Your lawn and garden are living things. You know this; you care for the plants that grow there every day. But did you realize the soil itself is alive? It is – and the life inside it is some of the most important of all life in the natural world.
Beneficial Bacteria
Healthy soil is full of microbes. Those microbes are typically comprised of fungi, nematodes – which are microscopic worms – and bacteria. While we have been trained as humans to avoid bacteria since it can be responsible for illness, there are “good” bacteria that are necessary for life.
Think of the bacteria that live inside our own bodies. Some of them are required for our organs to properly function. The soil that your plants live in is much the same. Without the bacteria that live there, your plants would die. But why?
How Bacteria Helps Plants Grow
What comprises beneficial bacteria for plants? Just the way not all bacteria are helpful to humans, not all are helpful to plant life.
The bacteria that benefit plant life are those that break down nutrients into smaller particles so that they can be better absorbed by the roots of the plant. They may also excrete these nutrients themselves, providing additional benefits to your plants. Beneficial bacteria for plants also protect them from pathogens by destroying or keeping at bay the populations of potentially harmful microbes.
What if You Lack These Bacteria in Your Soil?
If your plant’s soil is imbalanced, these microscopic helpers cannot do their job. To give them a helping hand, you may need to invest in plant probiotics. These fertilizer products introduce more helpful bacteria to the soil and provide it with the nutrition it needs to thrive – and keep your plants thriving, too.
Do not look down your nose at beneficial bacteria. Small though they may be, they are the backbone of a healthy, thriving lawn or garden. Keep them healthy and you will do the same for your plants!
