Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Fresh product back in stock!

It just arrived on the Pantry shelf: A brand new multi-species seed inoculant covering not only legumes, but a wide range of crops.

EcoTea (TM) Dry Seed Dressing is a biologically active inoculant that will coat your seed with ecologically functioning microbes which will help break seed dormancy, facilitate germination, improve root development, support nutrient efficiency, and increase disease resistance.

My previous product contained only Rhizobium bacteria, known to form nodules in the roots of their host plants, where they gather nitrogen gas from the air. This new product has Rhizobium plus a multitude of plant friendly bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. It’s almost like having powdered compost tea!

Transforming atmospheric nitrogen into solid compounds, symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria provide this valuable protein building block to the plants in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Interestingly, some common herbs, shrubs and trees are also known to partner with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

These include clover, vetch, alfalfa, and lupins, all of which are often used as “green manure” cover crops; and pioneer species such as broom (Cytisus), alder (Alnus), buffaloberry (Shepherdia), sea buckthorn (Hippophae), silverberry (Elaeagnus), Caragana, and Ceanothus.

Their ecological role is to improve overall soil fertility in young developing ecosystems. Usually, people call these plants “nitrogen-fixing plants” even though technically it is the bacteria who do the job.

It amazes me time and again how all the food on our table ultimately comes to us courtesy of the nitrogen cycle and this partnership of plants and bacteria, with their unique abilities to respectively capture carbon and nitrogen gas from thin air, and then trading and turning these elements into carbohydrates and proteins – so that all creatures may have food to eat.

Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria/Seed Dressing Application

This product comes in a two-pouch combo. Pouch A contains the live inoculant, Pouch B is a special blend of microbial foods and a sticking agent to hep the inoculant adhere to the seed.

Just prior to planting, place your seeds in a container and sprinkle with a very small amount of water. Mix and add the inoculant (Pouch A) and microbial foods (Pouch B) and and shake or stir until all seeds are thoroughly coated. Plant as usual.

Even though the combined weight of the two components totals just 24 grams, one package treats 6 to 8 pounds of seed  (at three to four grams per pound of seed). That’s the astonishing power of microorganisms! For small amounts of seed, use proportionally less product. Store leftover seed dressing in a cool place away from direct sunlight, not mixed, with the bags closed tightly. It is good for about one year.