Both soil and hydroponic gardeners encounter root decay problems at some point, but as we all know – happy root systems make happy plants.
There are many products on the market to help gardeners with root issues, but perhaps the two most common ones are Canna’s Cannazym and World Garden LTD’s Hygrozyme.
Cannazym is a blend of 12 different enzymes that break down dead root material and convert it into a mixture of glucose and minerals. This product also contains easily absorbable vitamins and desert plant extracts that can heal the root zone and promote new growth.
Hygrozyme is an enzyme-based product used to help clean systems and growing media. This product is a bacteria-free, OMRI certified blend of enzymes and amino acids.
Naturally, we did a showdown!
Cannazym’s recommended application rate is 9mL/gallon of water.
Hygrozyme’s recommended application rate is 8-10mL/gallon of water.
To test enzymatic/break-down activity, we used yellow paper and dead root material (courtesy of our in-store garden). The yellow papers were cut to the exact same size, and the root material samples were divided to be as close in weight and size as possible. All glasses were kept in the same location and kept covered to avoid contamination.
We diluted both Cannazym and Hygrozyme to an application rate of 9mL/gallon of water and put both of these up against our “control group” of just plain water. We put paper in one set of glasses and roots in the other.
We also filled separate glasses with concentrated (2tsp) Cannazym and concentrated (2tsp) Hygrozyme. To the concentrate, we added both roots and paper.
Conclusions:
The Cannazym concentrate definitely wins in the breakdown of the paper and root material. Although not pictured, the Cannazym solution with root material also showed signs of break-down on day 3 of our test. This can be seen on the surface of the water. Hygrozyme lagged a couple of days behind the Cannazym and displayed a similar break-down pattern on day 5. Even on the last day, day 19, one can tell that the Cannazym has a little more of this break-down than the Hygrozyme.
In all, Cannazym is the clear winner when it comes to breaking down substances. Hygrozyme may keep systems running cleaner (as they advertise), but this test seems to show that it does not compare when a gardener needs a product to eat away dead root material to promote healthy new growth.
This final picture of Hygrozyme, left, and Cannazym right is interesting to see the build up of broken down root material on the surface of the solution.
Victor delosangeles jr says
Great read.. THANKS this will be useful..
Pedro says
Hygrozym is compatible with h2o2 which wins it for me
Joedan says
I know you have labeled everything clearly throughout the experiment, but I must question your final photo comparative at Day 19.
Is it correct to say you’ve reversed the sequence of display?
Is it Hygrozyme on the left and Cannazyme on the right in the final 2 photos, where as you had them throughout the experiment depicted with Cannazyme on the left and Hygrozyme on the right?
Just looking for clarity in this regard. Is there any photos that are off bias in relation to the reflective surface in the final stage?
Thank you, I would like to quantify your results with more visual reference to the decomposed film at surface of the solutions. J
Jay says
I thought they worked well together because they are different types of enzymes.
Donna says
Is cannazyme an organic enzyme ??
Have lots of roots from plant soil that was used in my raised beds
My plants are yellow and stunted
Of course I am in the desert too
But interested in the product can I get it from you??
Dee Juliani
brian says
Cannazyme does not have an organic certification. But the enzymes are specifically tailored to break down dead root material so that pathogen risk is greatly reduced and the conditions for nutrient uptake are increased. An enzyme product is especially beneficial if you plan to reuse growing medium as you likely will for your raised beds. Hope this helps and best of luck!