Xtreme Gardening Azos – 12 oz

Xtreme Gardening Azos is a dry granular biological inoculant containing Azospirillum brasilense at 1.0 x 10^6 CFU per gram. The 12 oz bag covers rooting cuttings, transplant inoculation, and reservoir dosing in hydro, soil, and coco systems — converting atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available ammoniacal nitrogen and stimulating plant production of the auxin IAA.

Xtreme Gardening Azos Specifications

Specifications below are sourced from canonical record, supplier listing (SKU 689076048361), and brand research data.

Why Choose Xtreme Gardening Azos

Points below are from the canonical description, Xtreme Gardening brand page, and supplier listing.

• Single-strain Azospirillum brasilense at 1 million CFU per gram. Azos uses one nitrogen-fixing bacterium — Azospirillum brasilense — at 1.0 x 10^6 CFU per gram. Single-strain inoculants make it clear which biological process is introduced — in this case, atmospheric nitrogen fixation paired with auxin (IAA) stimulation.
• Converts atmospheric N2 into plant-available nitrogen at the root zone. Azospirillum brasilense pulls nitrogen (N2) directly from the air spaces around plant roots and converts it into ammoniacal nitrogen, the form plants can absorb. This supplements rather than replaces nitrogen from the base feeding program, and is particularly useful in media with weaker native nitrogen cycling such as inert hydro substrates or new coco coir.
• Stimulates the plant’s own production of IAA (indole-3 acetic acid). Beyond nitrogen fixation, Azospirillum induces the plant to produce more IAA, a naturally occurring auxin that controls cell division, root elongation, and shoot development. The documented result is faster cutting strikes, stronger transplant roots, and improved vegetative growth — the IAA pathway is what makes Azos especially effective on cuttings where rapid root initiation is the limiting factor.
• Granular dry powder format with broad application flexibility. The 12 oz bag is a dry granular powder rather than a liquid concentrate. Dry-format biologicals have a longer practical shelf life than liquid concentrates and can be applied multiple ways: cutting soaks, transplant-hole dusting, reservoir dissolution, or watering-in slurries. One bag covers cloning, transplanting, and reservoir dosing.
• Compatible with any nutrient line and any growing medium. Azos is documented as compatible with any base nutrient program and works in soil, coco coir, and recirculating or run-to-waste hydroponic systems. It is a drop-in additive applied weekly during veg; it pairs well with other root-zone products including Advanced Nutrients Tarantula, a separate liquid bacterial inoculant targeting a different microbial spectrum.
• Cultivated and packaged in California by a biological-inoculant-focused brand. Xtreme Gardening cultivates and packages all biologicals in California and positions the Mykos / Azos line as "High Performance Biological Inoculants." Published application rates are specific by container and reservoir size, detailed enough to use without guessing.

Best Uses for Xtreme Gardening Azos

Azos is categorized under Nutrients & Additives > Additives > Roots. The use cases below reflect documented application across cloning, transplanting, and reservoir dosing.

• Rooting new cuttings. Azos is documented as an effective tool for cuttings, where rapid root initiation is the difference between a successful strike and a failed clone. The brand rate is 4 tbsp per gallon, with plugs / rockwool soaked 10 minutes before sticking; or a 1:2 Azos-to-water tip dip for 15 seconds. The IAA-stimulation mechanism targets root initiation directly.
• Transplant inoculant for container and field grows. At transplant, Azos can be dosed directly into the hole or rootball to reduce shock and accelerate establishment. Rates scale with container size (see dosing table below). Introducing the bacteria at transplant places them where new root growth will occur rather than requiring migration through bulk media.
• Hydroponic reservoir additive during vegetative growth. Azos can be dosed directly into hydroponic reservoirs to feed vegetative growth, discontinue during flower. Reservoir-size rates are published from 5 to 100 gallons (see dosing table below). This makes it practical for both home-scale DWC and small commercial systems.
• Aeroponic cloner / propagation machine reservoirs. Cloning machines use 1 tbsp per gallon at pH 6.0. The combination of IAA stimulation and nitrogen fixation in an aerated cloner creates conditions where Azospirillum can colonize cut surfaces and developing root primordia.
• Watering-in for soil and coco grows. For soil or coco grows, Azos can be mixed into watering-in water at reservoir rates and applied via watering can or fertigation. This pairs naturally with carbon inputs — Earth Juice Hi-Brix molasses provides a carbon source that supports general beneficial microbial activity in soil, while Azos delivers the targeted nitrogen-fixing inoculation.
• Complete biological root programs. Many growers pair Azos with mycorrhizal inoculants such as Xtreme Gardening Mykos so the root zone covers both nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azos) and mycorrhizal fungi (Mykos). The two target different functions and create broader coverage than either alone.

Azos vs Mykos & Broad-Spectrum Mycorrhizal Blends

Growers often weigh Azos against Xtreme Gardening’s sister product Mykos and broader-spectrum blends like Plant Revolution Great White. The three target different microbial functions, so the comparison is about matching the inoculant to the job.

Azos and Mykos are complementary: Azos handles the nitrogen-fixing bacterial side, Mykos the mycorrhizal fungal side. Broad-spectrum blends like Great White bundle bacteria, fungi, and trichoderma into one product, trading per-species depth for breadth. If your priority is faster cutting strikes and strong vegetative establishment in liquid-feed systems, the targeted Azos inoculant gives you a documented single-strain mechanism (Azospirillum + IAA stimulation) that broader blends do not specifically advertise.

Compatibility & Operating Range

Azos is a living microbial product. Compatibility extends beyond system type into chemistry, storage, and timing relative to other inputs.

• Growing media: Compatible with soil, coco, peat mixes, and all inert hydroponic media (rockwool, clay pebbles, perlite). Azospirillum brasilense colonizes the water film around roots, so it does not require the close root-cell contact mycorrhizal fungi need.
• Hydroponic system types: Documented compatible with all hydroponic system types including DWC, drip, NFT, ebb and flow, and aeroponic cloners. The brand publishes cloner rates (1 tbsp/gallon at pH 6.0) and reservoir rates from 5 to 100 gallons, making Azos practical for home systems and commercial reservoirs alike.
• Nutrient program compatibility: Azos is documented as compatible with any nutrient line. Growers using General Hydroponics, Advanced Nutrients, House & Garden, Heavy 16, or other base brands do not need to switch programs. For a complete root-zone stack, Heavy 16 Roots targets the chemistry side of root development and pairs naturally with a biological inoculant like Azos.
• pH range: Standard hydroponic pH 5.8–6.2 is well within the active range for Azospirillum brasilense; the brand recommends pH 6.0 for cloner reservoirs. Extreme pH below 5.0 or above 7.5 reduces viability; adjust reservoir pH before adding Azos rather than after.
• Chemical inputs to avoid near application: Strong oxidizers (hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, sodium hypochlorite) will kill Azospirillum. Complete any sterilization and flush before adding Azos. High-concentration copper algaecides are similarly toxic to bacteria at the reservoir.
• Reservoir temperature: Standard reservoir temperature 65–72°F (18–22°C) is the most active range. Higher temperatures stress beneficial bacteria and favor pathogens; lower temperatures reduce metabolic activity.
• Storage: Store the dry bag cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight. The dry format has a longer practical shelf life than liquid microbial concentrates, but moisture or heat still reduces viability. Reseal tightly between uses.
• Use with crop-protection products: If you run a crop-protection program with plant-based or biostimulant insecticides such as PureCrop1, check the specific active ingredients before applying concurrent with Azos at the root zone. Saponin-based or strong botanical extracts at high concentration can affect microbial populations; foliar applications timed between feeds are lower risk than direct reservoir additions.
• Use during flower / bloom: Brand guidance: apply weekly to roots, cuttings, or seeds; not recommended during flower / bloom. The product is designed to push vegetative growth via nitrogen fixation and IAA stimulation, both of which are most useful during establishment, cloning, and vegetative weeks rather than during flower formation.

Dosing Guidelines

Azos is dosed by use case — cutting soak, cloner, transplant, reservoir, or watering-in. All rates below come from the Xtreme Gardening brand product page.

Bag coverage: 12 oz (340 g) is roughly 24 US tablespoons — about 6 cutting-soak gallons, 24 cloner gallons, 12 transplants in 5–7 gal pots, or 12 weekly doses for a 5-gal reservoir. Larger grows can use the 8 lb and 20 lb sizes for better per-ounce economy.

How to Use Xtreme Gardening Azos

Azos is straightforward to apply. The steps below cover the most common scenarios — cutting soak, transplant inoculation, and reservoir dosing — using brand-published rates.

1. Identify the application context. Decide whether you are taking cuttings, transplanting, dosing a reservoir, or watering-in. The bag covers all of these. Check the dosing table above for exact volumes before measuring.
2. For cuttings: prepare a soak solution. Mix 4 tbsp of Azos into 1 gallon of clean, dechlorinated water and stir; some carrier residue may settle, which is normal. Soak plugs or rockwool 10 minutes before sticking. Alternatively, mix a 1:2 Azos-to-water slurry and dip cutting tips for 15 seconds before placing.
3. For cloner reservoirs: dose at 1 tbsp per gallon and pH-adjust to 6.0. Add 1 tbsp Azos per gallon of cloner water, then adjust pH to 6.0. Aeration, pH 6.0, and the inoculant together favor Azospirillum brasilense and cutting root initiation.
4. For transplants: dose by container size. Measure by container size (see dosing table): 1 tbsp for 1–3 gal up to 1/2 cup for 100 gal. Apply to the rootball or the bottom of the transplant hole, then backfill and water in normally.
5. For hydroponic reservoirs: dose by reservoir size. Use brand rates from the dosing table (2 tbsp for 5 gal up to 3/4–1 cup for 100 gal). Dissolve the powder with the pump or air stone running so cells distribute evenly rather than settling.
6. Mix Azos into reservoir water before adding concentrated base nutrients. Introducing Azos into plain water before adding concentrated base nutrients gives a gentler initial environment. Once dispersed, the bacteria are robust to standard hydro nutrient strengths.
7. Verify reservoir pH and EC after mixing. Check pH and EC with calibrated instruments once all inputs are mixed. Azos at the published rates does not significantly affect pH or EC, but verify the reservoir is in target range (pH 5.8–6.2 for general hydro, pH 6.0 for cloners).
8. Apply weekly during veg. Dose weekly during vegetative growth and discontinue at flower / bloom per brand guidance — the product is built for root and vegetative push, not bloom support.
9. Avoid concurrent oxidizer use. Do not add hydrogen peroxide, bleach, chlorine, or other oxidizing sterilizers in the same feed cycle as Azos. Complete any between-cycle sterilization and flush before re-introducing Azos.
10. Reseal and store the bag. Reseal the bag tightly after each use and store cool, dry, and out of sunlight. With proper storage, a 12 oz bag remains viable through multiple grow cycles.

Sources & Further Reading