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Maintaining a balanced soil ecosystem is key to nurturing healthy plants. Microorganisms go to work breaking down nutrients, organic matter and carrying out functions for the plant. Carbon acts as an energy or food source for soil microorganisms. 

When adding microbes to the soil you are taking a probiotic route to plant health, boosting the soil food web with key players (microbes) to tackle plant challenges. But, when adding carbon to the soil, you are taking a prebiotic route to plant health, serving the soil food web by providing food sources for microbes present within the soil. By tackling both probiotic and prebiotic approaches, you are solving both ends of the plant health care equation.

By having the optimal ratio of carbon to nitrogen (20 Carbon:1 Nitrogen), you are promoting active soil biology by providing food sources, reactivating and/or sustaining the naturally occurring biological cycles (Think Nitrogen Cycle), increasing your cation exchange capacity (the ability of the soil to store nutrients) and are controlling the process of decomposing soil organic matter.

Carbon, in the correct ratio, controls the rate of decomposition of soil organic matter, which is critical to building healthy soils. When soil organic matter decomposes quickly, carbon is volatized as CO2 and leaves the soil. However, when it decomposes slowly, carbon is released back into the soil to a stable form, allowing microbes and plants to continuously reuse the food source.

The end result of the decomposition of organic matter is humus. Humus is impervious to further decomposition. It acts like a sponge, holding in moisture and nutrients (think Cation Exchange Capacity), bringing structural integrity back to the soil. Humus and microbes act as soil buffers, protecting plant roots from pathogens and parasites.

One of the reasons why we selected Healthy Grow to manufacture our granular fertilizer is because the egg-laying poultry manure carries a high source of carbon (20:1). 

Learn how Healthy Grow Infused with Holganix is manufactured here.

When comparing composted organic granular fertilizers to pasteurized sludges and natural organic meals, the carbon to nitrogen ratio is a telling story.

Pasteurized Sludges - C:N Ratio of 7:1, Proteins are striated and not digestible by the plant

Natural Organic Meals - C:N ratio of 6:1, High in protein nitrogen but is not composted and therefore contains lower available soil carbon

Composted Organics (like Healthy Grow) - C:N ratio of 20:1, Enhanced with beneficial microorganisms and contains a high amount of available soil carbon

Together, with the carbon found in Healthy Grow and the beneficial microorganisms found in Holganix, we are supporting an elaborate soil ecosystem.

While Holganix acts as a probiotic because of the microorganisms, Healthy Grow’s carbon intensive compost functions as a prebiotic. Therefore, when utilizing Healthy Grow Infused with Holganix, you are utilizing probiotics and prebiotics to address both ends of the plant health equation and boost the soil food web.