Using living soil for your garden can improve your growth results.

What is living soil?

Many people wonder what living soil is and why it will make a difference when it comes to how their plants grow. Its composition is packed with nutrients and a rich population of microorganisms. This ecosystem of nutrients and beneficial microbes will help your plants take root and have consistent nourishment throughout their entire growth cycle.

Why You Should Use Living Soil

There are a plethora of reasons that living soil can improve your success in your garden.

One of the main reasons more and more people are gravitating towards living soil is the fact that it provides a diverse growing medium that does not require the use of fertilizer. This is because living soil has microbes that will digest organic compounds making your dirt exceptionally nutrient-rich.

Growers that are succeeding with this type of soil are reporting larger yields and that they invest less in additional nutrient supplements. Products like Roots Organics Lush living soil and Build-A-Soil 3.0 are providing their plants with everything they need to flourish and grow. Lush was designed with the precise ratio of peat, coir, perlite, pumice, worm castings, and premium nutrition to create an ideal living soil. Rich in organic nutrients and packed with beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae, this media is designed for a water-only or reduced nutrient schedule. Most plants can happily feed on Lush for eight weeks without additional support. Roots Organics Lush is ideal for the gardener who wants a heavily amended soil packed with the best natural and organic nutrients on earth.

3 Reasons You Should Be Using Living Soil

Those that have used living soil have found that it is the best option when trying to grow bigger and healthier plants. Not only does it provide plants with nourishment that lasts, but it also reduces the need for pesticides or fungicides.

1. Living Soil is Centered Around Compost - If you know someone that uses compost, you have probably noticed that their plants grow bigger and produce better flowers and fruit than those that do not. Compost has a diverse set of nutrients that will enable more durable root systems to take place. This leads to more substantial and healthier plants. Roots Organics Big Worm is a great way to add life to any soil.
2. Living Soil Contains Microorganisms - When you are trying to turn organic matter into plant nutrition, microorganisms are essential. They will eat the organic matter and fuel the growth process of your plants. It is important to remember that you only want aerobic microbes or oxygen-breathing microbes. They will help promote beneficial bacteria while killing off any pathogenic growth. Oregonism XL is a great source of beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae that is highly concentrated and easy to mix into your soil.
3. It is a More Cost-Effective Product Than Many Other Soil Options - When you use living soil for your planting medium, you won’t have to invest as much money in bottled nutrients, fertilizers, and pesticides. Additionally, the growth potential of each plant in your garden is enhanced. This leads to higher yields with less investment, making this type of soil the best bang for your buck.

You Can Purchase Living Soil or Make It Yourself

While there are many versatile options out there, like the Lush line from Aurora Innovations, some people prefer to create their own living soil. Doing so empowers you to tweak the ingredients to best suit your plant’s needs.

In your mix, you will want to include:

Peat Moss or Leaf Mold: Roughly 30% of your mix should consist of peat moss or a blend of leaf mold that you can easily make yourself. This is going to help store water and keep your plants hydrated.

Worm Castings: Roughly 30% of your mix will also need to be made up of worm castings. Many people accomplish this with the use of their compost. Worm castings can also be purchased if you are not sure whether or not your compost is high-quality.

Lava Rock or Perlite: Around 25% of your blend should consist of a material that can aerate. Small lava rocks or the hulls from buckwheat do an excellent job of allowing air to the root systems of your plants.

Topsoil: The last 15% of your mix is topsoil. This provides a better capacity for cation exchange, which influences the soil’s ability to hold onto the nutrients plants need.
This mixture will create the bulk of your mix. You will also want to include (each measurement is per cubic foot):

• Kelp Meal: ½ Cup
• Neem Seed Meal: ½ Cup
• Oyster Shells: ½ Cup
• Mineral Mix: 5 Cups
• Crab Meal: ½ Cup
• Comfrey Leaf: a handful on top and then cover with worm castings
• BioChar: 1 Cup
• Bat guano ½ cup
• Fishbone or meal ½ cup

Many growers like the idea of adding life to their gardens but want to take some of the guesswork (and shopping for ingredients) out of it. We highly recommend checking out Uprising Grow and Uprising Bloom from Roots Organics as a premixed blend of organics you can add to your soil containing many great organic amendments already blended in appropriate ratios to improve existing soil beds and support healthy gardens.

Choosing Organic Living Soil Can Make a Real Difference

When you are growing in a competitive marketplace or just have high standards, growing organic can help to differentiate your work from others. Today’s society is conscious of what goes into the products they are using. Organic living soil takes the guesswork out of what you are growing your plants in and ensures that your customers will be satisfied with your choices.

Finding all of your organic gardening supplies is simple. Stop into your local Way to Grow to gather all your needs for successful growth!