FAQ

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DR. EARTH® GARDENING GUIDE DR. EARTH® GARDENING GUIDE
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The soil is alive! Below our feet and invisible to the naked eye,
tiny microbes—the great digesters of the earth—constantly break
down organic material into a more usable form that plant roots can
identify, absorb, and ultimately incorporate for new growth. This
material includes complex organic compounds, such as tannins,
lignins, proteins, carbohydrate, cellulose, pectin, etc.
Healthy soil should contain no less than 10,000,000 bacteria per
gram. The presence of microbes ensures that nutrients are made
available to plants at a steady rate. While the plants are actively
growing—and requiring more nutrients—so do the microbes
in the soil. As the weather warms, both the plant and microbes
respond at a similar rate. The microbes become increasingly active
in their role of breaking down organic materials into forms more
readily absorbed by the growing plants that need extra nutrition.
As the weather cools—and plants require less nutrition—so do
the microbes. The reduction in their activity means fewer nutrients
in the soil are being released to the plants. In this way, the soil can
rebuild food reserves. This self-regulating cycle has occurred for
millions of years as part of the wisdom of nature.
Microbes also help to stabilize the soil by physically binding soil
particles together; they release a by-product called glomalin that
acts as a glue, binding mineral particles and organisms to each
other. This contributes greatly to soil aggregation. All of these
processes happen naturally in a healthy, productive soil.
FEED THE SOIL
When we feed our plants instead of our soil, we lose all the
benefits that microbes contribute. When we say ”feed the soil,” it
means feed the microbes in the soil, because it is the microbes that
make nutrients available for the plants. The way you feed microbes
is through the addition of organic material. If you feed with a
synthetic chemical fertilizer, you are feeding the plant, not the soil,
or the microbes. Adding petrochemical synthetic fertilizer also drives
up the salt index in the soil and changes the pH, which can have
adverse effects on plants.
More importantly, chemical fertilizers only feed for a short period
of time; organic fertilizers offer continual feeding because the
microbes cannot digest all of the organic fertilizer at once. With
chemical fertilizers, we also lose the microbes’ contribution to soil
aggregation. Good soil aggregation leads to improvements in tilth,
water retention, the rates at which water penetrates the soil, the
amount of oxygen in the soil, and the reduction of runoff. All of
these desirable soil conditions can be achieved by adding organic
material. As you can see, microbes are immeasurably important and
essential to the health of all productive soils.
To elevate the microbial colonies in your garden, use Dr. Earth®
organic fertilizers and soils. They contain TruBiotic®, a broad-
spectrum soil and seed inoculant, already mixed into the products.
Two things will happen when you use Dr. Earth®:
■
The organic fertilizer and soil will become the food source for
the microbes, providing almost immediate nutrition for your
plants, which means fast results.
■
Your soil will contain the proper number of microbes to truly
benefit your plants because – unlike most organic fertilizers and soils –
Dr. Earth® products have various species of beneficial microbes
already included as components.
Increased biological activity in the soil, and the buildup of
existing bacterial populations, will help make your plants and
garden resistant to diseases, frost, and insects, while maximizing
the potential for growth and health. Remember: your soil is alive.
DO NOT TREAT IT LIKE DIRT! Learn to work with, and nurture, the
natural bio-system of your soil.
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PREMIUM DRY FERTILIZER
Infused With TruBiotic® Soil Microbes
A fertilizer for every need:
Spectacular
®
Bulb Food Fertilizer
Loosens and improves soil structure so bulbs
can reach maturity more quickly.
Root Zone
®
Starter Fertilizer
Provides balanced and fast nutrition for
transplants and plants in early stages of growth.
Total Advantage
®
Rose and Flower Fertilizer
Provides bigger, more abundant blooms
naturally for all roses and owers.
Acid Lovers
®
Acidic Fertilizer
A nutritional boost to maximize plant health
for all plants requiring acidic soil. Target pH 5.5.
Home Grown
®
Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer
Promotes large, healthy vegetables for a
nutritional boost to maximize your harvest.
Annual Bloom
®
Flower Garden Fertilizer
Ideal for annuals, bedding plants, impatients,
begonias, and every ower in the garden.
Premium Gold
®
All Purpose Fertilizer
All purpose fertilizer provides balanced and fast
nutrition for all plants.
Flower Girl
®
Bud and Bloom Booster
Ideal for roses, vegetables, fruit trees, vines and
every owering plant in your garden.
Natural Wonder
®
Fruit Tree Fertilizer
Formulated to promote hearty roots and fruit
growth for all fruit trees and berries.
Exotic Blend
®
Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus
Designed to meet the exacting requirements of
tropical and subtropical plants.
BENEFICIAL MICROBES AND MYCORRHIZAE
The Dr. Earth invention of Probiotics signaled a major breakthrough in gardening science, the
rst time fertilizers were infused with living organisms. Products that imitate—some of which
include chicken manure—cannot even come close. The word Probiotics always signies the
rst, the original, and the absolute supreme microbe-infused fertilizer on the market.
NATURE
,
S INTELLIGENCE PURE & SIMPLE
TECHNOLOGY
NATURE'S INTELLIGENCE PURE & SIMPLE
ADVANCED
GARDEN
TECHNOLOGY
NATURE'S INTELLIGENCE
PURE & SIMPLE
The importance of soil microbes