• Organic Liquid Veg Booster — 500ml white bottle of grey liquid with dr forest Veg Activated EM-1 label
  • Organic Liquid Veg Booster — back of bottle with Ingredients panel listing BSF frass, seaweed, EM-1, molasses
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Dr Forest

Liquid Veg Booster

£11.00
£11.00
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  • ✓Free UK delivery on orders over £40
  • ✓Handcrafted and dispatched from Stockport
  • ✓Made with organic ingredients
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Organic veg booster — fermented nitrogen, seaweed, insect frass & beneficial microbes

Fermented with EM-1 Nitrogen & Micronutrients Mealworm Frass & Chitin Scottish Seaweed Living Microorganisms Recycled Plastic Bottle

The vegetative-stage counterpart to our Bloom Booster. This is a living fermented fertiliser made by hand in small batches — nitrogen-rich organic materials, seaweed, and beneficial microorganisms brewed together over months of anaerobic fermentation. The result is a growth-stage supplement that delivers nitrogen and micronutrients for leaf and stem development alongside active microbial cultures and chitin-triggered plant defence compounds from insect frass.

The nitrogen comes from mealworm frass and worm castings — both fermented for three months to convert organic nitrogen into plant-available forms. Scottish seaweed provides natural cytokinins, auxins, and alginates that promote cell division and root development. The EM-1 culture produces vitamins, enzymes, organic acids, and growth-promoting compounds throughout. Use alongside your base Dr Forest fertiliser from transplanting until the first flower buds appear, then switch to the Bloom Booster.

N + P + KVeg Stage Nutrition
EM-1Living Culture
3+Months Fermented
AloeGrown In-House

What goes into this veg booster

  • Mealworm frass — insect frass provides nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and chitin; the chitin triggers chitinase enzyme production in plants, priming their immune defence against fungal pathogens and root-feeding insects
  • Worm castings — a rich source of humic substances, beneficial microorganisms, and plant growth hormones; fermented anaerobically to extract these compounds into solution
  • Scottish seaweed — contains natural cytokinins and auxins (plant growth hormones), alginates (soil-structuring polysaccharides), and mannitol (a natural chelating agent); British-sourced from Scottish coastline
  • Dr Higa's EM-1 culture — Effective Microorganisms: phototrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, and fungi that produce vitamins, enzymes, organic acids, and antioxidants during fermentation
  • Aloe vera — grown organically in-house at Dr Forest HQ; contains salicylic acid (a natural plant defence signal), saponins (biosurfactants), and polysaccharides that improve foliar wetting and root zone biology
  • Humic acid — natural chelator and microbial food source; improves nutrient availability and stimulates beneficial soil organisms
  • Molasses & Supa Cera C powder — microbial food source and EM ceramic powder that support fermentation and enhance the biological activity of the finished product

How it is made

Stage one: mealworm frass, aloe vera, worm castings, humic acid, and filtered water are fermented anaerobically for a minimum of three months at room temperature. This extended fermentation breaks down the organic nitrogen, chitin, and humic compounds into plant-available forms — the Jadam JLF principle. Stage two: Scottish seaweed, EM-1 culture, molasses, and Supa Cera C powder are added and fermented at 25°C+ for approximately two weeks. The final liquid is strained through a 200-micron sieve and bottled.

This is a fermented product

It has a strong, distinctive smell — this is completely normal and indicates active biological cultures. The odour dissipates rapidly after dilution and application.

Handcrafted in Stockport

Every batch is fermented by hand at our workshop in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The aloe vera is grown organically in-house. The seaweed is sourced from Scotland. No two batches are chemically identical — this is a living product. Supplied in recycled plastic bottles.

The science of fermented nitrogen & chitin-triggered plant defence

Why fermented is different from dissolved

A conventional nitrogen fertiliser dissolves a salt in water — ammonium sulphate, urea, calcium nitrate. Fast-acting, biologically dead. A fermented nitrogen source takes organic materials rich in protein and chitin, breaks them down through months of microbial activity, and produces a complex liquid containing plant-available nitrogen plus the living organisms, enzymes, organic acids, and defence-triggering compounds generated during that process. The result feeds both the plant and the soil biology simultaneously.

01

Mealworm Frass — Nitrogen, Chitin & Defence Priming

Insect frass is not just a nitrogen source. It contains chitin — the polysaccharide that forms insect exoskeletons. When chitin enters the soil, it triggers chitinase enzyme production in both plants and soil microorganisms. Chitinase breaks down the cell walls of chitin-containing organisms — including pathogenic fungi and root-feeding nematodes. Plants that detect chitin in their root zone upregulate their defence pathways (a process called "priming"), becoming more resistant to attack before any pathogen arrives. Three months of anaerobic fermentation partially breaks down the chitin, making it more bioavailable and accelerating this defence response.

02

Scottish Seaweed — Natural Growth Hormones

Seaweed contains cytokinins and auxins — the plant hormones that govern cell division, root initiation, and shoot growth. It also provides alginates (polysaccharides that improve soil structure and water retention), mannitol (a natural chelating agent that improves mineral uptake), and betaines (osmoprotectants that improve stress tolerance). The seaweed is added during the second fermentation stage, where the EM-1 culture further processes these compounds into biologically active forms. British-sourced from the Scottish coastline.

03

Worm Castings — Microbial Richness

Worm castings are among the most microbiologically diverse organic materials available. They contain plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), beneficial fungi, humic and fulvic acids, and hormone-like compounds that stimulate root growth and nutrient uptake. The three-month anaerobic fermentation extracts these soluble compounds into the liquid phase, concentrating the biological activity of the castings into a form that can be applied as a foliar spray or root drench.

04

EM-1: The Microbial Engine

EM-1 (Effective Microorganisms) is a consortium of phototrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, and beneficial fungi. During fermentation, these organisms produce organic acids that solubilise minerals, enzymes that break down organic compounds, antioxidants that protect cell membranes, and plant growth-promoting substances including vitamins and hormone-like molecules. Applied to soil, they colonise the rhizosphere and compete with pathogenic organisms for space and resources — a form of biological disease suppression.

05

Aloe Vera — Defence Signalling

Aloe vera contains salicylic acid — the molecule that triggers systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in plants. SAR is the plant equivalent of an immune memory: once triggered, the entire plant becomes more resistant to a broad spectrum of pathogens. Aloe also contains saponins that act as natural biosurfactants, improving the spread and absorption of foliar applications. Grown organically in-house at Dr Forest HQ in Stockport.

06

The Veg + Bloom System

The Veg Booster and Bloom Booster are designed as a pair. Veg Booster delivers nitrogen, chitin, seaweed hormones, and growth-promoting microbes for the vegetative phase — leaf expansion, stem development, root establishment. When flower buds appear, switch to the zero-nitrogen Bloom Booster, which delivers phosphorus, potassium, and reproductive-stage support. Both are fermented with the same EM-1 culture, maintaining biological continuity in the root zone throughout the crop cycle.

References

  1. Higa, T. & Parr, J.F. (1994). Beneficial and effective microorganisms for a sustainable agriculture and environment. International Nature Farming Research Center.
  2. Sharp, R.G. (2013). A review of the applications of chitin and its derivatives in agriculture. Agronomy, 3(4), 757–793.
  3. Khan, W. et al. (2009). Seaweed extracts as biostimulants of plant growth and development. J. Plant Growth Regulation, 28, 386–399.
  4. Cho, J.Y. (2016). Jadam Organic Farming. JADAM Publishing.

How to use: vegetative-stage supplementation for growth & establishment

This is a supplement, not a base feed

Veg Booster is designed to be used alongside your base Dr Forest fertiliser (Veg 4-4-4, All-Purpose 6-6-6, Tomato 3-4-6, etc.) during the vegetative stage. It adds nitrogen, micronutrients, beneficial microbes, and biostimulants on top of your existing programme. It does not replace the base feed.

Application rates

Foliar spray

Rate: 5–10 ml per litre of water  |  Frequency: Weekly during vegetative growth

Strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth before adding to a sprayer — although pre-strained through 200 micron, additional straining prevents any residual particles from clogging nozzles. Apply as a fine mist to both leaf surfaces in early morning or late evening.

Root drench

Rate: 5–20 ml per litre of water  |  Frequency: Weekly during vegetative growth

Dilute and apply directly to the root zone. This is the preferred method for delivering the beneficial microorganisms and chitin compounds to the soil. The living EM culture and chitin fragments colonise and prime the rhizosphere on contact. No straining required for watering can application.

When to use

Start: After transplanting or once seedlings are established  |  Switch: When flower buds appear

Begin weekly applications once plants are actively growing — after transplanting or once seedlings have their first true leaves. Continue throughout the vegetative phase. When flower buds first appear, switch to Dr Forest Bloom Booster for phosphorus, potassium, and zero-nitrogen reproductive support.

Step-by-step

  1. Shake the bottle well. This is a living fermented product — sediment and biological material settle during storage. Shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds.
  2. Measure the required volume. Root drench: 5–20 ml per litre. Foliar: 5–10 ml per litre. Start at the lower end and increase if plants respond well.
  3. For foliar use, strain first. Pour through a fine sieve, muslin, or old tights into the sprayer to prevent nozzle blockages.
  4. Dilute in water and apply. Root drench: add to a watering can and pour around the root zone. Foliar: spray both leaf surfaces evenly.
  5. Apply weekly from establishment through to the start of flowering. Then switch to Bloom Booster for the reproductive phase.
The complete fermented programme

Vegetative stage: Base fertiliser (Veg 4-4-4 or All-Purpose 6-6-6) + weekly Veg Booster. Flowering stage: Base fertiliser (Bloom 2-8-4 or crop-specific) + weekly Bloom Booster. Add Seaweed Powder fortnightly throughout and Cal-Mino for chelated calcium during fruit development. This gives you living biology, mineral nutrition, and biostimulants across the entire crop cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Different ingredients for different growth stages. Veg Booster contains nitrogen-rich inputs (mealworm frass, worm castings) plus seaweed growth hormones — designed for leaf and stem development during the vegetative phase. Bloom Booster contains phosphorus and potassium (rock phosphate, sulphate of potash) with zero nitrogen — designed for flowering and fruiting. Both are fermented with the same EM-1 culture. Use them as a pair: Veg Booster until flower buds appear, then switch to Bloom Booster.
This is a fermented product containing active microbial cultures. The sour, yeasty, or earthy smell is completely normal and indicates a healthy fermentation. The odour dissipates rapidly after dilution. If it smells putrid or rotten (as opposed to sour/fermented), the culture may have been contaminated — contact us for a replacement.
Two things. First, it provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — standard plant nutrition. Second, and more interestingly, it contains chitin from insect exoskeletons. Chitin in the root zone triggers chitinase enzyme production in plants and soil microbes, which breaks down the cell walls of pathogenic fungi and root-feeding nematodes. This "primes" the plant's immune defences before any pathogen arrives — a documented biological defence mechanism.
You can, but it is not ideal. The nitrogen content will promote vegetative growth during a phase when you want the plant's energy directed toward flowers and fruit. We recommend switching to the zero-nitrogen Bloom Booster when flower buds appear. If you want the microbial and biostimulant benefits during flowering without the nitrogen, the Bloom Booster provides the same EM-1 culture with phosphorus and potassium instead.
Scottish coastline. It is added during the second fermentation stage where the EM-1 culture further processes the seaweed compounds — cytokinins, auxins, alginates, and mannitol — into biologically active forms.
Grown organically in-house at Dr Forest HQ in Stockport. Harvested fresh and added directly to the first-stage fermentation.
For root drench with a watering can — no straining needed. For foliar spraying — yes, strain through a fine sieve, muslin, or old tights before adding to a sprayer. The product is pre-strained through 200 micron during bottling, but additional straining prevents residual particles from blocking sprayer nozzles.
No. This is a vegetative-stage supplement. Use alongside a base fertiliser (Veg 4-4-4, All-Purpose 6-6-6, or crop-specific) for complete mineral nutrition.
Cool place, out of direct sunlight. Do not freeze or expose to temperatures above 35°C — this kills the beneficial organisms. The bottle may produce a small amount of gas from ongoing microbial activity — open carefully. Use within 6 months for best results.
Yes. This product is supplied in recycled plastic bottles.
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