Explanations of common questions about our products, storage recommendations, and different ways to use our products.
Why does my product seem to vary from batch to batch?
The variations in color, density, and smell of the product are due to things like light and heat exposure, as well as humidity. This is due to the living microbes inside the bottle eating and releasing gases and affecting their environment.
We brew our tea the same week as we ship them, however the temperature while they are being delivered can cause the microbial reaction to accelerate its process. Most of the stunt bottles we use for our promotions are older and have been exposed to a lot of light and heat, something we do not recommend for home products.
Why did I receive a bloated bottle of Elm Dirt Plant Juice and/or Bloom Juice. Can I still use it? Has it lost its potency?
We see our liquid products having gas buildup throughout the year, especially in the heat of the summer. This is due to the living microbes inside the bottle eating and releasing gases and affecting their environment.
The gas release from the microbial process does not affect its performance, and your liquid is still good to use as normal. We recommend opening your products outside to release the built up gas. We also recommend storing your bottle in a dark, cool environment to prevent further build up.
I received a frozen bottle of Elm Dirt Plant Juice and/or Bloom Juice. Can I still use it? Has it lost in potency?
We see our liquid products freezing during transit during the winter months. The product is shipped out as a liquid and freezes during transit. This does not affect the living microbes or the potency of the product. You are able thaw the product and use as normal.
How can I use my Plant Juice/Bloom Juice in the winter months?
Use of our products into the winter is dependent on your plants and their location. For outdoor plants, we recommend continuing use until the first frost, and after this I wouldn't recommend use until the last frost before Spring.
For indoor plants, you can continue to use our products until you would like to set your plant to go into dormancy. We typically recommend doing research on your particular plant to see when it would normally go into dormancy and for how long. You can decrease use of the products at this point, though we still recommend monthly application of Plant Juice to maintain root and soil health.
Can I use a hose attachment to water my outdoor plants?
You can definitely use an attachable fertilizer sprayer to care for your lawn or garden. I would suggest adding our concentrated product to the reservoir of the sprayer and allowing the hose to do the work. If you have a sprayer with an adjustable setting, I recommend using it on a low medium setting, or around 2 - 3 ounces per gallon.
If you think you are using too much product too quickly or you don't have an adjustable sprayer, you can dilute it down to half water half Plant Juice/Bloom Juice in the reservoir. We also recommend trying to aim for the soil and not directly over your plants.
Can I use Plant Juice and Bloom Juice Together?
Yes, there are a few ways you can mix our products. If you would like to, you can mix Plant Juice and Bloom Juice both into a gallon of water together. If you do this, you will want to half the dilution of both, i.e. if you were going to add 2 ounces, use 1 ounce of Plant Juice and 1 ounce of Bloom Juice. Or, you can alternate between the Plant Juice and Bloom Juice every time you feed.
Some people follow the plant's life cycle, where as it is growing they apply Plant Juice, and then when it is blooming/fruiting, they switch the BloomJuice. This works best for shrubs, trees, fruits and veggies, or cannabis plants.
You can use the Ancient Soil or Bloomin' Soil with our liquid products as well and using Bloomin' Soil with Plant Juice will help feed your plant all of the necessary nutrients for amazing growth. Our Soils also act as slow release nutrients that the microbes in our Juices will continue to breakdown and provide to your plants as they need them.
Why are their clumps inside of my Plant Juice/Bloom Juice?
The clumps inside of our liquid products are part of their development process. These are worm castings or other bits of our ingredients floating in the liquid, and is completely normal. We encourage you to shake it up and it will break up the clumps before use.
Why is there white mold growing on top of my Bloomin' Soil?
That is a beneficial fungus called Mycorrhizal Fungi. A symbiotic relationship forms between the plant and the fungi; the fungi colonizes around the root system and provides an increase in water absorption and nutrient uptake, while the plant provides the fungus with carbohydrates. Not only is this normal, it is a really good sign that our product is potent and will provide amazing nutrition!
Why does our product have such a potent smell?
You may notice that your Plant Juice/Bloom Juice has a very strong smell when you open the bottle, similar to rotten eggs or sewage. This is especially prevalent in the summertime. This is completely normal, and why we recommend opening your bottle outside or in a well ventilated area.
The smell is due to the gas release of the microbes inside of the liquid. It is an indicator of a very healthy, living fertilizer, and just means the microbes inside are very active. Once the gas is released the first time, and the product is stored in a cool, dark place, the smell will subside substantially. Once your product is mixed with water and applied to soil, the smell will be completely gone.