Why should you strengthen your plants?
A robust plant defense system is crucial for plant health. They are constantly threatened by various harmful organisms such as insects, fungi, and bacteria. A strong defense system enables plants to better withstand these attacks. Only a completely healthy plant that has an ideal location and is optimally supplied with nutrients can protect itself effectively against diseases and pests. Here, we'll show you how you can naturally strengthen and support your houseplants and thus increase their resistance to environmental stress!
The plant immune system and its activation
The immune system of plants is relatively simple: On the surface of plant cells, there are special receptor proteins that can detect and ward off the effects of pests and pathogens. This creates a certain level of basic immunity. However, our houseplants do not have a specialized immune system like humans and animals, i.e., immune cells or antibodies.
Successful activation of the plant's immune system can limit damage and contain the spread of infections. Boosting the immune system can therefore represent a preventative alternative to chemical pesticide control.
Stress factors for plants
If a plant is threatened, defense measures are activated, regardless of where the danger signals originally came from.
External factors that influence a plant are called environmental factors. There are two categories of environmental factors: Biotic environmental factors are all living things that influence the plant. Abiotic environmental factors are non-living influences that affect the plant. These factors either have a positive effect on a plant by matching the plant's needs or cause stress. They affect the plant's normal functioning, limit its productivity, or cause the plant to die.
Biotic environmental factors that influence a plant can include other plants, pathogens, insects, animals, and humans. Biotic stress, a negative interaction, is an example of competition between plants for nutrients. Attacks by herbivores and parasites or parasitic plants are also biotic stress factors. Allelopathy describes an interaction between multiple plants that can cause stress. Plants release chemicals through their leaves or roots that can affect another plant. This can, for example, restrict the growth of neighboring plants.
Abiotic environmental factors that influence a plant include temperature, humidity, light, soil pH, nutrients, and fire. They also include chemical factors such as herbicides, gases, salinity, and heavy metals, and mechanical factors such as wind.
Abiotic stress occurs when environmental conditions are not conducive to the growth and maintenance of a healthy plant. This can include excessively high or low temperatures or humidity, but also excessive water or drought.
Natural plant tonics
Plant tonics support health by promoting synergistic effects with plant-derived substances. Plant tonics often consist of natural, secondary plant substances. They can be organically based, such as essential oils, or microbially based, such as fungi and beneficial bacteria. Mineral plant tonics are also available, for example, with primary rock flour.
Plant manure and horsetail as protection against fungi and pests
Effective remedies for your plants are easy to make yourself. Crushed parts of nettles or horsetail can be used to extract the secondary plant substance silica. This helps strengthen cell walls and cell structures, thus increasing plant resistance.
To make a slurry, fill a bucket three-quarters full with nettles and the rest with rainwater. You can add rock flour or biochar to reduce the smell. Let this ferment; the nettle slurry is ready after the nettles have been brewing for two weeks. Never apply it undiluted!
Broth from horsetail is also easy to make: the plant parts simply need to be diluted with boiling water and left to steep in a container for at least 24 hours.
Prevent with fertilization - organic fertilizers for healthy houseplants
Fertilization provides plants with essential nutrients and is therefore indispensable in plant care. Like humans, plants also need certain substances to survive—they are the building blocks of the plant's body. They can be absorbed from the soil, water, and air.
Because plants need certain amounts of nutrients, the presence of these substances influences their health. If one of these substances is missing, the plants cannot grow well and are less resilient. Adding this missing substance allows the plants to grow better. This essential process is called fertilization.
The foundation of successful plant care is the supply of all key nutrients. These include nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Our FARBIO® liquid fertilizer for green plants supports you in nourishing your houseplants! It promotes rapid growth and supports the development of lush green leaves and magnificent blooms.
Effective microorganisms
Plants are colonized by a variety of microorganisms that play an important role in plant health and thus also act as a preventative against plant diseases such as mildew and pest infestations. They control water uptake, the conversion of key nutrients and trace elements, and contribute to the development of soil structure.
Plants can be colonized by both beneficial and harmful organisms—so adding effective microorganisms can help restore balance and create a conducive microbial environment. Microorganisms in the soil or sprayed onto the leaves help strengthen your plant and make it less susceptible to attack by invading pathogens.
Humus to strengthen plants
Humus is formed by the decomposition of organic matter in the soil. Various organisms are involved in humus formation, including bacteria, fungi, worms, and other soil organisms. These convert organic matter into humic substances.
Humus can either be mixed directly into the soil in solid form, or you can give your houseplants humus in liquid form to strengthen your plants with natural means.
Liquid humus is a concentrated form of nutrients, microorganisms, and other substances found in humus. Liquid humus is typically produced by soaking humus materials such as compost or worm castings in water. Liquid humus can be used by mixing it with irrigation water or spraying it directly onto the leaves as a foliar fertilizer and tonic.
Our FARBIO® soil improver is a natural and effective additive for your soil. Its special formula with humic acids optimizes the soil, improving nutrient uptake and promoting plant growth.
Natural pesticides: Do they exist?
Neem oil, also known as neem oil, is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree and contains compounds that have insecticidal and fungicidal effects. Neem oil is therefore used as a natural and environmentally friendly pesticide. It is non-toxic to humans, animals, and beneficial insects such as bees. Unlike chemical pesticides, which often have a targeted effect, neem oil can repel a wide range of pests.
Neem oil stimulates the production of phenols and other compounds that help the plant protect itself against environmental stress and disease, making it more resistant. Furthermore, neem oil can also influence certain plant hormones, such as auxin, which is important for plant growth and development.
Although neem oil can support plants' immune systems, it shouldn't be considered a cure-all. It's still important to create an ideal environment for your houseplants by ensuring adequate nutrients, watering, and ventilation.
