The Holganix Blog

A special thank you to Holganix partner, iSelect Fund for featuring us in their webinar series featuring disruptive technologies. 

Food demand is on track to double by 2050, demand for organic food is growing significantly faster than the acreage to produce it, and yet the world has lost a third of all arable land in the last 40 years due to erosion and pollution damage. Farmers today are struggling to cost-effectively meet these increasing demands, in a world where water, fertilizer and other chemical usage is becoming increasingly expensive and regulated.

Learn how one company is working to help farmers meet this demand while saving money at “Plant Probiotics That Grow Strong Crops, from the Ground Up,” a webinar featuring Dr. David Stark, President of Holganix.

Holganix’s plant probiotics increase crop yields while simultaneously reducing the need for water, fertilizer and chemical inputs. With Holganix, farmers can effectively cut their costs while producing more plentiful, natural foods.

Click the link below to watch the webinar! 

“There’s something really special about working with our students in our edible garden project,” explains Kim Hisler, Patton Middle School’s Family and Consumer Science teacher. “It’s one thing to explain nutrition and plant growth stages to a child from a textbook - but to truly show the students and work with the students in the soil and watch these fresh vegetables grow - that’s a completely different level of learning. In fact, hands-on education or experimental education is especially meaningful for middle-school aged children.” 

Kim runs Patton’s edible garden project, an initiative that grows fresh produce for community members in need while introducing and expanding the students understanding of science, nutrition and healthy eating habits. Patton’s garden project encompasses three tunnels and 22 raised beds. Some of the vegetables are also grown hydroponically and aeroponically.

“We grow spinach, peas, kale, cabbage, lettuce, bok choi, swiss chard, radish, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, scallions, potatoes, onions, kohlrabi, turnips and herbs as our cool season crops, plus all of the warm-season crops,” states Kim.   

In the past, Kim would add fresh compost to the garden beds before planting but had never applied any fertilizer or other inputs. “Each year we would have various diseases and pests, but it was important to the school and health of the students that we didn’t use pesticides,” notes Kim. “Instead, we took an approach where we build soil health through compost in order to care for the crops. We also usually sacrifice one or two crops to bugs so the other crops thrive.”   

This year, Kim ran into difficulties getting the compost and wasn’t able to top her beds off. “Early on, I could tell my soil quality wasn’t the best and I was really worried about running into a lot of problems with soil health in our beds.

Plus I was about ready to give up on our hydroponics altogether -  the lettuce was really deficient in nutrients with zero growth over a span of a few weeks.”

Then, in late April Kim started using Holganix Bio 800⁺ Bloom on the crops, which had been donated by Holganix.

“I added the Holganix Bio 800⁺ Bloom and some Holganix nutrient products to the hydroponics and literally within a few days the color and growth of lettuce looked amazing,” explains Kim. “I have been growing lettuce at the school for ten years now and everyone is saying this harvest of lettuce is the best tasting I have ever grown,” Kim assures that from now on, adding Holganix products will be her new method of growing hydroponically or aeroponically.

In addition to the hydroponics, Kim has used Holganix Bio 800⁺ Bloom on the raised beds. “The raised beds also look very healthy, without any pests or disease problems which are rare especially with all of the rain we have had!”

According to Kim, “I am really excited to try the Holganix Bio 800⁺ Bloom with our summer crops, especially our tomatoes! I’m hoping that the microbes in Holganix will help build our soil and plant health to help combat the blossom end rot we typically see.”

Holganix Bio 800⁺ Bloom is designed to build healthy soils and strong plants by harnessing the power of over 800 species of soil microbes. Farmers using our Bio 800⁺ products are seeing increased crop yields, stronger root systems and more resilient plants that are better able to withstand the stresses caused by disease or weather.

Dig Into The Data: University and Commercial Grower Trials

Over the past four years, we have been compiling data on several different crops in different geographic zones to deepen our understanding of how Holganix Bio 800⁺ can help farmers maximize crops. Click the button below to access a sample from our 2017 and 2018 collection.

Across the country, but especially in the midwest, wet conditions are leading to soil compaction problems for farmers and turf professionals. Compaction can always be an issue in poor soil types, but when combined with wet conditions, soils compact more easily, even good soils.

Why Does Soil Compaction Matter?

Healthy soils have pockets of air for microbes and roots to breathe, also allowing plant roots to drive deeper into the soil. Compact and wet soils can lessen the roots’ abilities to grow, further, the lack of airflow can make soils go anaerobic.

Anaerobic soils are teeming with anaerobic microbes that need little-to-no air to exist. While some anaerobic microbes can be beneficial or neutral, many can cause diseases. Anaerobic microbes actively kill aerobic microbes (microbes that need air) and can lead to denitrification, or the loss of nitrogen in the soil. Aerobic microbes are responsible for cycling nutrients, protecting roots and building soil. That means anaerobic soils cause big problems for crop yield and turf color!

>>Learn more about aerobic and anaerobic microbes

How Does Holganix Bio 800⁺ Help?

Holganix Bio 800⁺ products are teeming with beneficial soil microbes that improve soil health and root development for all plants. For farmers, Bio 800⁺ improves yield and crop resilience during stressful conditions. For turf professionals, Bio 800⁺ is a tool to reduce the amount of fertilizers and pesticides needed to grow green, thick turf.

But, Holganix Bio 800⁺ can also fight the effects of compaction in two key ways:

1. By promoting deeper, more extensive roots that break up compaction layers, allowing air to penetrate deeper into the soil.

2. By adding back the beneficial aerobic microbes to restore healthy soil function.

>>Learn more about how Holganix Bio 800⁺ products can help improve crop and turf performance

What’s The Dirt On Soil Health?

Digging into Soil Science 101: Beginners Guide to Understanding the Soil Food Web eBook

We know healthy soils are important, especially when faced with the threat of a wet spring. But, how do soils work? And, what does healthy soil look like? Dig deeper into soil science by downloading our FREE eBook by Holganix Director of Soil and Plant Science, Dr. Robert Neidermyer.

Download our eBook to explore:

1. How the soil food web supports healthy plants

2. The power behind soil microbes and what they do to build resilient plants

3. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil

On June 8, Taylor Petsinger of Arvilla, North Dakota surveyed 160 acres of young, healthy soybeans. He had planted them on May 12, just under a month ago and had been looking forward to a calm, successful season. Little did he know that Mother Nature had another plan. In just 48 short hours she dumped an inch of rain accompanied by crop-destroying hail. His once-promising soybean crop was gone.

Would most guys quit, and file an insurance claim.. maybe, but not Taylor. Five days later, he replanted his beans. “During a normal season we usually see a 45-bushel per acre average,” explains Taylor. “But because of the late planting, we expected a 15-bushel loss.”

Shortly after planting, Taylor applied Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture to give the crop an extra push to develop roots. “We applied the product at 0.5 gallons per acre rate on June 20th, just before emergence,” explains Taylor. “Pretty quickly we started noticing a difference in the rooting between our Holganix crop and the control.”

In fact, just before flowering, Taylor decided to check on the root development. Since he didn't have a shovel handy, he pulled the crops like weeds. The Bio 800⁺ treated roots were stronger, with more development compared to the control.

See the root comparison photo below; the left crop was treated with Holganix Bio 800⁺ and the right acted as the control.

Taylor went back to check on them just after flowering. The Bio 800⁺ treated tap root broke the hardpan and went eight inches deep in the soil. On the other hand, the control’s tap root curled and stayed level with the depth of the seed, about two inches deep. In the event of a drought, roots as shallow as the control’s would not last long.

Even though Taylor knew that planting soybeans this late increased the likelihood that snow would fly before harvest, he rolled the dice. But yet again Mother Nature threw Taylor a curveball. This time, she dumped 11 inches of snow on the field just before harvest. According to his agronomist, the snow accounted for an 8-to-12 bushel per acre loss.

Despite it all, Taylor reported seeing a 33 bushel per acre average - well ahead of his forecasted loss, with beans weighing 57 pounds per bushel and a moisture of 12%.

Why did Taylor see a better than expected yield? According to Taylor, he attributes the yield to Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture.

How does Holganix Bio 800+ Protect Your Yield?

There are two key benefits to using Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture during a short planting season.

(1) Holganix Bio 800⁺ develops a deep, extensive root system, quickly. The faster you develop an extensive root system, the faster your crop can catch up to the development it usually sees under normal conditions.

(2) Holganix Bio 800⁺ replenishes soils with microbes during wet conditions. When soil microbe populations are depleted, nutrient cycling declines and pathogens can become more problematic. Holganix Bio 800⁺ contains over 800 species of beneficial soil microbes and when applied to the soil, replenishes critical microbe populations.

Check out our infographic below-showing comparison photos of farmers dealing with short growing seasons and quick establishment. 

Dig into the data: University and commercial grower trials

Over the past four years, we have been compiling data on several different crops in different geographic zones to deepen our understanding of how Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture can help farmers maximize crops. Click the button below to access a sample from our 2017 and 2018 collection.

This Earth Day, our team takes a few minutes to pause and reflect on why we are grateful for soils, and specifically why healthy soils are so crucial to our future - whether or not you are in the agriculture and turfgrass industries.

Check out our SlideShare on the 25 Reasons To Be Grateful For Soil below. Or, skip the SlideShare and keep scrolling to skim through our bullets.

If you are reading this blog via email, click here to view the SlideShare. 

1. Soil is the backbone of our food security. Without healthy soils, farmers wouldn’t be able to provide us with feed, fiber, food, and fuel.

2. Just like how a foundation for a home is critical, healthy soils act as a foundation for plants by supporting plant roots and keeping plants upright for growth.

3. Soils act as a pantry for plants, storing and cycling essential nutrients and minerals that plants need to grow.

4. Soils store water for plants. In fact, according to the USDA, “every 1% increase in organic matter results in as much as 25,000 gallons of available soil water per acre.” That’s a lot of water!

5. Soils maintain adequate aeration for plants, providing oxygen for microbes, insects and plant roots.

6. Soils are habitats for beneficial soil microbes; these organisms are nature’s hidden helpers. They form synergistic relationships with plants to protect them from stress and provide them with nutrients, among other tasks. According to the USDA, “one teaspoon of healthy soil contains, 100 million-to-1 billion individual bacteria alone.”

7. Soils are homes for many other organisms like insects that lay and hatch eggs in the soil.

8. Soils filter surface water of dust, chemicals and other contaminants. This is why underground water is some of the cleanest sources of water. In fact, according to Soils.Org, “through natural processes, such as soil absorption, chemical filtration, and nutrient cycle, the Catskill Watershed provides New York City with clean water at a cost of $1-to1.5 billion, much less than the $6-to-8 billion one-time cost of constructing a water filtration plant.”

9. Healthy soils help protect the plant from climate change. According to Columbia University’s Earth Institute, “soils remove about 25 percent of the world’s fossil fuel emissions each year.

10. Healthy soils provide farmers with better crop yields and protect plants from stress.

11. When it comes to human health, almost all of the antibiotics we take to help fight infection were obtained by soil microbes.

12. Healthy soils protect the land from erosion.  

13. Soil is a nonrenewable natural resource. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it can take hundreds to thousands of years to form a centimeter of soil. But, that single centimeter of soil can be lost in a single year due to erosion.

14. 11% of the total U.S. employment works in the agricultural and food sectors - that’s 2.16 million full- and part-time people working on our soils each day.

15. Soil is made up of 45% minerals, 25% water, 5% organic matter and 25% air.

16. Soil acts as a holding facility for solid waste.

17. Soils help regulate the Earth’s temperature.

18. Healthy soils mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events.

19. Archeologists have determined that many sophisticated civilizations such as the Mayans and the Harappan, fell because they mismanaged their soils.

20. According to Soils.Org, “about 70% of the weight of a textbook or glossy paged magazine is soil”

21. Putting clay soil on your face as a “mud mask” cleanses the skin’s pores.

22. According to the World Future Council, “soils help control weeds, plant pests, and disease.”

23. The best china dishes are made from soil.

24. Soil is the foundation of our buildings, roads, houses, and schools. In fact, soil affects how buildings are made.

25. Soil holds Earth’s history, containing artifacts - from dinosaurs to ancient human civilizations - from our Earth’s past. There’s a lot of history stored in soils!

Why Soil Health Matters @ Holganix

At Holganix we revolutionize the way the world grows by harnessing the power of soil microbes. In fact, our flagship product Holganix Bio 800⁺ contains over 800 species of beneficial soil microbes, that work to build soil and plant health naturally. Our products are used by farmers to increase crop yields and by landscapers and golf courses to reduce their need for fertilizer and pesticides. It’s official, SOIL MATTERS!

What’s The Dirt on Soil Science?

Digging into Soil Science 101: Beginners Guide to Understanding the Soil Food Web eBook

We know soils are important and we know why we should be grateful for healthy soils. But, how do soils work? And, what does healthy soil look like? Dig deeper into soil science by downloading our FREE eBook by Holganix Director of Soil and Plant Science, Dr. Robert Neidermyer.

Download our eBook to explore:

1. How the soil food web supports healthy crops

2. The power behind soil microbes and what they do to build resilient crops

3. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil

A silent predator, soybean cyst nematode (SCN) leads to an estimated $1 billion worth of yield loss in the U.S. each year. With planting season drawing closer, it’s important to keep the threat of Soybean cyst nematodes under consideration.

Check out our infographic on the threat of soybean cyst nematodes and how your farm can proactively battle SCN in the field. Or, skip the infographic and scroll to the bottom to read the article in more depth.

What Are Soybean Cyst Nematodes?

SCN are microscopic roundworms that attack soybean roots and other plants. Juvenile worms burrow into soybean roots to feed and develop. While feeding, the SCN damages roots by stealing water and nutrients. This can lead to stunted growth and reduced yields. In addition, punctures from the SCN can allow disease to enter the roots, furthering yield problems.

If the SCN is female, she has the potential to lay 200 or more eggs after her death, potentially leading to an infestation if the problem isn’t curbed.

There can be visible signs of SCN, but they are also silent killers. In fact, 15-to-30% yield loss can occur without any visual above ground differences.

Which Farms Are Under Threat?

According to AgWeb.com “Farmers in the “I” states and other areas with known SCN populations should actively manage the pest because its developing resistance to certain genetics. However, states, where SCN is a new problem, face challenges, too.” Fields or sections of fields that have high pH levels and standing water, can often have a greater threat than other fields. North Dakota State University Nematologist, Sam Merkell reports, “pH is more important than soil texture, but sandy soils can show more symptoms of nematode damage if the plant is water stressed.”

Be Proactive With Soybean Cyst Nematodes

According to the SCN Coalition, avoiding tight rotations and using SCN soybean resistant varieties are all proactive ways to fight the threat of SCN. In addition, conducting soil tests before planting and manually digging roots to check for tell-tale cysts, can all help.

Further, improving soil health, especially the presence of beneficial soil microbes, leads to the development of suppressive soils. Suppressive soils are those where soil-borne pathogens do little or no damage to the crop largely due to competition and predation by beneficial soil microbes. Improving soil health also helps by building a strong root system and by improving the crop's resilience against stressors, ultimately building healthier plants that better resist yield loss due to SCN.

New Tools To Battle Soybean Cyst Nematodes

Sometimes even the most proactive farmers have to pull out nematicides to battle SCN outbreaks. Holganix is currently developing a bionematicide that harnesses the power of soil microbes to fight juvenile SCN. While studies are still ongoing, preliminary results have shown a 75% reduction in pathogenic nematodes with Holganix technology in a lab setting and a 80% reduction in pathogenic nematodes in a field setting.

“We are excited about the opportunity with this technology,” explains Holganix President of Agriculture, David Stark Ph.D.

>>Learn more about our preliminary results by visiting this blog

Across the corn and soy belt, weather forecasts point to a late spring. We have had bitterly cold weather in some regions, and in others, we have had rain and flooding; for many, field work to prep for planting has been delayed.

Once conditions dry, it will be a mad dash to get crops planted. When we are faced with conditions like these - a shortened growing season with rough weather conditions - using Bio 800⁺ Agriculture becomes paramount for farmers looking to maximize their crop. In fact, there are two key benefits to using Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture during these conditions.

1. Developing a deep extensive root system, quickly

When the season turns from spring to summer in a short period of time, getting roots established is key so the crop can withstand the dry, hot periods that are sure to follow. The faster you can develop an extensive root system, the faster your crop can catch up to the development it usually sees under ordinary circumstances.

Microbes in Holganix Bio 800⁺ like mycorrhizae fungi, and plant growth promoting bacteria focus on developing a strong, web-like root system as quickly as possible for the crop.

>>Learn more about End and Ecto- Mycorrhizae

>>Learn more about Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria

2. Replenishing soils with microbes during flooding/wet conditions

Ground that is saturated with water will become anaerobic or very low in oxygen, so the beneficial, aerobic microbes drown and their populations decline rapidly. Tilling or leveling ground damaged by last year’s harvest, winter weather and floods also kills microbes, particularly beneficial fungi. The drop in aerobic, beneficial microbes not only opens the door to microbial pathogens which don’t require oxygen, but further nutrient cycling will decline since this process is dependent on beneficial microbes. This means nutrients in cover crops, plant debris, manure and even synthetic fertilizer will be less available to the new crop.

Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture contains over 800 species of beneficial soil microbes and when applied to soils, replenishes critical aerobic soil microbe populations that are harmed during wet conditions and necessary field repairs.

>>Learn more about our microbes by downloading our ingredient list

Improving crop yield and soil health is just the start…

Not only does Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture improve crop yield and soil health, but it also plays a huge role in helping farmers overcome challenges associated with a shorter planting season and rough weather conditions.

At Holganix, we talk a lot about the importance of soil health and all of the long-term benefits improved soil health can mean for your farm. While Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture should be the foundation for that sort of program, using the product provides more than just long-term benefits; the microbes in Bio 800⁺ can help farmers today, in the short term, especially during tough weather conditions.

Check out our university and commercial grower trials

Over the past four years, we have been compiling data on several different crops in different geographic zones to deepen our understanding of how Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture can help farmers maximize crops. Click the button below to access a sample from our 2017 and 2018 collection.

Soil health has become an important benchmark for all growers - regardless of whether you are growing corn, berries, turfgrass or ornamental trees and shrubs. Yet for many, soil health definitions and terms are new and confusing! In this blog, we focus on providing simple and concise explanations for 10 key soil health terms.

To “short-cut” the article, you can select any term you would like to explore using the list below.

Soil Structure

Soil structure influences water and air movement, soil microbe activity, root growth, and seedling emergence. In short, it is the arrangement of pore spaces and solid soil particles that are glued together by sticky substances created by bacteria and root hairs. Good soil structure has 50% soil particles and 50% pore spaces occupied by air and water.

Soil Degradation

Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality; specifically, it is the decline of the soil’s physical, biological and chemical state. Depending on the severity of degradation, the soil can still be used for crop production. According to the USDA, the “productivity of some lands has declined by 50% due to soil erosion and desertification.”

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy found that 75% of our lands are degraded. Their assessment took three years and included more than 100 experts from 45 countries. Check out the image above from GRID Arendal (A center collaborating with the United Nations Environment Program) which demonstrates degraded land worldwide. 

Soil degradation can be caused by improper land use through agriculture, pasture urban or industrial purposes.

>>Looking to learn more about Soil Degradation? Check out the U.N. to combat desertification

The Soil Food Web

Within the natural world there exists a complex balance among living organisms known as the “food web.” Plants, animals, and microorganisms are all instruments in an orchestra; each plays a crucial part in the natural symphony of life. If even one of the players is out of tune, the whole soil food web suffers. However, when everything is in order, the results are beautiful.

A healthy soil food web is very similar to the food web we all learned in middle school (see image below from the National Resources Conservation Services).

One of the functions of a healthy soil food web is to hold nutrients in non-leachable forms so they remain in the soil until the plant requires them. The plant triggers the right soil microbes to convert nutrients into forms the plant can uptake (but which are typically very leachable), in exchange the plant provides sugars for the microbes. When the correct ratio of fungi and bacteria to protozoa (prey to predator) is present, the soil pH, structure and nutrient cycling occur at optimum rates, producing the right form of nutrients for the plant when the plant needs them.

>>Watch our 3.5-minute video on the soil food web to learn more

Soil Microbes

Soil microbes recharge soils, that ultimately leads to improved yield, root growth, and crop resilience against stress. Increasing beneficial microbe populations and diversity in the soil is an important component to improving soil health. In fact, it is impossible to build topsoil, soil structure and convert plant and animal debris into nutrients without microbes.

There are 5 types of soil microbes: bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. Each type conducts a unique job to improve soil and plant health.

Growers and turf professionals can increase their soil microbe populations and diversity by:

1. Applying a microbial product like Holganix Bio 800⁺ - Holganix Bio 800⁺ harnesses the power of over 800 species of beneficial soil microbes that improve: (1) soil health, (2) plant resilience against stress like disease and traffic, (3) crop yields, (4) root depth and density, and (5) turf professionals can reduce their use of fertilizers and pesticides.

2. Supporting microbes already present in the soil with microbe food - Applying sugars, using compost, reducing your tillage and incorporating cover crops are all ways to feed the microbes already present in your soil, or those you apply to your soil through microbial products. However, deep freezes, flooding, tillage, and some chemicals can harm the soil’s microbiome, so it’s not just important to support the microbes already present in the soil but to also supply a diverse concentration of microbial species.

>>Check out this 4.5-minute video on the top 5 most interesting soil microbes

Beneficial Soil Bacteria

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), states, “bacteria may well be the most valuable of life forms in the soil.” Beneficial soil microbes are the crucial workforce of soils and are charged with breaking down nutrients and releasing them to the root zone for the plant. Some species like Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria, release plant hormones that encourage plant growth.

>>Check out this 5-minute read on Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria

Beneficial Soil Fungi

Like bacteria, fungi also live in the root zone and helps make nutrients available to plants. For example, Mycorrhizae fungi facilitate water and nutrient uptake by the roots and plants to provide sugars, amino acids, and other nutrients. Other beneficial soil fungi like Trichoderma help the plant fight disease and improve root growth. 

>>Check out this technical article on the benefits of Mycorrhizae

Cation Exchange Capacity

Think of the soil as the pantry for plants, storing the necessary nutrients to feed the plant and ultimately boost plant health. The Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is the soil’s ability to maintain and release nutrients to the plant. So, the higher the CEC, the larger the pantry and the more “food” the soil has the ability to store and feed to the plant. 

How can you increase CEC? Check out this blog on how superintendents like Shannon Easter at Broken Sound Golf Club and Matt Boyd at Orchid Island Golf and Country Club, are using Holganix Bio 800⁺ Golf to drive CEC.

>>Read our case studies on improving CEC

Soil Organic Matter

Soil organic matter (SOM) is made from carbon and once-living plants that are broken down by soil organisms like bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. Soil organisms utilize SOM as food, and when digested, exude nutrients and humus. Once SOM has been efficiently broken down, SOM becomes humus.

Increased SOM in soil promotes improved soil structure, biological activity and an increased ability to hold and release nutrients and water in the soil. Good, healthy soil contains 3 -to-5% SOM. Low SOM is a sign of soil degradation.

So, how can you increase SOM? Combining Holganix Bio 800+ to provide a diverse set of microbes, with practices the feed soil microbes (think no-to-low till, cover crops, compost, etc), will allow you to slowly build SOM.

Check out this blog on how superintendents like Shannon Easter at Broken Sound Golf Club and Matt Boyd at Orchid Island Golf and Country Club, are using Holganix Bio 800⁺ Golf to improve SOM.

>>Read our case studies on improving SOM

Humus

According to National Geographic, “Humus is a dark, organic material that forms in the soil when plant and animal matter decays.”

When plants drop leaves and other material to the ground, it forms leaf litter. As animals die, their remains contribute to the litter. Over time, the litter decomposes to its most basic chemical elements. These chemical elements “are important nutrients for the soil and organisms that depend on soil for life, such as plants.”

After the litter decomposes, the thick brown or black substance that remains is called humus.

National Geographic states that “Humus contains many useful nutrients for healthy soil. Some experts think humus makes the soil more fertile. Others say humus helps prevent disease in plants and food crops.”

>>Learn more about humus by visiting this National Geographic blog

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that focus on regenerating topsoil, allowing farmers to maintain crop yields, improve water retention and nutrient uptake, increase farm profitability, and support biosequestration, among other benefits.

The backbone of regenerative agriculture is a focus on strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil. The key is that regenerative agriculture “Does no harm” to the land, and in fact improves it using technologies to build soil health like compost, recycling waste, limited-to-no-tillage, among other practices.

>>Check out this 5-minute read for more information on the benefits of regenerative agriculture

Are you interested in soil health and want to dig in deeper? Download our Soil Science eBook

Digging Soil Science 101: Beginners Guide to Understanding the Soil Food Web

We know regenerative agriculture and long-term sustainability of farmland hinges on the health of soils. But, how do soils work? And, what does healthy soil look like? Dig deeper into soil science with by downloading our FREE eBook by Holganix Director of Soil and Plant Science, Dr. Robert Neidermyer.

Download our eBook to explore:

1. How the soil food web supports healthy crops

2. The power behind soil microbes and what they do to build resilient crops

3. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil

In 1938, Dr. Charles Kellogg, soil scientist and then Chief of the USDA’s Bureau for Chemistry and Soils stated that “Essentially, all life depends upon the soil… There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.”

100 years later and that quote still remains prevalent to the way we think of agriculture. As new scientific studies are published supporting the benefits of soil health, topics like regenerative agriculture have gained popularity. Once thought of a system for niché farmers, regenerative agriculture is gaining major headway within the agriculture community as a way to improve soil health, while being good stewards to the earth.

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

So, what is regenerative agriculture? Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that focus on regenerating topsoil, allowing farmers to maintain crop yields, improve water retention and plant uptake, increase farm profitability, and support biosequestration, among other benefits.

The backbone of regenerative agriculture is a focus on strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil. The key is that regenerative agriculture “does no harm” to the land, and in fact improves it, using technologies to build soil health like compost, recycling waste, limited-to-no-tillage, among other practices.

According to a paper by the Washington State University, “there are multiple versions of [regenerative agriculture], each with a different flavor.” For example, The Rodale Institute promotes a strictly organic version and even has certifying programs to guide farmers and buyers. While, farmer and TEDx speaker, Gabe Brown champions a form of regenerative agriculture that doesn’t restrict the need to go fully organic.

Top 5 Benefits Of Regenerative Agriculture

Check out our infographic below for the top 5 benefits of regenerative agriculture, or skip the infographic and keep on scrolling to read it in article form - the old fashioned way.

#1 Regenerative Agriculture Is Focused On Increasing Soil Health

No matter the variation in regenerative agricultural practices, all focus on increasing soil health. According to the Regeneration International, a non-profit organization with the goal for a global transition to regenerate agriculture and land management, “Regenerative agriculture describes farming and organic practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity…”  By focusing on building soil health, you can optimize their yield results and crop health naturally.

#2 Maintaining Crop Yields Is A No Brainer?

No conversation around switching regenerative agricultural practices would be complete without addressing yield. According to the Nature Conservancy Organization, regenerative agricultural practices “reduce the risk of yield loss due to stressors, and can bring about a material increase in crop yields and quality.” Other reports from the Rodale Institute shows that yields can be maintained and at times increased (See benefit #3).

We should be open to exploring whether or not we can maintain crop yields with regenerative agricultural practices and there is no better way to get proof than by trying it on a portion of your own farm.  

>>Check out the Nature Conservancy's report on Regenerative Agriculture

#3 Growing More Resilient Crops

According to the Rodale Institute, yields “under organic systems are likely to be more resilient to extreme weather… in the long-running Farming System Trial, in drought years, yields were consistently higher in the organic system. For instance, organic corn yields were 28-to-34% higher than conventional.” In general, having resilient crops comes back to the soil and increasing soil biodiversity. By ensuring your soils are healthy and teeming with beneficial soil microbes, you can naturally displace and suppress disease.

#4 Improved Farm Profitability

According to several reports, switching to regenerative agriculture can actually increase your farm’s profitability. For example, according to Farmland LP, a fund that invests in converting conventional farmland to regenerative, organic farming, they have seen gross margins around 40-to-50% on wine grapes and single-digit improvements on commodity crops. In another example, researchers Claire LaCanne and Dr. Jonathan Lundgren note that regenerative agriculture grown corn reaped 78% higher profits than conventional corn production systems. And, according to General Mills, it builds farmer economic resilience. They state that “regenerative agricultural practices can reduce the need for expensive chemical inputs.”

There’s a lot of discussion on the importance of focusing on improved farm profitability when converting a farm to regenerative agriculture, and the research on it is variable, yet promising.  

#5 Regenerative Agriculture As A Solution To Climate Change.

In a white paper titled “Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change”, the Rodale Institute states that “we could sequester more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions with a switch to widely available and inexpensive organic management practices, which we term 'regenerative organic agriculture.'”  That’s a tall order! But, it is one the Rodale Institute has been working with researchers to prove for the past three decades.

>>Check out the Rodale Institute’s white paper for information on their climate change data

How Do Regenerative Agriculture and Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture Fit Together?

Regenerative agricultural practices like composting, cover crops and no-to-low-till, leave food sources for soil microbes in the soil. By providing food sources for microbes, regenerative agriculture strengthens the soil microbes.

Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture harnesses the power of over 800 species of soil microbes to recharge soils, that ultimately leads to improved yield, root growth, and crop resilience against stress.

When you combine regenerative agriculture practices that provide microbe food sources, and the diverse consortium of microbes in Holganix Bio 800⁺, results from both can increase.

Learn more about Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture by watching our short 8.5-minute video on our university and commercial grower trials.

Dig Deeper Into Soil; Download Our Soil Science eBook

Digging Soil Science 101: Beginners Guide to Understanding the Soil Food Web

We know regenerative agriculture and long-term sustainability of farmland hinges on the health of soils. But, how do soils work? And, what does healthy soil look like? Dig deeper into soil science with by downloading our FREE eBook by Holganix Director of Soil and Plant Science, Dr. Robert Neidermyer.

Download our eBook to explore:

1. How the soil food web supports healthy crops

2. The power behind soil microbes and what they do to build resilient crops

3. Soil types and how to improve the health of your soil

“As a consulting arborist, farm technical assistance provider, and a distributor, I see the Holganix family of products used in a wide variety of applications with great success,” explains Lee McBride of Landscape Management Consultants (Ag Products), a crop consultant working with Holganix in Alabama.

Recently, Lee used Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture at planting on their turnip crop. However, due to previous experience, he decided to use Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture as a stand-alone product, without using any fertilizers or pesticides.

“I’m a better salesperson when I have the courage of conviction in a service or a product, thus I was intrigued about how the product could perform by itself,” notes Lee.

Overall, “the turnips had large roots and the yield was amazing.” Also, because Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture builds healthier soil and stronger plants, Lee saw a surprising lack of insect feeding damage.

The picture above is of second growth, after harvesting the week prior. “We would normally expect weaker plants with more damage at this time, but we noticed only a mildly reduced yield. The plants were still strong,” explains Lee.

“With the mild winter thus far here in north Alabama, we are still harvesting roots and tops.”

Applications & Details Involving The Turnips

On September 22, 2018, Lee planted purple top and seven top turnips. The beds had been made last May but hadn’t yet been used. One week prior to planting, Lee tilled the soil in the beds twice. The soil tested at a pH of 6.3 and no fertilizer had been applied prior to, during or after planting the turnips. The bed does have drip irrigation, so the plants were watered throughout.

Lee made an application of Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture the day after planting, using the rate of 1.5 gallons per acre. This worked out to 2 oz on 360 square feet of bed area in three gallons of water.

On October 24, the turnip leaves were harvested yielding 60+ pounds.

The picture below was taken on October 31, just before the second leaf harvest which was also an incredible 60+ pounds.  

About Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture

Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture contains over 800 species of beneficial soil microbes that promote growth in crop foliage and roots, convert and release nutrients in the soil and promote the crops’ tolerance to stress like weather and disease.

Want To Learn More About Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture?

If you are looking to dig deeper into the results behind Holganix Bio 800⁺ Agriculture, be sure to check out this blog which goes into detail on several university and commercial grower trials. Or, feel free to reach out to Holganix directly by emailing David Stark P.h.D., the President of Agriculture, at dstark@holganix.com.