Table of Contents
Soil Activator
Soil activators function by boosting the environment through alteration of the microbial environment. In this case, it can either foster existing microbe communities in the soil or introduce new ones to the soil. It is common that microbial activity aid in keeping the plant healthy. Regardless of such fact, the commercial soil activator might not be enough to cause an impact for the microbes to effect change in the soil.
The successfulness of microbes or nematodes is the determining factor in measuring soil activators' effectiveness. So, if they accomplish the difference, then the soil activator will cause a relative impact on the soil, thus keeping the plant healthy.
Applying Soil Activator
Like fertilizers, soil activators come in different forms, others granular while others in liquid form. Applying of soil activator will vary according to concentration and its structure.
- Granular ones: The typical ratio for granular soil activator is 10 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. Also, they entail 35% of humic acid.
- Liquid: The liquid ones entail a concentration solution that covers 1000 sq. ft. One needs to read carefully before diluting the concentration. Also, its proportion formulates ounces of such liquid to one water gallon.
Why Use Soil Activator
Having fertile soil will improve the yielding and productivity state. In this case, the soil activator will decompose since soil pathways are usually fungi or bacteria. Having multiple populations of such microorganisms will help maintain and manage a nutrition cycle and healthy plant.
Plants using soil activators entail a symbiotic relationship involving bacteria and fungi. In this case, when one feeds the soil with healthy bacteria and fungi, no doubt, the productivity will rise. Such microbes play a crucial role in improving soil nutrients and ensuring the plants are disease-free.
The following are among the reasons that explain the need to use a soil activator:
- It helps grasses to be healthy, especially in reducing thatch on a lawn
- It improves soil health by increasing its fertility and productivity
- It improves high yielding of the soil by ensuring beneficial bacteria and fungi can multiply at a quicker rate
- It feeds microbes hence activates them to perform their functions
- Through chelation, the soil activator enables the locking of nutrients to the soil for plants to reach them.
- The process helps in the uptake of required metals
- They help in nutrients retention from inorganic fertilizers
- They eradicate soil erosion by having an improved soil cohesion
- The colloidal action aids in improving soil workability
- It enables the lawn in breaking thatch into valuable nutrients
Fertilizer
When applied directly to the prescribed amount, Fertilizer entails nutrients that influence plant growth. However, such a Fertilizer is not responsible for soil texture since it does not help. Whatever percentage is applied to a poorly managed or compacted garden, even spreading on top of it, the plants will not grow. Such an aspect will only cause a runoff since the soil one opts to compact their soil as it cannot absorb moisture.
Regardless of how the fertilizer contains concentrated nutrients, one needs to handle their garden properly to enable absorption. Fertilizers contain different ratio that ranges their elements on how they are mixed, i.e., synthetic mixtures. For example, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium will follow a ratio of 1-1-1 that the plants must absorb.
Benefits of Fertilizer
- Plants can easily absorb them
- They quickly provide nutrients to plants
- They have the capability of restoring fertility to the soil
- They improve the productivity of the plants and increase at a high rate
- They boost plants' protection against pests
- Offer sustainability by having predictable yields
- It can optimize the soil's PH-value
Disadvantages of Fertilizer
Although fertilizers are beneficial to the plants and soil, they cause other effects:
- They cause soil pollution when applied excessively
- They cause groundwater pollution also, they can pollute the environment through water runoffs
- Eventually, infertility will catch up with the soil after a certain period
- They contribute to harmful elements found in the foods we consume
- They change the ecosystem
- Chemical fertilizers might affect worker’s health
- It might result in shorter gains but bring long-term losses
Role of Microorganisms
Microorganisms have to break down the elements when applied to the soil regardless of each component introduced. Since soil lacks the capability of absorbing nutrients in their raw form. In this case, bacteria or known microorganisms have to consume such nutrients and then turn them into valuable nutrients.
If the soil lacks microorganism activity, especially healthy activity, the two components will not do any good to the soil. One might see the components get wasted by water runoff when such happens. Microorganisms can populate or have healthy activity when there is friable soil texture and moisture.
Improving Nutrients Concentration
One needs to consider using compost and manure since they have nutrients from the two components. Though they have nutrients, the materials can improve plant health by having improved soil texture. Tilling such materials into the soil makes struggling roots reach for the available nutrients sourced from decaying substances.
Composts and manure offer an alternative option for one not to stick with one nutrient to boost their garden. Continuous adding of these materials will help to improve the consistency of nutrient concentration, thus enabling a plant to grow healthy and better.
Put Life Back in Your Soil
Today more than ever, it is important to understand the benefits of using a soil activator on your plants verses just using regular store bought fertilizer. Don't worry about spending a lot on the best soil activators. In the long run, it will pay for itself. Your plants will be stronger and healthier, and your harvest will be bigger. For best results start adding a good quality soil activator to your garden or pots from the start.
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