How Winter Weather Affects Microbial Activity

As the ground begins to freeze and all other life seems to head into hibernation until spring, microorganisms are still hard at work. How? It's simple: their gears change from making nutrients available to crops to focusing more on degrading organic carbon.

Winter temperatures pose no threat to microorganisms. Microbes are believed to be one of the hardiest living organisms on the planet, as they are built to withstand extreme temperatures ranging from a chilling -13ºF to a sweat dropping 260ºF.

Once the ground is frozen in the winter, microorganisms shift gears from making nutrients available to crops to primarily focusing on degrading organic carbon.

So the answer is no, microbes do not hibernate during the winter months, they are in fact very much active. But how do they survive? That’s next.

How do microbes survive the winter months?

As snow begins to fall and create a layer that covers the soil, the “frost layer” (aka the layer of organic matter) serves as a blanket to the soil and microbes, helping retain warmer temperatures.

Microbes are fully alive and active throughout the winter months. The capacity of microorganisms is astonishingly similar to those in the summer months, though the growth rate is a bit lower. Why is this the case?

In the winter months, as the rest of the earth is slowing down to prepare for the busy growing season that lies ahead in the spring that is soon to come, microorganisms are in search of ways to survive from food and energy as there is not much available while the ground is at rest. How can we help?

By applying MeltDown after harvest, you’re not only unleashing a swath of over two dozen strains of microbes into your soil, but you’re also breaking down your in-field crop residue. MeltDown’s microbes work to make nutrients available for the microorganisms that can also be found in your soil. There are many other in-field benefits that stem from applying this product to your fields. See for yourself.

One of the main goals for microbes is to convert nitrogen and make nutrients available to plants. Without microorganisms our plants, as well as many things on our planet, would not be able to survive as they cannot source and breakdown these nutrients on their own.

Packing a punch in every inch of your farmland, tiny but mighty microbes are at no rest during the winter months, sourcing food and energy to prepare for the growing season that lies ahead.

If you’re looking for a way to build an army of microorganisms within your fields, and truly maximize your fields potential, let’s get connected.