3 Essential Tips for Using Biological Inoculants

January 20th, 2021

Keep These 3 Things in Mind When Preparing to Use a Biological Inoculant as a Part of the Regenerative Soil Primer:

#1 Soak and stir dry inoculants like Spectrum, Mycogenesis, or OP8 in a small amount of clean, lukewarm water to rehydrate and activate the microbes. 

 

10-15 minutes of soaking is usually sufficient. Not much more, as many species in inoculants will be active after four hours contact with water. Plan to have the tank emptied within four hours of adding inoculants.

 

#2 Filter/screen any remaining solids out of the solution and always  add biological inoculants last. 

The carriers in dry inoculants may be  made up of finely ground peat moss, humic materials, calcium, or kelp powders. While this poses no problem in some application equipment, by straining any particulate material off, you keep it from potentially clogging equipment. The microbes are effectively carried in water and you may discard any wetted carrier material onto the ground or compost.   

 

#3 Get products into  the soil as quickly as possible for maximum contact with soils and crop residues.

Sunlight, dry conditions and lack of food or habitat harm microbes. . Use enough water in your mix to soak the Soil Primer  into the top 2-3 inches of the soil, or apply before a soaking rain or irrigate after application and let water do the work of carrying these materials under the soil surface. Light tillage or spraying directly into standing crops can also ensure maximum penetration and protection. 

 

For more complete instruction on how to mix, use and store our biological and other AEA regenerative products, please check out our Product Usage Guide or contact us.