Ready to give your crops the best start?
Healthy soil is the foundation for high-performing crops. As growers prepare for planting, accelerating residue breakdown and improving soil functionality can make all the difference. HELM offers two innovative solutions in its Plant Advantage™ portfolio – Contour™ for row crops and Soil-Set® for specialty crops – that deliver a win-win for growers.
By effectively and efficiently increasing microbial activity and breaking down residue, these products support sustainability while driving profitability. They help create a clean, yet impactful soil canvas that offers better nutrient cycling, stronger growth and higher yield potential for the next crop.
Contour: Built for row crops
Contour is a proprietary blend of biological fermentation extracts that feed native microbes—right beneath the planter. Once activated, these microbes rapidly break down crop residue to release nutrients that plants can immediately use. The result? Stronger roots, healthier shoots and season-long resilience. Ideal for corn, soybeans, cotton and small grains, Contour builds soil vitality for maximum yield potential.
No-till growers take note: Contour makes last season’s residue work for you by breaking it down naturally for the season ahead.
Key benefits of Contour:
- Provides for more microbial activity to enhance residue breakdown and nutrient availability
- Improves water infiltration and soil structure
- Allows for stronger root systems that efficiently take up nutrients and water
- Shelf-stable and easy to use—no live microbes, no expiration date
- Tank mix compatible; can be applied pre-plant, pre-emergence and alongside most traditional application programs
By improving nutrient cycling and soil functionality, Contour helps growers shape the soil to unlock plant potential. See the population growth of important soil microbes when Contour was applied at 16 oz/A.
See the yield difference studied in Whitewater, Wisconsin, on corn when Contour was applied at 16 oz/A two ways, compared to the untreated check.
Soil-Set: Designed for specialty crops
Specialty crops demand precision and consistency. Soil-Set combines bacterial fermentation extracts with yucca and essential micronutrients – like zinc, copper and manganese – to enrich soil characteristics and feed microbial activity. This fosters more nutrient availability and uptake, which transitions to hardier plants that yield well. Ideal for fruits, nuts, leafy greens, root crops and crucifers, Soil-Set supports strong growth every step of the way—from seed to harvest.
Key benefits of Soil-Set:
- OMRI-listed for organic crop production
- Improves residue breakdown and organic matter
- Boosts beneficial microbial populations for better nutrient cycling that leads to stronger root and shoot growth
- Shelf-stable and easy to use—no live microbes, no expiration date
- Tank mix compatible; can be applied preplant, preemergence and alongside most traditional application programs
With Soil-Set, specialty crop growers can ensure robust soil synergy for a productive growing season. See the elevated nutrient availability from a Soil-Set application on lemons.
Why timeliness matters
Breaking down crop residue before planting is key for nutrient availability and soil health. Both Contour and Soil-Set work fast to start the season with soils primed for yield success.
Contact your local HELM representative or agronomist to learn more about HELM's Plant Advantage portfolio and how it could work for you.
You can also take one or more of HELM's online learning modules, which cover Plant Advantage topics such as Soil Health, Crop Development and Crop Defense.