Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
to non-nutritional means — natural hormones, amino acids, and other bioactive sub-
stances. Still, since many biostimulants are also good sources of trace minerals, I've put
them into the same chapter.
The many benefits of biostimulants seem to partially result from their influence on hor-
monal activity in plants and probably microbes. Hormones control how a plant grows.
Biostimulants can also supply a lot of antioxidants that help plants deal with stressors
such as drought and heat. Plants with high levels of antioxidants are much healthier, for
their own sake, and healthier for us when we eat them.
Biostimulants bring many different benefits to the garden. They can increase photosyn-
thesis and respiration in plants, increase yields, and increase brix and nutrition in food,
making it taste better and store longer. Depending on conditions, they have a bigger effect
at some times than at others. They almost always have a bigger effect when used regu-
larly, rather than just once or twice. Growth stimulation is usually best after four to six
weeks of treatment, so it's good to start at the beginning of the season.
Of course, they don't replace the need for organic matter and balancing other nutrients.
Some people think of them as being ineffective, mainly because a lot of the marketing of
them has been exaggerated hype, but that doesn't mean the good products out there aren't
helpful. The term biostimulants may not be the best, because when you think about it,
there are many things that “stimulate biological processes” that we tend to categorize in
groups other than biostimulants, such as compost and even microbial inoculants. Also,
some of the products in the biostimulant category could be listed in the mineral category,
and vice versa.
The term itself isn't that important. The products in this chapter are what I call biostim-
ulants, but what's more important is what they do and how to use them. If you don't want
to bring in too many external inputs because you don't want to spend the money or just
want to be more self-sufficient, that's okay. These products can be very helpful, but
they're not always required. Also, you don't need them all. If I was on a budget, I would
start with sea minerals and that would be all.
Let's have a look at the best products. Note that some of them may come mixed with
chemicals, so for the most part, be sure to find something that is certified organic, or that
has only organic ingredients.
