Why Soil Conditioning Is Important For Healthy Gardening
A soil conditioner can be useful for improving soil structure and drainage. It can eliminate unpleasant smells in the home, improve water quality in aquariums and ponds, and accelerate composting. Organic soil inoculants are a type of bacteria that can be added to the soil. A healthy ecosystem will include hundreds of millions of beneficial microorganisms in each teaspoon of soil. Soil that has been depleted through the use of chemicals, human alteration or pollution may lack these useful microbes. This soil fails to offer plants the nutrients they need to grow and flourish.
Thankfully, there are methods of introducing these critical microbes back into the soil in a natural way. Composting is extremely helpful, providing a significant number of these necessary microorganisms. Unfortunately, there is never enough compost available to satisfy the needs of our gardens. That's when we turn to economical and effective inoculants to improve the quality of the soil, control plant predators, bring water to plant roots, and convert nitrogen from the air and minerals from the soil into forms plants can use.
Microbial Inoculants: A Natural Conditioner
Garden soil is complex, and the biology of it goes hand in hand with keeping agricultural systems healthy and productive. A sort of society of bacteria, fungi, and nematodes work together and influence the chemical and physical properties of the soil. When these bacteria are depleted, plants suffer. Microbial inoculants are a naturally-fermented, live microbial products that can condition the soil to provide a helpful growing environment. This product is a green alternative to synthetic chemicals, and is completely non-toxic and safe for all plants, soils, animals and humans.
Gardens Rely On Microbes
Soil inoculants rely on beneficial microbes to boost plant health. They promote plant growth by stimulating hormone production and improving nutrition. Studies have shown that inoculants can generate Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) to common crop pathogens such as powdery mildew, take-all, leaf spot, and root rot. SAR sounds complicated. What it means is that the entire plant will benefit from a greater defense against a wide range of harmful pathogens. Powdery mildew is well-known to most gardeners, and is one of the most widespread plant diseases. It looks like a powdery growth and attacks a broad variety of vegetable plants. Root rot attacks mainly ornamental trees and shrubs. The tree may survive a few years before the disease eventually kills the whole plant. This fungi can spread through contaminated soil, garden equipment, splashing rain, irrigations water and runoff water. Leaf spots are round blemishes that may result in complete defoliation of a plant. Take-all root rot is a soil-borne fungus that results in brown dead areas in turfgrass.
As a gardener, anything you can do to safeguard against disease and promote plant health is worthwhile. The introduction of microbial inoculant is a simple means of guaranteeing richer soil for faster growing, greener and more rewarding results from your garden.
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