Microbes serve an essential function in native soil, and supply those same benefits to greenhouse growing spaces. The environmental conditions in greenhouses are carefully curated to the plants they’re supporting. In conventional growing spaces, microbes typically get left out of the equation. However, microbiology is an essential component of the plant-health equation, and can determine the success of your crop. When you have more species of microbes in your soil, there are more functions performed which are essential to crop health.
Increased Nutrient Uptake
The most important function microbes serve in your soil is to make nutrients bioavailable. Every input your plant consumes, from phosphorus to water, is touched by a microbe before it can be taken in by your plant. Having a diverse balance of beneficial bacteria and fungi in your soil can increase the breadth of nutrients available to your crop, as well as their uptake.
This leads to several key benefits that directly translate to increased ROI. Plants that can consume more nutrients grow larger produce, produce higher oil content, and are often stronger against pests and potential diseases.
Disease Suppression
While nutrient uptake is a crucial function of diverse microbes, disease suppression is another important function. These beneficial microbes support the plant’s natural means for prevention. For example, those microbes often feed on pathogens, out-compete pathogens for nutrients, and enhance the plant’s natural defenses.
These microbes support disease suppression through prevention rather than providing a cure.
Improved Resource Efficiency
Microbes work directly with a plant’s root systems to help them grow stronger and support more lasting growth. By improving nutrient uptake, the plant can utilize the resources with the soil more efficiently. Not only are the roots directly affected, but the structure of the soil as well. Microbes feed directly off of the soil and the decomposing matter within it, creating a healthier growing material little by little. Soil structure matters greatly as it directly affects your soil’s ability to move and retain water.
As the microbes in your soil consume the nutrients and plant materials around them, it makes those resources more readily available for the plant’s roots. The stronger and healthier the microbes, the more resources and the more efficiently the plant can utilize them.
Looking to get your microbes reestablished?
All of our compost and soil mixes are developed to retain and utilize the already powerful microbes in natural materials. If you’re looking to directly input microbes, our newest liquid product BIOACTIVE LiquiLife is a broad-spectrum biological designed specifically for that. This easy-to-use liquid supplies the necessary, and natural, microbes that can push your plants to their true potential.