Applications of Trichoderma in Hydroponics

All fertile soil contains a complicated miniature ecosystem. It is teeming with various kinds of life, some of which have a parasitic relationship with plants with roots. But the vast majority of the life in soil actually helps plants, giving them the nutrients and other favorable environmental factors that it needs even while they consume resources for their own survival. One of the most potent soil based organisms is the fungus Trichoderma. This fungus, and products that contain this fungus, are regularly added to hydroponic systems in order to get the real benefits of soil, without having to deal with the downsides. Here are the major advantages of including a Trichoderma containing hydroponic product into your nutrient solution.

Protection from Disease - Disease is one of the most damaging and unpredictable phenomena in any hydroponic garden. It's frightening because there is usually little recourse once a serious disease has taken hold, which means that it invariably leads to lost or underdeveloped plants and lost money. Since it's hard to stop an infection once it takes hold, it's best to take preventive measures before anything gets out of hand. In this regard, Trichoderma may very well be the cheapest insurance that you can buy for your plants.

Increased Cloning Success - Cuttings need all the protection and support that they can get. In this delicate stage, after the stem has been totally cut off from its prime sources of nutrients and moisture, even if something is slightly off it could spell disaster for the cuttings. In order to make sure all the effort you spend carefully making those cuttings and transplanting them to the new medium don't go to waste, you would be wise to include Trichoderma into your cuttings' nutrient solution. This improved environment will help take young forming roots and help them grow very quickly, thus greatly increasing the odds of survival.

Increased Rooting - The health of your plant is directly related to the health of your roots. It doesn't matter how perfectly balanced your nutrient solution is mixed or how ideal your lighting scheme is set up, if the root formation isn't there, your plants will grow nowhere near to their potential. Fortunately, trichoderma helps create a more favorable environment in the root zone, which leads to thicker roots and an increased number of root hairs. This allows your plants to increase the amount of nutrients that they are able to absorb, which ultimately lead to improved health and faster grow rates. Healthy roots can be particularly crucial during the flowering phase of development, where your plants need that extra burst of nutrients to create big, beautiful flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables.

Increased Yield - If you use Trichoderma, you will probably see the biggest results at harvest time. All of those beneficial bacteria that Trichoderma encourages will help make nutrients much more available to your plants, which means that your plants will have the energy needed to produce larger, heavier flowers and larger fruits and vegetables that are denser with dry material. This extra nutrient boost will also ensure that your yield is of higher quality than what you have ever experienced in the past.