was a big problem, taking over swathes of agricultural land. Then clever scientists introduced a little cochineal bug, which did its thing and got prickly pear under control. Port Jackson willow is another local biological success story, where a gall-forming rust fungus and a midge have both proven to be effective control agents.
More relevantly to us and our veggie gardens, tomato plants are very susceptible to Phytophthora root rot, caused by phytophthora fungus-like organisms. Inoculating your soil with biologicals like the spores of the Trichoderma asperellum fungus, which colonises root systems and protects them, can control this. The result – no more root rot, and no chemicals needed!
Another problem we all face is the caterpillars that always arrive when we plant cabbages or mustard, or any member of the cabbage family. If you spray your plants with the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) beneficial bacteria, the caterpillars will stop eating and eventually die, and if a bird eats them it’s no problem.
A range of biological pest control products is finally available on local retailer shelves. Keep an eye out for the new EcoBuz brand and the four biological products launched in spring 2019. This exciting new development introduces biologicals: safe, effective pest-control solutions that don’t compromise the health of beneficial insects, birds, pets, people or soils and the environment.
Benefits of Ecobuz biological products, or biologicals, for edible gardeners:
No residuals – this is of great significance with all edible crops as it means applications can be applied right up to harvest. (Each product is unique, so always check the packaging and inserts for specific details.)
Biological product ‘mode of action’ is unique in comparison to chemical counterparts. This makes these products ideal for use in rotation with chemical treatments to prevent and manage pest resistance (where frequent and repeated use of the same chemicals results in a pest no longer being susceptible to its effect).
Gardening is biology, revolving around the biological processes of growth and life. For millions of years, plants have thrived and grown successfully with no human intervention.
Chemical pest control and plant nutrition have become the norm over the past 80 years, though, with many negative side effects recently emerging. The good news is that new natural innovations, offering a long-term holistic alternative, are now emerging – ‘biologicals’ for biological gardening.
A biological gardening approach centres around nature, embracing the synergistic relationships that occur naturally to ensure survival and sustainability. As gardeners we have been taught to view bacteria as germs, fungi as diseases, and insects and weeds as pests. However, the scientific truth is that many of these critters are beneficial, even essential, to healthy plant growth and development. When there is an excess of one pest species it is often an indication that the natural balance has been disturbed and an indication of vulnerability.
Natural biological control takes place continuously, in its own unique way, within every ecosystem. Using a garden as an example, biological pest control would include everything from birds feeding on grubs to owls catching rats, to ladybirds keeping aphids under control, or parasitic wasps laying their eggs on caterpillars. Even competitor plants such as alien invasives influence the ecosystem of a garden.
Finally, gardeners need to be aware that there are good pathogens – beneficial bacteria, fungi and viruses that feed on microbes and insects. There are also bacteria that are good for the soil, as probiotics are good for your stomach.
Biological products contain the naturally occurring enemies of crop pests and diseases, as well as organisms that facilitate improved root growth and nutrient uptake. These living organisms may be fungi, bacteria or viruses, in environmentally friendly and easy-to-use formulations, excellent for biological gardening.
Although perceived as a relatively new science, this technology dates back to the late 19th century, but has experienced a re-emergence with the decreasing faith in chemical agriculture. The process of identifying, screening, isolating, testing and mass producing microbes can take decades and in order for biological products to be sold commercially, they need to adhere to the same stringent controls as synthetic products in terms of efficacy and application.
Several strains of fungi and bacteria have been identified to be effective in the control and management of pests and diseases. Each has a unique mode-ofaction. For example, the fungal spores of Beauveria bassiana attach and penetrate through the ‘skin’ of whitefly, spider mite and various other insect pests when contact is made. The fungus grows and multiplies inside the insect, ultimately resulting in death. Similarly, beneficial bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens colonises plant surfaces, occupying space at potential infection sites, utilising nutrient sources and making it difficult for pathogens such as powdery mildew to get established.
Biopesticides are not a ‘soft option’, but offer highly effective pest-management solutions. Due to their natural presence and relative host specificity they are safe for the environment, non-toxic to non-target organisms like bees, beneficial insects, pets and, most importantly, children. In addition, most bio-pesticides are residue free and can be applied to edible crops right up to harvest. They also act in a way that is unique when compared to their chemical counterparts. This makes them ideal for use in rotation with synthetic chemistry to prevent and manage pest resistance – a process whereby frequent use of the same chemistry results in a pest organism no longer being susceptible to its effect.
What does all this mean for biological gardening?
The goal of sustainable biological gardening is to grow healthy plants, in a healthy environment with minimal impact on the environment. Biopesticides offer natural, non-chemical alternatives. These may not be as immediate and as impactful as a synthetic pesticide, because they take a little longer to take effect, but they are just as effective as their chemical counterparts and should be the first option in your garden’s pest management program.
A maize plant sets its maximum yield potential within the first seven days of planting. Likewise, in gardening the first seven days of an annual’s growth are regarded as critical growth periods.
Across the globe, increased attention and interest is being placed on overall health and wellness. Trends have shifted from simply ‘looking’ good to ‘feeling’ good. Being fit, strong and active, both physically and emotionally, is a growing priority for us all. With the rampant spread of diseases such as cancer, the value of health cannot (and is no longer) underestimated. Plant health echoes this conversation.
Healthy strong plants will always be prized over weak, struggling ones. As with human health, continued research and significant developments are continuously being made in plant science. As knowledge of the many growth processes increases, so too does the research and development on tailoring products to maximise each step. So what have we learned and what do we as gardeners need to know about plant health? In nature, plants predominantly need water and sunlight to survive. They are reliant on nutrients within the soil, air and water for nutrition, and grow as best they can within their environment. As such, nutrient-rich soils support enhanced growth when compared to sandy poor soils – hence earlier discussions and emphasis on the importance of soil health. Mankind has been supplementing plant nutrition since the beginning of time. Early Egyptian, Roman and Babylonian records suggest minerals and manure have enhanced farm productivity since ancient times. Gardeners are well aware of the benefits of supplementing nutrition. Some of us are more knowledgeable than others and, as with most things in gardening, everyone experiences success and failure at some stage. As responsible gardeners, it’s important to embrace an integrated, holistic approach to plant health, supplementing nutrition with products that are sustainable and effective, with no negative effects on your soil, your plants and your family.
Macroelements and microelements
Plant nutrition centres around the elements needed by plants to survive. Macroelements are those needed in large amounts and include nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K), which form the basis of all synthetic granular fertilisers. Microelements are as important as macroelements, but they are only needed by plants in small amounts. They may also be referred to as trace elements. In order for plants to grow to their best potential, they need both macroelements and microelements. It’s important to review your garden’s nutritional recipe, ensuring it provides a balance of both in order to get the best out of your plants. The ‘barrel analogy’ (Liebig’s Law of The Minimum) is a principle developed in agricultural science that visually explains the concept. Liebig’s Law states that, ‘Growth is dictated not by the total resources available, but by its limiting factor or scarcest resource.’ So even if every required nutrient is available to your plants, they won’t be able to grow if they don’t have water (or any single element that is necessary for growth). Ensuring your plants have access to the full nutritional complement will ensure growth is maximised.
The Science behind plant growth
Gardeners who simply feed their plants N, P and K shortcut the natural ‘BioChemical sequence of plant nutrition’. See graphic. In summary, the boron (B), silica (Si) and calcium (Ca) ‘complex’ kickstarts plant growth, allowing N, P, K and the other essential plant nutrients to be absorbed and utilised as needed. What does this mean for us, as gardeners? That plant growth is triggered by the availability of key micronutrients. To maximise growth in your garden, ensure your fertiliser program includes trace elements and B, Si and Ca in particular.
EcoBuz nutrition
The EcoBuz nutrition range has been developed with this science in mind, offering a simple three-step approach to improving plant growth in your garden.
Step 1; HumiGro (the focus of previous features): highlights the importance of soil health and offers a solution to feed your soil.
Step 2 and 3 are liquid fertilisers, StartGro and MultiGro.
StartGro, a blend of organic and inorganic nutrition, targets the early growth stages of plants and is based largely on this biochemical sequence. Its most significant point of differentiation is that it contains no N and P, with only small traces of K. This makes StartGro ideally suited to triggering the growth process. As such, StartGro is recommended for use at planting, be it from seed, seedlings or transplants, and is suitable for shrubs, trees and more.
MultiGro offers an all-in-one vitality solution. This A – Z biostimulant enhances and maximises plant growth, promoting fruiting, flowering and overall plant wellness. MultiGro incorporates an optimal blend of organic and inorganic nutrition, which includes N, P, K plus a full range of micronutrients, added vitamins, kelp, fulvic acid and natural amino acids. MultiGro is ideal for use as a recovery tonic to revitalise stressed and deficient plants. Sustainable gardening is at the core of EcoBuz. We offer superior products tailored to achieve the best possible results with little to no impact on the environment and on our soils.
Inspired by the terrarium trend and museum dioramas, there’s great fun to be had in planting up clear containers with succulents, moss and plastic wildlife to create beautiful terrariums.
For Your Terrariums You Will Need:
An assortment of glass or clear plastic/ acrylic containers: terrariums, vases, medium to large mason jars as well as small fish bowls or tanks
Child-friendly, spike-free succulents
Spray-bottle filled with water
Small pebbles as well as decorative stones
Potting soil
Moss (available from nurseries)
Plastic animal toys
Instructions:
1. Place a generous layer of small stones or pebbles in the bottom of the container.
2. Top with soil, leaving a few inches of space at the top for plants (depending on their size) and small plastic toys.
3. Plant the succulents and create scenes using the toys and moss.
4. Spray your terrariums with a fine mist of water as needed.
Tips
Terrariums make a great DIY gift for little friends: pop a suitable container, several small succulents and a mini spray-bottle into a gift box along with soil, pebbles and plastic toys sorted into separate Ziploc bags. Don’t forget hand-written instructions.
There’s no limit to how creative you can get: think colourful gravel, fairies, toadstools and dinosaurs.
Before assembling your terrariums, mark the inside of the jar with dots of glow-in-the-dark paint to up the cool factor.
TEXT Mandy Allen/Bureaux PRODUCTION Jeanne Botes PHOTOGRAPHS Warren Heath/Bureaux. www.bureaux.co.za
The link between soil health, carbon and healthy plants
We’ve always stressed how important soil health is to plant health, but our friends at Madumbi are the experts so we asked them to give us a more in-depth understanding of carbon.
Fact: The nutrient content of a plant’s tissues is directly related to the nutrient content of the soil, and its ability to exchange nutrients and water with plant roots. (FAO – Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations fao.org/ soils-2015)
In simpler terms, plant health and soil health go hand-in-hand. South African gardens are made up of a wide range of different soil types, each with their own properties, benefits and challenges. Soil is the foundation of a good garden and as our understanding of soil health grows so too does the priority of building soil.
What do we mean by building soil?
To build a house you need bricks, cement and a team of builders. We all understand that – but how do we as gardeners go about building soil?
At Madumbi, our reference point starts with nature, where soil is formed primarily in two ways:
Physical and chemical: The weathering of rocks, into smaller and smaller fragments that ultimately lead to soil formation.
Biological: The decay of dead plant and animal material to form organic matter.
These processes have been taking place for millions of years, and will continue to do so. However, as the global population grows, so does the pressure for healthy food production and healthy soils. The natural soil-forming processes simply cannot sustain our growing planet – we need to do our bit by protecting our soils and building soil in our individual capacities, whether in the garden, on the farm or in nature.
The importance of carbon in soil
The carbon cycle is a fundamental part of life on earth. See above.
CO2 is probably the form of carbon we are most familiar with, but this only makes up a small portion of the gases in our atmosphere (0.04%). Significantly more carbon is stored in soils as ‘soil organic carbon’ (SOC), which is more commonly understood by gardeners as soil organic matter (plant and animal matter in various stages of decay).
Soil carbon is the backbone of soil fertility. The more carbon in the soil, the healthier the soil, and as a result the healthier the plant growth will be.
What are humates and humic substances?
EcoBuz HumiGro is a carbon-based soil conditioner made from humate granules. Humic substances make up the major organic component of the Earth’s soils and sediments, created from decayed biomatter. After plants die, their organic biomatter is degraded by microorganisms in soil to eventually produce humus. Humus-rich soils form the basis of healthy plant growth. Humates are the active ingredient in humic substances.
Adding humates to the soil adds carbon to the soil. In nature, nothing happens in isolation, and the additional carbon promotes existing microbes, enhancing microbial population growth, which results in improved microbial activity and decay (supporting the biological processes needed to build soil).
Humates have the following key benefits:
Feed beneficial micro-organisms (provides energy and nutrition).
Increase root respiration and formation.
Enhance nutrient absorption.
Improve soil aeration and water retention.
Decrease water loss and reduce leaching.
Enhance the performance of fertilisers.
Act as a buffer to harmful substances in the soil.
Think of humates as a concentrated version of compost that forms part of a holistic approach to soil health management.
Humates and compost contribute to the building of soil but because HumiGro is a more concentrated version it has a significant impact on the rate that soil and organic matter is improved.
Soils need to be viewed as a living, symbiotic ecosystem. While this article focuses on the importance of carbon, the basis of soil fertility, it is important to remember that carbon is just one cog in a highly complex system.
Our Team is ready to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Feel free to get in touch!
Office Hours: 8:00am – 16:00pm
If we are not available then email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. hello@tanyavisser.com