Enzymes and Your Garden
The word enzyme is increasingly mentioned in both indoor and outdoor cultivation. In today’s article we will take a closer look at what they actually are, whether and how they help in growing and how to use them effectively in the garden bed and in the growbox.
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are chemical substances that act as catalysts – they accelerate chemical reactions between other substances. They thus help break down complex substances or, conversely, help form them. Without enzymes, life as we know it would not be possible.
Where do we find enzymes?
There is a huge number of enzymes around us that are an inseparable part of our daily lives. The best-known example of how enzymes help us is digestion: enzymes are found in human saliva, in the stomach and in the intestines. We add them to cleaning agents, use them in cooking and brewing beer, as well as in cheese or wine production.
One enzyme always helps with a single specific reaction and reacts only with one substance. For example, if the enzyme called lactase is missing in the human intestine, milk sugars (lactose) are not broken down, which manifests as unpleasant problems that you can avoid only by limiting your diet – the enzyme cannot be replaced.
What are enzymes good for for growers?
- More nutrients for plants
Enzymes speed up the breakdown of complex sugars, chitin, organic phosphates and, for example, animal fats. And what is all that good for? By breaking down complex molecules, lots of goodies are released – suddenly there is more nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron and sugar in the soil in a form that plants can absorb and use.
- Better soil properties
By accelerating the decomposition of dead organic matter in the soil, not only are many nutrients released, but also a lot of space. The soil itself becomes more aerated and retains water better, so nothing prevents the plant’s roots from growing and developing.
- Protection against harmful microorganisms
At the same time, much fewer opportunities remain in the soil for destructive bacteria and fungi that could feed on organic residues – and harm the cultivated plant. Some enzymes even break down the cell walls of pathogens, so the plant benefits both from prevention and from active protection.
- Faster and healthier growth
As if that weren’t enough, there are enzymes that accelerate hormone production in the plant. Together with improved soil conditions and protection against harmful bacteria and fungi, they support the plant’s natural development.
The result is a healthy plant that lacks nothing and is simply preparing to produce the most beautiful fruits and flowers.
TIP: Enzymes can be used to clean the substrate between growing cycles. This way you avoid using chemical cleaners.
Where do enzymes come from?
Enzymes are the most efficient catalysts we know, so they are produced by microorganisms, animals and plants. A popular way to produce enzymes for plant cultivation is microorganisms – bacteria and fungi (such as Bacillus and Trichoderma) that create enzymes and at the same time live symbiotically with plants. If you want to know more about them, we have prepared a separate article for you.
How to add enzymes to an outdoor garden?
In a classic garden there are usually already microorganisms that produce enzymes (note! they can be destroyed by, for example, high pH or chemical sprays), so adding bottled enzymes is usually not necessary. If you want to give plants a boost, you can add classic compost to the bed. It is rich in both nutrients and beneficial fungi and bacteria that produce enzymes.
Another option is to use your own compost tea, which you have more control over and can create faster. For example, Compost Tee from BioTabs is ready in just four hours and has all the benefits of traditional composting.
How to use enzymes indoor?
Indoor grow rooms or grow boxes are closed systems where beneficial and harmful microorganisms do not simply wash out. Adding classic compost is therefore understandably unappealing to many growers (even if we ignore the smell), because they do not want to invite pathogens into a carefully created environment.
But there are other options: you can add just pure enzymes – they can simply be bought in a bottle (e.g. from Shogun, Canny or BioNova). There are also mixtures containing beneficial microorganisms that produce enzymes. In products from Terra Aquatica, Plant Success or Biobizz you will find selected microbes that only benefit plants. 
TIP: You can use enzymes with any style of plant cultivation – even in a hydroponic system.
What to watch out for?
Enzymes only work under certain conditions. Changes in temperature, pressure or pH harm them, as do disturbances to colonies of microorganisms and, finally, the plants themselves. If possible, try to keep any fluctuations to a minimum.
If you want to add enzymes or microorganisms from a bottle, be very careful about storage temperature. Both higher and lower temperatures can deactivate enzymes and kill microbes.
You should also pay attention to labels. Manufacturers sometimes mix up terms like enzyme and microorganism, but the result is actually the same – you either add the catalyst directly or something that produces it. Bottles usually just say “enzymes” without specific names, which doesn’t affect effectiveness – you also won’t find a label on compost saying “contains cellulase, amylase and lipase”.
To summarize?
Enzymes are substances that speed up chemical reactions. When it comes to plant cultivation, their biggest benefit lies in improving substrate quality. They improve aeration, water retention and increase the amount of nutrients available to the plant. Adding enzymes will definitely not harm anything; on the contrary. It may turn out that they are exactly what your plants have been missing for years, whether you grow outdoors or indoors.
If you have any questions about enzymes and their use in plant cultivation that came to mind while reading the article, feel free to contact us at info@higarden.cz - we are here for you.
We recommend these products:
- Advanced Hydroponics Enzymes +
- Shogun Zenzym
- BioNova BN-Zym
Other articles:
- Beneficial microorganisms (microbes) are indispensable helpers
- Why not to combine silicon-based products and beneficial microorganisms?
- BIOTABS – organic fertilizers and soil additives