OUR BLOG

The Science Behind Holganix

Entry 42: Get Better Seed Germination

Today, let’s spend some time talking about a little-known lawn care fact called post harvest dormancy. What does this mean? When you buy new seed that was recently harvested, it may be slow to germinate, resulting in a lag time for results. This slow germination from recent harvesting is called post-harvest dormancy.

New seed has to go through a period of time for the seed to become bio-chemically ready to go through germination. There are two key things that can help struggling seed germinate and grow properly: two specific plant hormones and nitrogen.

Plant hormones

There are a couple plant hormones that naturally speed up the process of seed germination called gibberellins and auxins. Ensuring that you have an optimal supply of these two hormones is key to getting your plant seed growing quickly. Holganix has both of these hormones present, making Holganix a successful seed starter.

Nitrogen

Another key ingredient to seed germination is nitrogen. Unfortunately, no matter how much nitrogen fertilizer you spray/spread on your freshly laid seed, it won’t make a difference unless there are nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in the soil. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are the tiny helpers that convert the nitrogen into a useable form for the plant, known as nitrates. Holganix also contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria that help make the nitrogen you spray and the nitrogen already present in the soil useable for your seed.

Other things Holganix does that helps with seed germination

• Mycorrhizae and fulvic and amino acids help stimulate deeper, thicker root development, helping the turf establish itself faster.
• The natural wetting agents in Holganix further assist seedlings in making better use of available water.
• Chitin-degrading bacteria and other naturally occurring bacteria such as Streptomyces and Trichoderma protect the seedlings from disease through thicker cell wall development.

Want to learn more about the Holganix secret recipe? Check out this blog entry.

Still not convinced?

If you’re still not convinced, check out this former blog entry where Whitehouse Landscaping of Pottstown, Pennsylvania put Holganix to the test. Want to see the results with your own eyes? Give us a call and we’ll hook you up with a free sample to try it out for yourself.