As soil and potting mix ages, organic matter is lost. With it the soil biome that feeds and protects our plants diminishes and our plants start to suffer. Especially our indoor plants, stuck in a pot without the same soil biome outdoor plants benefit so much from that naturally replenishes over time. That's one reason why plants that were doing so well start to struggle, and why diseases like root rot and soil pests, and conditions like fertiliser burn and yellow leaves, all become more common as soil ages. 

But with the help of new Wildvine Biome Blend you can get closer to nature and boost your indoor plant's soil biome. I'm super excited to bring NZ plant parents this super-blend of organic beneficials that gives potting mix a natural, organic super-boost. 

A little goes a long way. This 100 gram pack is enough to treat up to 4 litres of potting mix! Well worth getting with Wildvine's custom potting mix blends such as the 2 litre packs of Houseplant, Aroid, Succulent or Grow Pole Blend, or use it to improve any indoor plant potting mix. Also available in 500gm which makes up to 20 litres!

 How does a healthy soil biome benefit our plants? 

A healthy soil biome is much easier to create for outdoor plants (nature does most of the work), but our indoor plants often miss out. The soil biome (or microbiome to be exact), is a complex community of invisible good guys that help our plants access nutrients, increase disease resistance and helps plants handle change and stress in their environment, such as being too wet, too dry, too hot, too cold, drastic changes such as repotting, and other common sources of biotic and abiotic stress that plants have to cope with.

These invisible good guys get to work breaking down organic matter into usable nutrients, while improving soil structure for healthier roots, holding on to water and nutrients for when plants are in need and boosting soil fertility, resulting in better health and growth for the plant as a whole. 

 What are the benefits of Wildvine Biome Blend for indoor plants? 

• Supports a healthy soil biome,
  
• Reduces transplant stress when repotting / potting up,
  
• Improves soil structure for healthier roots,
• Increases resistance to common plant diseases such as root rot,
• Detoxifies, helping remove harmful impurities from the soil,
• Improves soil fertility for stronger, healthier plant growth,
• Natural plant 'superfoods' supply gentle, slow-release nutrients. 
  

 What's in Wildvine Biome Blend? 

This is a proprietary blend so although Wildvine doesn't publish everything that's in their Biome Blend, or how much of everything, it does include vermicast (worm castings), seaweed and more to create the perfect balance to support the natural soil biome. 

 Why worm castings? 

A fancy way of saying 'worm pooh', worm castings or Vermicast is a powerhouse amendment for plants. Packed full of yummy organic matter and proven to help plants grow a larger root mass which in turn supports healthier, stronger, larger plants.

Worm castings populate the pot with invisible good guys, including beneficial fungal and bacteria. They also improve soil porosity. Picture them being full of tiny holes. They increase drainage and aeration to help root growth.

Worm castings are also rich in water-soluble minerals and nutrients, released slowly each time you water. Not enough to replace your fertiliser (worm castings have a very low NPK of about 1-0-0), but to round out the beneficial nutrients fertilisers don't typically supply. 

 Why seaweed? 

Seaweed is like a plant superfood. A natural biostimulant packed full of 85+ beneficial micronutrients. But seaweed does more than just 'fill in the blanks' that fertilisers don't supply. It also improves resistance to stress and disease. Popular for use before and after repotting to reduce transplant stress, for anytime plants are under stress, and used preventatively as a health booster.

Seaweed is also a source of alginin, a sponge-like starch that holds water near roots for access when they need it, without the risk of over-watering. As if that weren't enough, seaweed is also naturally high in natural growth-producing hormones to boost growth without the use of chemicals. 

 How to use Wildvine Biome Blend 

All those fancy benefits yet it couldn't be easier to use: Simply mix with your soil or potting mix! Empty the required amount of Biome Blend into your potting mix bag or container, mix through well for even distribution, then pot up your plants as normal. Fully saturate your freshly potted plant with water, and on your next watering, fertilise as normal. Biome Blend enhances your fertiliser but does not replace it.  

 How much to use 

Biome Blend comes in two pack sizes: 100gm and 500gm.

A single 100gm pack makes up to 4 litres, so if you get your plant one of the Wildvine potting mix blends in the 2 litre size for example, you'd use half a pack in the 100gm size.

The 500gm pack makes 12 to 15 litres depending on the substrate, such as two of the Wildvine 6 litre blends, or one 15 litre of a peat-based or soil-based blend (such as garden centre potting mix).

 Who is Wildvine? 

Wildvine blends are freshly hand-blended in small batches by owner Kate, based in Whangarei. You might know Kate from YouTube or already be one of her 15 thousand+ followers on Instagram (if you're not, you should be). I love that she created this for her own plant's health and happiness first-and-foremost, and selling it came later.