Solutions For Environmental Stressors

As we all adjust to our changing climate, we are forced accept that “unprecedented” weather events are now the new normal. This leaves growers of all types scrambling to figure out what’s best for their plants in this new landscape. Luckily, there are some smart people out there creating effective and innovative solutions to the most common environmental stressors that plants face. These products approach issues like heat, drought, cold and salinity in a variety of ways, but they are almost universally meant to be used proactively. So, while it may be too late to save some plants for damage that has already occurred, it’s never to late to plan for your next planting. 

Heat & Drought 

I thought about separating this into “Heat” and “Drought”, but products that are good for one are good for the other. These are two-for-ones, if you will.

One of our newest products this year is Mikro H2O. This innovative powdered product introduces two species of Rhizobacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis) into the soil. They will then secrete natural polymers around the root zone and build biofilm. This biofilm forms a protective shield that holds water and protects the roots from evaporation and other stressors while improving nutrient uptake and essential functions. All this and it’s remarkably cost efficient. 

Another product that works in the root zone is NutriRoot®. This liquid combines a gentle 2-2-3 fertilizer with a blend of seaweed extract, nutrients, humic acid, humectants and surfactants. This combination provides nutrition and encourages root development; but, through its humectants, it enables the soil to literally pluck water from the humidity in the air and deliver it to the root zone.  This allows for less watering while still maintaining a steady and secure water supply. Hydretain® (which comes in 3 versions) uses the same water management technology as NutriRoot and performs in the same way. This main difference is that Hydretain does not contain the fertilizer. Hydretain’s claim to fame is that it can reduce waterings up to 50%.

We also carry a number of products with water-soluble polymers that hold water and then slowly release it to the plants as needed. In addition to being water-conserving devices, these polymers can condition the soil and improve penetration of water into the soil. Soil Moist™ Water Aide™ is an organic OMRI-listed version with many application possibilities. Another option we have is pH-neutral WaterWorks Crystals®. It is as versatile and effective as the Soil Moist option and can reduce waterings up to 75%. The last option I want to mention here is Plant Keeper. This polymer-based product was developed for use when you need a watering to last extra-long – it will keep the plant good for up to two weeks. This is perfect for when you have travel plans, or it would be great for use with a Christmas tree.   

Salinity 

A home by the sea is enviable in many ways, but it can be challenging to grow in soil with a high salt content. In truth, you don’t even have to be right by the sea – hurricanes and other storms that brew over the ocean can dump great quantities of salt water many miles inland. While this is not a condition that can be resolved quickly, it is also not hopeless. You just need to commit to the process and be conscientious in treating your soil.

Yucca schidigera is the smart go-to for natural desalination. Yucca extracts reduce salt buildup by reducing dry pocket formation within the soil and increasing permeability of the soil. You can access this valuable commodity in a liquid form  by using Therm X-70® or SaferGro® Natural Wet®. Both of these are very affordable and have multiple benefits beyond desalination. If you prefer a dry product, RAW Yucca Flow is an excellent option. It’s fully water soluble and a little goes a very long way.

     Water

Too much water is as devastating as too little and, in many ways, it’s harder to come back from. Floodwaters don’t just drown plants outright; they can carry contaminants and pathogens looking for a place to call home. Before you can rebuild your garden, you’ll need to let things dry out and then re-build your soil (more on recovering from too much water in my blog here). When it comes to building soil, we have a great deal to choose from. The following are a few I have chosen to give you an idea of what to consider:

TerraGrow – This OMRI-listed powder is chock-full of seven beneficial microbes as well as important nutrients. TerraGrow can bring nearly any soil back into winning condition. The large size (10 lbs and up) of this product may not work for smaller home growers, but perhaps you can use it as an example of what kind of product to get. We have other similar options that will work for you (look in Soil Amendments, Micronutrients & Biostimulants). 

BioAct™ SD – Powered by beneficial microorganisms and humic acid, this organic soluble powder chews through organic matter while supplementing the microbial life. If you have some gnarly fields (or a garden) full of stubble and crop residue after high water, this could be the starting point you need. You will, of course, need to let it all dry out first. 

Unleash™ - This liquid inoculant is made with a proprietary blend of both aerobic and anaerobic rhizobacteria to offer multiple plant benefits. These bacteria would work well in a flood-ravaged setting.  It was developed for cannabis and hemp cultivation, but it can be used broadly in agriculture. This is not an inexpensive product, but it’s cost per application isn’t bad and the sheer expanse of its uses and benefits make it worth the cost.  

VRD™: Volcanic Rock Dust™ - We are really getting back to basics with this item. VRD (or any soil amendments sourced from volcanic rock) are rich in trace and essential minerals that are crucial for healthy soil. This particular amendment has Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Sodium, and hydrophobic Fulvic Acid (which boosts nutrient acquisition in the soil). Soils treated with VRD receive the minerals in a slow release for long-term, continuous benefits. Volcanoes started the whole soil thing, so rebuilding using volcanic amendments just makes sense. 

There is a lot to worry about weather-wise these days, but your garden does not need to be one of those worries. We’ve got you covered in one way or another. 

Take Care.

Submitted by Pam

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Planning To Plant? Give Your Soil A Meal First.

In recent weeks, we’ve published blogs with an eye to helping you prepare for spring planting. There was one on the types of soil to use and one about soil pH. Last year about this time I did one on soil amendments. This time around, I thought I’d throw out the Single Ingredient Meals option. We have been working on expanding our line of these particular soil amendments as they are an excellent choice for someone who wants an effective amendment without having to fuss over the various nutrient options. These meals are also naturally sourced and slow to break down, giving your plants long-lasting, healthy and environmentally friendly benefits. In fact, most are OMRI listed or certified organic from another entity. Meals can also  be mixed with other meals and fertilizers to fit your unique needs and desires. With Single Ingredient Meals, you cannot make a wrong choice – they are all great for your plants. Let’s run through what we have to offer:

Alfalfa flower

Alfalfa Meal: Alfalfa is just an all-round great addition to your garden. This perennial flowering plant is in the legume family and is stuffed with vitamins, amino acids and minerals. It is also a nitrogen-fixer and contains triacontanol, a hormone that stimulates root growth. It even helps with decomposition to keep that good organic material and all those nutrients in the soil and accessible to your plants. Alfalfa Meal also works well as a tea, which can then be applied as foliar feed. Roses love alfalfa, but it works equally well for other flowers as well as herbs, shrubs and trees. We carry Alfalfa Meal in smaller boxes.  For more on the greatness of alfalfa, check out this article.

Blood Meal: This fertilizer is a by-product of meat packing and is usually sourced from cow blood. It is very high in nitrogen, which encourages leaf growth. It can also raise the acid level and lower the pH in soil. This meal is particularly effective when used for nitrogen-loving plants such as corn, broccoli, spinach, and other leafy greens. A side benefit of Blood Meal is that has some repellent properties when dry; deer and rabbits don’t like it. This article has some informative do’s and don’ts when using Blood Meal.

Bone Meal: This is another by-product of the meat industry and, like Blood Meal, it generally comes from cows. Bones are dense in calcium and phosphorous to keep vertebrates strong and healthy. Plants need these same minerals to grow vigorous and robust cells and roots and to photosynthesis efficiently. Use Bone Meal early in the growing cycle to get those plants going. It is particularly good to use when planting bulbs, flowering annuals, perennials and ornamentals. Bone Meal can be dangerous to dogs if they consume it, this article has more on that and other guidelines for usage.

Crab Meal: Also sourced from a food industry, Crab Meal (and other shellfish fertilizers) is made from the left-over shells after the meat has been removed. These Crustacean shells are high in nitrogen, but also contain plenty of calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. While all of these ingredients are excellent for your plants, it is the chitin in Crab Meal that sets it apart. Chitin increases plants' cell wall strength and encourages populations of beneficial soil microorganisms. These microorganisms release enzymes that help control pest nematodes in the soil. Slugs and snails don’t like it either. Crab Meal can be applied anywhere in the garden, but is especially helpful in vegetable gardens/flower beds and when used as a compost amendment to stimulate decomposition and nutrient availability. Here is a short, but helpful, article on shellfish fertilizers.

Fish Bone Meal: This fertilizer, a byproduct of the fishing industry, is a comfortable alternative for many people made uncomfortable by the slaughterhouse source of traditional mammal bone meals. Fish Bone Meal is high in phosphorous and calcium and will give you plants that can absorb water and nutrients more easily. Great for all plants, but particularly for flowering plants, bulbs and new garden beds. You will see the results in bigger, brighter blooms and more vibrant vegetables. Here is a video on the subject.

Kelp Meal: This first-rate fertilizer is made from Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed found in the waters of the North Atlantic. As it floats around, the kelp plant is able to filter the nutrient-rich ocean water to harness a multitude of micro and macro-nutrients. This allows kelp to grow at an amazing rate and, once dried and milled, Kelp Meal can do the same for your plants. Kelp Meal contains upwards of 60 minerals or elements, 12 vitamins and 21 amino acids. All plants love kelp, so feel free to use on any type of plant at any point in the growing season. We carry Kelp Meal from Down to Earth and Maxicrop  in a variety of sizes and prices, so you should easily find one that works for you. For more on Kelp Meal, read this article.

Neem tree

Neem Seed Meal: This soil additive is yet another beneficial product from the venerable tree. Neem Seed Meal is what remains after the oils are extracted and it is packed with macro and micro-nutrients that your plants will love. All those nutrients will help build a healthy microbial system and strong roots. This fertilizer also improves soil texture and increases organic matter in the soil. As if that weren’t enough, Neem Seed Meal also has a secret weapon – pest control. Just as Azadirachtin from the tree serves as a potent insecticide and repellent, the meal does much the same thing. The  target pests here are soil-dwelling and include grubs, root knot nematodes and root aphids. Use Neem Seed Meal on anything you grow; but it has a strong odor, so you probably won’t want to use it on indoor plants. We offer this remarkable plant product in the meal form and in the cake form. Here’s more on pesticides from the Neem tree pesticides.

Corn Gluten Meal:  This is another fertilizer with a secret weapon – more on that in a minute. As a fertilizer, Corn Gluten Meal offers a non-burning, slow-release dose of nitrogen that will get the green going in your plants. This is especially true of turf, grasses, shrubs, trees and vegetable greens. This fertilizer should only be used on established lawns and plants (those that are rooted with true leaves), but use it as soon as the plants are ready in the spring to give them a strong start. And now to the secret weapon: When used in higher amounts than the fertilizer rate, Corn Gluten (in both granular and liquid forms) is an excellent pre-emergent to combat weeds. If you use it for this purpose, be careful to not apply in anywhere that you have just planted seeds or transplants.We carry a variety of Corn Gluten products. For more on this seemingly magical growth promoter and inhibitor in one, check out our blog on the subject.

Here’s to happy planting!

Submitted by Pam

World Soil Day - Build Soil. Help The World.

Last Thursday Americans celebrated Thanksgiving, which is meant to be a day of gratitude. (Okay, you don’t have to be grateful for mean old Uncle Cyrus). But, as we were celebrating, I believe it is safe to say that very few people thought to be thankful for the ground they were standing on. Or for the soil that produced their annual feast. World Soil Day hopes to change that by building awareness of the precarious position of our soil in the world today.

World Soil Day is an annual event put on by the United Nations. It is observed worldwide on December 5th with outreach, functions and even contests. The basic purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of and advocate for healthy soil. Every year there is a theme that relates to soil; last year it was soil pollution and this year it is soil erosion. All around the world, our soil is eroding at an alarming rate. According to the UN, one soccer field worth of soil is lost every five seconds and it is not an exaggeration to say that the very food we rely on is being threatened. Climate change (which is an even larger issue) plays a part in increased soil erosion, but an awareness of the importance of healthy soil and good soil management can make a real difference on a micro level. Big changes can be made in small steps. Here is a cool little cartoon on soil health from the World Soil Day site.

Slash and burn farming in India

Aside from wind, water and other climatic factors, in many parts of the world soil erosion and degradation (when what soil is left is no good) is the result of human activity such as ecologically damaging farming methods like slash and burn agriculture. However, healthy soil loss from overgrazing, deforestation, mining and pollution is found everywhere. Combine all that with the extreme storms, drought and flooding that come from climate change and the need to do something is urgent. India, home to over a billion people, is already in crisis. Their largely poor and agrarian population is struggling and every year they are hit with intense monsoons and flooding. While the rains have always been a part of Indian life, they are becoming more and more extreme. The US is not immune to soil problems; this  enlightening article explains why we are running out of soil (including a super-interesting tidbit on the Roman Empire and their soil issues).

Here in Arizona, we have the premier example of water-caused soil erosion– the Grand Canyon. The canyon may have taken eons to be created, but we have all seen mini versions of it in our yards after heavy rains. This is a particularly thorny problem here in southern Arizona, where a good portion of our soil contains a Caliche layer. Caliche is, quite literally, as hard as concrete and does not allow water to pass through it. Combine this with the intense storms that we get during our summer monsoons (they can be bad, but not as bad as those in India) and there goes the surface soil.

Haboob bearing down on Phoenix

Additionally, we have extremely dangerous and damaging haboobs (dust storms), which are an exceptionally dramatic display of soil erosion. I once had the misfortune of being caught up in one of these on the freeway between Phoenix and Tucson. I am not a person who scares easily, but the whole experience was truly terrifying. Beyond the windshield everything is just a weird tan-orange color and all you can do is hope you don’t run into something and that nothing runs into you. Experts say you should pull over and turn off your lights (and pray nothing finds you), but I just got off on the first exit I could. I found out later that three people had died in a multiple car accident just ahead of me. If I hadn’t made that turn, I would have been a participant in that. Here is a video that really shows what they’re like.

Addressing soil health is often done best right from home. Here at ARBICO, we have been singing the healthy soil song for decades. We have gathered a great many excellent products that anyone can use in their yard or garden to encourage strong soil that’s rich in microbial life. You could begin with a mineral (or more than one)  like Soil Replenish (Elemite), Andesite, Glacial Rock Dust or Harvest Gold Premium Soil Conditioner (Silica). To add nutrients and jump-start your soil biology, you can add items such as Fulzyme SP, Earth Alive Soil Activator, and Neptune’s Harvest Humate Concentrate. Or you could go the one-stop-shop route and get our Healthy Soil Recipe or John & Bob’s Clay & Hard Soil Kit (excellent for Arizonans). These are just a brief sampling of what we have to offer in the soil building arena, there is much more in our Soil Amendments, Micronutrients & Biostimulants category..


If you are unable to contribute in changing the soil around you, I encourage you to consider recycling your green waste. And if you’re unsure of what to do with it once you’ve collected it, here is my blog with suggestions for that. If you are interested in reading more on soil building and/or soil in general, here is a link to some of our blogs that you may enjoy. Now, go out and get your hands dirty – and help the world!

                                                                                                                               Submitted by Pam

Soil Amendments: When You Know Your Soil Needs Something….

The time is rapidly approaching when gardeners have to ask what it’s going to take to build the spring garden they want. Before you can grow plants, you need to grow the soil. There is almost always something that can be done to optimize the soil early in the season for your raised beds, garden plots or container plants. In order to do that, you need to take a good look at what your soil is like before planting. Some good questions to ask are:

• Is it compacted? 
• Is it too acidic or alkaline? 
• Does it have all the nutrients my plants need 
• Has it become hydrophobic? 
• Have I introduced beneficial microorganisms to help me along the way?

All of these are valid questions and should be part of your pre-planting checklist. If you need it, you can find the answers to or help with these questions right in your area. Ask at a local county extension office run by the Department of Agriculture, a Master Gardener (also part of the national extension program), universities and colleges, local gardening clubs or neighborhood nurseries. The expertise of people growing right where you are (especially those prolific ones!) can’t be overestimated.

Another option is a simple soil test. We offer several do-it-yourself options as well as a soil analysis done by professionals. Test kits will take the guesswork out of the soil analysis problem and ease the minds of all but the most worrisome of gardeners.

Once you have an idea of where your soil’s at quality-wise, you’ll know how to proceed. If you don’t need much added to get where you want, it might be time to look at soil amendments instead of fertilizer mixes (which make a stronger punch). There are lots and lots and lots of soil amendments to choose from, here are some popularly used and proven options:
Compost – a great all-round addition to soil. It will revitalize depleted soil by adding organic matter and microbes, which in turn will speed up the decomposition of other organic matter and encourage microbial life to flourish in the amended soil. Our ARBICO Organics™ Compost Plus is also high in nitrogen, if that is what you are looking for.
Humic Acid – The benefits of Humic Acid are very similar to that of compost. The liquid form of Humic Acid, however can be easier to use than compost, especially when working in a small area and for indoor and container plants. The liquid will also get to the roots quicker than compost.
Earthworm Castings – This is an old-time favorite for good reason. Castings are full of the micronutrients and trace minerals that your soil craves. They also breakdown slowly for long-term benefits (and fewer applications) and reduced risk of nutrient burn. While castings do their work in the soil, they are improving the soil structure, which reduces transplant shock and helps to buffer pH. Earthworm Castings contain chitinase, which is a natural compound that helps the plants fight soil-dwelling diseases and pests. 

Bosco verticale, Milan, Italy. Photo by Chris Barablis

Kelp Meal – It’s all about the nutrition when it comes to Kelp Meal. Bursting with amino acids, vitamins and trace minerals, it feeds the soil well to get it healthy. This well-fed soil welcomes organic matter and microbial life and is much better at retaining water.
Minerals – Many people go straight to a mineral to get minerals for their soil. Azomite and Soft Rock Phosphate fall into this category. They are packed with minerals that leach into the soil over time to provide dynamic and long-lasting benefits. In the case of Andesite, your garden may even get an electrical charge!

The bottom line is that nearly any soil (even balcony soil) can use a little amending and with the affordability of most amendments, why not give one a try? Since soil amendments generally work well with others, you can even try a combination.

Submitted by Pam & Sterling