Inoculant
Inoculant is very safe and is totally organic.
It goes back to the basic fact that legumes can fix their own nitrogen from
the atmosphere if they form an "association" with a soil bacteria called
Rhizobia. This bacteria actually infects the roots of legumes and forms
nodules. Next time you grow peas or beans, after harvest, pull up a few
plants and check it out. Pretty neat looking.
Inoculant itself is concentrated rhizobia which are mixed with a carbon
powder. Most gardeners use it by wetting their seeds, sprinkling the
inoculant over the seeds, mixing it up, and then planting the seeds.
The reasons for using inoculant are:
1. You haven't grown that type of legume in your soil for many years.
Although the Rhizobia are naturally occurring, there are specific types that
associate with peas versus beans versus fava beans versus soybeans. If, for
example, you've not grown soybeans in your soil previously, the Rhizobia
species will not be in high numbers & the soybeans themselves will be less
likely to form nodules.
2. You're planting in cold soil. Rhizobia, like most soil bacteria, are
more active in warmer soils. In the early spring, you risk the chance of
not forming nodules on your legumes just because the rhizobia are "dormant".
When you inoculate, you make sure the bacteria are right there beside the
seed and ready to form nodules as soon as the roots appear.
3. The soil you're growing in had a lot of pesticide used on it which may
have wiped out the naturally occuring soil bacteria.
Arzeena
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