Lawn Biostimulants

What is an organic lawn biostimulant? They are products such as phytonutrients, vitamins, enzymes, humic and fulvic acid , sugars, kelp/algae extracts, fish emulsions and other products.

Used correctly, biostimulants can help turfgrass growth and metabolism, increase root mass, and increase soil microbes. You can add them to your existing fertilizer program, or use them alone. The functions of each product vary from stimulating soil microbes, reducing growth, stimulating growth, increasing crop yields and improving plant health.

The following are probably the most commonly used biostimulants in the turf commercial and domestic markets.

Kelp/Kelp Extract

The high carbohydrate content of kelp/algae makes it a great source of food for turf. It is also low in fiber and breaks down easily, making it an ideal source of turf nutrients.

Products produced from the marine plant may be beneficial to turf, but it may be odd that this natural and organic product is rich in valuable minerals, cytokinins and antioxidants.

Benefits of kelp/seaweed extract

• Increases lawn root growth.

• Improves the overall appearance of color, turf density and toughness.

• Increases natural resistance to stresses such as disease, drought and insect stress.

• Increases nutrient levels and intake of plants.

• Promotes active microorganisms in the soil and helps reduce soil leaching.

• Increases the production of plant carbohydrates, thereby enhancing the development of grass roots and leaves.

• Increases photosynthesis and chlorophyll production.

• Disadvantages of kelp/algae extracts

Some kelp/algae extracts are alkaline in nature and must be mixed with extreme caution with chemicals and nutrients such as calcium. Highly alkaline products can reduce chemical efficacy and lead to nutrient loss.

Fish emulsions

Fish emulsions can be classified as organic biostimulants or fertilizers. It is a by-product of fish processing and is obtained when fish are cooked and pressed to extract oil. When used it tends to leave a fishy taste and usually lasts only a few days.

Benefits of fish emulsions

May contain high levels of organic acids that may help suppress disease.

Fish emulsions stimulate fungal growth in the soil. Grass prefers fungus-dominated soils over bacterial-dominated soils.

Nitrogen is in the form of amino acids in the form of protein nitrogen. These need to be broken down by soil organisms into the ammonium form of nitrogen.

Amino acids help to reduce stress factors, i.e.; frost, heat and wind stress.

Disadvantages of fish emulsions

Fish emulsions are low in NPK. It may also contain trace elements Mg, Ca and other minerals.

Short-lived fertilizer that requires frequent applications. For some plants, twice a week is necessary.

It is acidic. Diluted acidity should not be a problem for most plants, unless you already have overly acidic soil.

Humic Acid

Humic acid is a product made from decomposed organic materials. Since it is an organic-based amendment, it can help optimize existing soil microorganisms and accelerate the early stages of plant nutrition.

Benefits of Humic Acid

• Increase in the population of soil microorganisms, including beneficial microorganisms. Bacteria in particular.

• Improvement of soil structure

• Increased cation exchange capacity and pH buffering capacity of soil

• Mitigation of localized drought points (LDS) and excessive soil nutrient leaching

• Helps with iron and zinc intake and maintains adequate levels of other micronutrients to help with retention

• Humic acid is best used for nitrogen applications. When water moves below the root zone, especially in sandy soils, nitrogen is easily leached. Humic acids help keep nitrogen in the soil, especially in sandy soils, and are an excellent food source, attracting organisms to the nitrogen and converting it to nitrate for plant use through a process called "nitrification".

Disadvantages of humic acids

Humic acid is extremely alkaline, with most pH ranges between 11-13, and care must be taken when mixing with chemicals and nutrients.

Humic acid is incompatible with calcium due to its alkalinity. It may also cause other minerals to come out of solution.