Ecothrive Charge – Organic Insect Frass

Charge is a 100% naturally-produced potting soil enhancer that confers a whole host of biological benefits to your plants. Charge boosts and prolongs the fertility of your potting mix by adding a balance of long-lasting primary nutrients in a highly available form. Composed entirely from the droppings of beetles, this premium grade ‘insect frass’ is packed full of beneficial microorganisms and natural plant growth catalysts. Charge will stimulate robust plants growth, improve root zone conditions and create vigorous high yielding plants. Certified for use growing organic crops by the Soil Association.

• Contains a well-balanced proportion of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with good availability and long-term supply.
• Promotes a healthy biological presence in the growing media, improving nutrient cycling and availability as well as improved root growth.
• Contains naturally occurring activators of plants’ immune response, elevating defence against bacterial and fungal diseases.
• Easy to apply thanks to user-friendly sandy texture.
• 100% Organic – Approved by the Soil Association.

NPK – 3/2/3

What is in Charge?

Charge is comprised from just one ingredient: premium grade insect frass. (Frass is the technical term for insect poop.) The specific insects that help to create Charge insect frass are the larvae of Tenebrio molitor beetles, commonly known as mealworms. Charge goes through a number of processes and tests before being packaged to ensure it’s of the highest quality and no actual insects are present.

What do the beetle larvae eat?

Good quality outputs come from good quality inputs! The beetle larvae that make Charge are treated to a diet of organic carrots and wheat bran. These components contain everything the beetles need for a healthy lifecycle. Additionally, this strict vegetarian additive-free diet ensures the insect frass is the same high quality each and every time to deliver a consistent product year round.

How Does Charge Work?

Charge improves plant growth in a number of ways. Firstly, Charge insect frass provides a range of macro and micro-nutrients needed for healthy plant growth. Secondly, insect frass is packed full of beneficial microorganisms. Laboratory tests have shown that Charge consistently contains more than 450 million colony forming units of beneficial rhizosphere bacteria per gram! These beneficial bacteria ‘charge’ the potting mix, making it more favourable for root growth and function, and vastly improve nutrient cycling and availability when growing organically. Finally, being an organic waste from insects, Charge contains derivatives of chitin, which is a modified polysaccharide found in large concentrations in the cell walls of insects. The chitinous derivatives found in Charge are able to naturally elevate the plants in-built resistance to pests and disease, as well as increase growth rates and productivity; ensuring a healthy and fruitful crop.

When Should I use Charge?

For best results, mix Charge into your potting mix before planting. If your growing media has a low-medium  nutritional content , such as Coco Coir or a multi-purpose compost, mix it at 2% by volume. If you use a heavily fertilised potting soil mix it at 1% by volume. In the weeks after mixing into the growing media, water and feed as you would normally. Charge contains a mild kick of nutrients and will compliment your nutrient regime, not interfere with it.

For continued plant health and growth improvement, top dress Charge onto the surface of the growing media every 2-4 weeks.

Charge can also be mixed with water for use as growth boosting foliar spray.