🌱 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫

Cucumber, Tomato, Kale and Lettuce were tested.

Soil sprays made from natural plant extracts — 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐯𝐚, 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜, 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐚 — outperformed synthetic fertilizers like urea in promoting growth in greenhouse experiments.

• Up to 𝟔𝟗% 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 and 𝟔𝟖% 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬
• 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚, which only gave ~20% gains in shoot weight
• Better photosynthesis, antioxidant enzymes, and nutrient content
• Best results: 𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐯𝐚 & 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝟐–𝟑 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 vs. Control (1–4 Weeks After Sowing):
• 🥒 𝐂𝐮𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: +42–69%
• 🍅 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨: +40–64%
• 🥬 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐞: +46–65%
• 🥗 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐞: +42–63%

For greenhouse and vertical farm growers, this offers:
• Outperform conventional fertilizers naturally
• Reduce chemical input
• Improve crop quality and metabolism

✅ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩: Test a 0.1–0.5% guava or garlic extract soil application at weeks 2–3 after sowing. Track gains in biomass and plant health, and compare with your current input results.

Could this be an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fertilizers?

📚 Source: Ei et al. (2025). Growth Promotion and Secondary Metabolites of Vegetables by Spraying Soil with Psidium guajava, Aloe vera, Allium sativum and Medicago sativa Extracts at Various Stages of Growth .
𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 2025, 14(2), 237

Dr. Michele Grieco turned his plant biology expertise into Plant Monitor - affordable monitoring apps bringing research-grade measurements to small greenhouses and vertical farms.

About the blog author