Healthy Gardening Substrate Physiology
Our basic fertilizers consist of 60% mineral and 40% organic components
The mineral components are salts, typically oxides or other inorganic compounds dissolved in water which dissociate in positive negative ions. The nutrial elements are the head-fertilizers N, P and K, sub-heading-fertilizers, Ca and Mg, and all the micro-elements, the positive ions.De negative ions, typically oxygen or hydrogen binding to gaseous molecules or go to a compound (oxidation) with other elements. The negative ions from nutrient salts have no function.
When applying mineral fertilizers positive ions (nutrial elements) stay in solutions in hydro substrates they can not bind anywhere, and therefor easily drain through drainage. In hydroponics is therefore never any buffering of nutrients. When a rich substrate should be imitated in hydroponics, continuous irrigation is a must. However, the plant can then be provided forced admittedly, however overdose is not uncommon and usually leads to disappointing results. (Mostly small overdoses which does not recognize and are developing the plant inhibit).
The organic components have the following functions;
Offer mini-elements of which are bound to large organic ions or otherwise bound
Offer organic compounds for build-up of secondary structures in the plant (taste, color, consistency of structures, etc)
-stimulation Of “Lutum effects”
Lutum or Clay is the designation of ground particles which are smaller than 2μm.
The clay particles consist of flat plates which sit on each other. These particles have a negative ion charge. This is why clay is usually more fertile than sandy soil. Due to the negative charge of the clay fraction, the soil is able to bind (positive) ions to minerals dissolved in the soil water to the clayfraction. This allows the minerals do not rinse away with ground water, but they remain bound to the clay particles and can be included in this way and be absorbed by the plants.
Our MO fertilizers are enriched with humic acids) that hold the lutum fraction maintained and thus stimulate the buffering nutriële elements (negative ions).
In earth (mixtures) are clay and peat content are essential criteria. Unfortunately it appears to be that most commercial mixtures are made out of (garbage) compost with added fertilizer. A lutum- or clay fraction is usually not present. Because of this, these mixtures are physiologically and chemically unstable and highly corrosive. In sterile inorganic substrates (rock wool, mapito) cationization can never be resurrected. In organic substrates such as coconut and clay grains, it is possible to generate a limited buffer with cationsatie, however, not comparable with earth (mixtures)
In addition to all of our fertilizers, specific products such as Healthy Gardening HuminPlus contain high lutum fraction. HuminPlus is intended for the maintenance of the physiology of earth mixtures. Administration goes against corrosion and the substrate remains longer in condition. With a high lutum fraction may be sufficient with a an-ionization to an optimum of nutrients to supply the plant. A low an-ionisation promotes the passive uptake in the plant and holds the difference in osmolarity of the water in the substrate, and small cell fluid. therefore no means of evaporation and capillarity no shooting to be forced through gradient. We can therefore say that with the right substrate physiology plant can optimally fuctionin a natural way.
The importance of keeping a substrate in physiological condition is almost as important as the supply of nutrients.