What are Biostimulants and what is their value in your garden?

Biostimulants are natural substances or micro-organisms that stimulate the natural growth processes which facilitate the efficient uptake of nutrients. They are found in products like Humic and Fulvic Acids, Seaweed and Fish extracts and Beneficial Bacteria like Bacillus subtills and Rhizobium. All these elements are found in UltraGrow products.

Humic acids are naturally derived from the breakdown of plant and microbial matter and are the foundation of all fertile soils as humus. Over the years, these Humic acids accumulate in the soil to provide greater nutrient supply ability, water holding capacity and importantly, readily available carbon food for beneficial soil micro-organisms.

This is nature’s way of minimising nutrient loss to maintain long-term soil fertility and ensure sustainable plant growth. Humic acids present in the soil hold a wide range of micro-nutrients and macro-nutrient around plant roots to provide all the essential nutrients for quick root uptake and optimum plant growth.

Biologically, Humic and Fulvic Acid stimulates the growth of beneficial soil fungi and bacteria while providing a readily available source of carbon for soil micro-organisms.

Chemically, they have good chelating properties which reduce nutrient loss through leaching and run-off by freeing up many ‘soil bound’ nutrients like phosphate, calcium and trace elements. Chelation makes nutrients more readily available, contributing to much faster nutrient uptake and growth.

Physically, they promote better soil structure while soil organic matter (humus and not mulch) has a great ability to hold nutrients in the soil until they are required by the plants.

Fulvic acid is nature’s photosynthetic booster helping plants work efficiently from full sun conditions to areas of low sunlight and shade. This amazing natural acid helps to maximise what sunlight is available and photosynthesis continues despite the shade. However, understand the plant or lawn still needs a good level of ambient sunlight. There is no research to prove this but the proof is in the eating of the pudding. Give it a try in your garden to see the results for yourself!