Ornamental Plant Health Problems & Culbac® Plant Solutions

Since the early 1970s, Culbac crop products have been ornamental growers, homeowners, landscapers and gardeners grow healthier, more productive, and more robust ornamental plants throughout the United States and the world.

Growing ornamentals can be as challenging as it is rewarding. Numerous factors can impact the health and vigor of ornamental plants ranging from weather-related issues, to pests, to poor root health and more. Culbac all-natural plant products are scientifically tested and shown to deliver results to help ornamentals thrive.

Variety of Pretty Flowers Arranged Nicely in Garden

University and field research studies and field trials have proven Culbac products for ornamental plants helps by:

Whether one is growing and planting ornamentals for aesthetics, for edible landscaping, for pollinator attraction or any other purpose, Culbac products are proven to positively impact plants and soils.

The Culbac product line for ornamentals includes:

Culbac® Green™ (EPA-label)

Culbac Green is our EPA-labeled Plant Solution Product. If you need an EPA-labeled product for your farm records, Culbac Green is a concentrated bio-stimulant foliar spray with the ability to stimulate root growth, making it ideal for turf health, particularly in high traffic areas. It provides the same benefits as Culbac Plant Solutions.

Culbac Commercial Seed Treatment Small and Large Product

Culbac Commercial Seed Treatment

Culbac Commercial Seed Treatment acts as a stimulus for the growth of beneficial soil microbes when coated onto seeds. In addition to its bioactive compounds, it is fortified with a blend of essential micronutrients to ensure seedlings get the best start possible.

Culbac Dry Seed Treatment Plus Product Case

Culbac Dry Seed Treatment Plus

Culbac Dry Seed Treatment Plus is a dry, Probiotic Plus seed coating formulated with a patented soy powder base for easy application and mixing. It’s designed to get plant seeds off to a better, faster start. No carcinogenic talc or dirty graphite to wear home on your clothes, only natural soy powder.

How Our Products Work In Ornamentals

Culbac Plant products contain growth regulators like cytokininCytokinins are a class of plant growth substances that promote cell division, or cytokinesis, in plant roots and shoots. They are involved primarily in cell growth and differentiation, but also affect apical dominance, axillary bud growth, and leaf senescence. , microminerals, macrominerals, amino acids, and they also stimulate beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere. The fermentation metabolites in Culbac plant products boost the populations of good native microorganisms in the soil. These beneficial microorganisms are essential for converting soil nutrients into forms that the plant will absorb, take up and use.

Benefits of Culbac products

Culbac plant biostimulants contain a number of trace elements, amino acids, and phyto-hormones (including cytokinins). This blend of bioactive compounds is believed to have a synergistic effect, rendering their mode of action as complex as the products themselves.

Application to the soil assists in adding these bioactive compounds to the soil for availability to the plant, as well as stimulating the microbiome of the soil, including stimulating Rhizobium, important soil bacteria that fix nitrogen. Having an adequate microbiome in the soil allows nutrients to be processed and brought up by the root systems of plants. Without these important microorganisms, plants cannot thrive. One of the most consistent responses of plants to Culbac plant products to the soil is increased biomass of microbes and in particular in the rhizobium, increased microbial activity in the soil, and development of robust root systems in plants to bring necessary nutrients to the plant. This makes Culbac products a valuable tool in the planting , growth, and harvesting of ornamental plants.

Although Culbac plant biostimulants do contain small levels of elements essential to plant health, they are not intended to replace full fertilizer rations. Rather, Culbac plant products are designed to supplement a full fertilizer program by enabling the plant to utilize the maximum amount of nutrients available in the soil.

Products: Culbac Plant Solution, Culbac Green, and Culbac Liquid Commercial

Culbac plant products have been tested extensively for use as a seed treatment. The formulations developed have demonstrated great success with seed for establishment of ornamental plants. Culbac seed treatments are offered in dry and liquid forms. The all-natural soy base of Culbac Dry Seed Treatment Plus adds additional amino acids, nutrients, and biopeptides. Measures of root and shoot growth, seedling vigor, drought resistance, and temperature tolerance have demonstrated the great efficacy of Culbac seed treatments for ornamental plants.

The effects of Culbac seed treatments are most noticeable when seeds are planted in less than ideal conditions. For example, very warm soils or very cold soils, or in drought conditions. Besides increases in germination success, earlier emergence and more vigorous seedlings may also be observed when using Culbac seed treatments for ornamental plants. Strong root establishment with more durable and elongated taproots, as well as more dense root mass, more blooms, longer and more robust stalks, improved density and more robust production are observed with Culbac products applied to plants.

When used as a seed treatment, Culbac has consistently been shown to improve root development in many varieties of ornamental plants. In trials in universities, laboratories, and in field studies in multiple locations, percent of root mass was increased and additional blooms with more durability were observed when seeds had been treated with a Culbac seed treatment product. Trials also observed improved germination rates and increased seedling vigor when compared to untreated seedlings.

Culbac seed treatments have demonstrated vigorous and consistent results.

Products: Culbac Liquid Commercial and Culbac Dry Commercial Seed Treatment

Since Culbac plant products have consistently been shown to promote root development, they make an excellent root dip. Many studies have been conducted in both greenhouse and field settings to identify benefits of Culbac plant products when used as a root dip for fruits and vegetables. In a University of Florida greenhouse trial that used root dips on strawberries, the Culbac-treated plants showed root gains of more than 300% over the untreated set in the first two weeks after transplanting. In many other studies with fruit and vegetable seedlings, when Culbac plant products were used as a root dip for seedlings, Culbac-treated seedlings averaged increased root mass above controls. In root dip trials compared to a competitor product, the root and shoot growth for the Culbac-treated plugs was substantially greater than those treated with the competitor product. It is reasonable to conclude that if the root systems of fruits and vegetables are more fully developed, the durability and healthy growth of shoots should be increased due to the greater uptake of water and nutrients.

Most common annual ornamental plants can be easily grown from seeds and can also be successfully propagated from cuttings, including sweet potato vines, geraniums, impatiens, salvia, coleus and more with a healthy donor plant that is free of pests.

Products: Culbac Plant Solution and Culbac Green

Propagating plants from cuttings is widely used in the horticulture industry, especially for species that may be difficult to grow from seed. Vegetative propagation is also an excellent way to acquire new plants with a certain set of traits since the offspring will be genetically-identical to the donor plant. A grower can potentially start numerous plants by taking cuttings from a single donor plant.

Culbac products can be used in the propagation of these cuttings. In order to treat plant cuttings with Culbac, follow the mixing instructions for root dips but instead, soak the tip of a freshly-cut stem in the solution for 30 seconds before planting.

Culbac treatments of cuttings have been shown to increase rooting success. For example, in an experiment using crotons, a woody ornamental houseplant, Culbac treatments of the cuttings were shown to improve the rooting success rate by as much as 64% over untreated cuttings.

Products: Culbac Plant Solution and Culbac Green

When planting trees and shrubs, newly planted specimens benefit greatly from moderate air temperatures and warm soils. The roots of most deciduous trees and shrubs will continue to grow into the surrounding soil long after they drop their leaves. Root growth and overall plant establishment can be further aided by treating the root ball into a dilution of Culbac Plant Solution and water. Prepare the dilution by mixing 1 part of Culbac® Plant Solution with 500 parts of water (e.g. 1 ½ teaspoons of Culbac® Plant Solution per 1 gallon of water). Dip the root ball into the dilution and allow it soak for at least 30 seconds just prior to planting.

Products: Culbac Plant Solution and Culbac Green

Historically, Culbac has proven to be very effective for increasing plant growth when applied as a foliar treatment. As a foliar spray, Culbac can be delivered to the plants through sprayers or metered into irrigation systems. Since Culbac products are compatible with common pesticides and crop treatments, they may be mixed with these chemicals and applied at the same time.

In addition to the cytokinin found in Culbac plant products, a nutrient-rich fermentate and stabilized bacteria are included in these Culbac Probiotic Plus™ (tooltip) solutions. Trials have been run with Culbac products delivered as a foliar application in many and varied flowering plants, shrubs, and trees. Some examples of studies that have demonstrated success in ornamentals with foliar treatments have resulted in brighter and larger blooms in many varieties, longer stems and larger more durable blooms in roses, faster regrowth of blooms, more robust stems, more flowers on flowering bushes and trees, and greater pest resistance.

Application rates and timing are important to achieve the maximum benefit from plant growth regulators such as Culbac. Dose-response studies with Culbac foliar sprays have been accomplished to determine optimal application rates and timing of applications to achieve the greatest returns. Please see the product information for your ornamental plants, bushes, or trees. If you do not see your crop identified, please call our toll-free number for more information.

Products: Culbac Plant Solution and Culbac Green