See national chem pricing trends in the FBN Research report
If you've been farming long enough, you know the frustration: it's planting season, the weather window is closing, and you're waiting on a tanker load of starter fertilizer that's backed up three deliveries deep. That was the world Matt Caron worked in as a co-op retail agronomist — and it's a big part of why he's now one of the most vocal advocates for a different approach.
This article is a deep dive into Inhabit P, a concentrated microhumate-bonded phosphorus product, and how it — combined with Zinc EPC, a peptide-chelated zinc — stacks up against traditional in-furrow starters like 10-34-0.
Inhabit P™ is an orthophosphorus fertilizer bonded with a microhumate carbon. Think of it as a highly concentrated phosphorus source that you dilute 10-to-1 with water on your farm before applying in-furrow.
The science behind it starts with microhumates — a naturally occurring material from a specific shale source that has an exceptionally small molecular structure. That small size matters because it maximizes the number of binding sites available to hold onto fertilizer molecules.
Here's a quick way to think about the carbon evolution:
Humic acid — large carbon structure, binds fertilizer on the outside edges
Fulvic acid — smaller structure, more binding sites per unit of carbon, more efficient
Microhumate — even smaller, maximum binding sites, most efficient of all
Inhabit P takes microhumates and bonds them directly to phosphoric acid — the base material used in virtually every phosphorus fertilizer — to create a highly concentrated, stable product.
The answer is yes, in most scenarios — and it works especially well in high-pH soils.
In the first year of trials across 22 locations, Inhabit P was tested head-to-head against a wide range of competitive starters — 10-34-0, 9-18-9, 7-23-7, straight ortho products, and poly/ortho blends.
The result was near-identical yield performance across the board.
Not a dramatic win, but consistent statistically — which for a product asking you to change your program, is exactly what you need to see first.
Where things got more interesting was in high-pH soils. Because Inhabit P is built on a phosphoric acid base, introducing it into a high-pH environment creates a buffering reaction that appears to increase phosphorus availability.
In trials comparing Inhabit P against competitive starters on soils ranging from pH 5.7 to 8.4, a clear pattern emerged:
High pH soil: Inhabit P produced +3 to +6 bushels compared to the competitive starter, even with significantly less total phosphorus applied (roughly 3 lbs of P vs. nearly 20 lbs from 10-34-0)
Low pH soil: Inhabit P came in at -2 to +2 bushels— essentially the same result
Soil tests later showed higher available phosphorus levels with Inhabit P in those high-pH environments, even when less total product was applied. Tissue tests also tracked closely, with one high-pH location showing slightly lower P in tissue but still delivering a 4-bushel advantage at harvest.
The pattern is consistent enough to call it a strong correlation: growers with higher-pH soils are reporting better results with Inhabit P compared to their previous starter.
Beyond yield, one of the biggest selling points of Inhabit P is having control of your starter fertilizer supply at planting time.
A single tote of Inhabit P covers approximately 550 acres after 10-to-1 dilution with water. Compare that to a tanker load of liquid starter, which covers roughly 850 acres — but requires a retailer to deliver it to you on their schedule, not yours.
For growers who've ever had to park the planter waiting for a delivery, this shift in logistics is a big deal.
Inhabit P Handling Benefit | Inhabit P Handling Benefit Details |
Cleaner Product | Diluted Inhabit P is far gentler on equipment than high-salt products like 10-34-0 |
Equipment Compatibility | Works well with stainless steel, EPDM, Viton, and neoprene components (more on the one exception below) |
Flexible Application Rate | Whether you've been running 3 gallons or 5 gallons of competitive starter, you can match that with your diluted Inhabit P mix |
Based on pricing pulled in early 2025, the numbers are competitive:
Program | Estimated Cost per Acre |
10-34-0 + 9% Zinc (full rate) | ~$23.00 |
Reduced-rate straight ortho | ~$21.00 |
Inhabit P + Zinc EPC | ~$21.52 |
The cost efficiency comes from the concentrated format. You're paying for phosphorus, not for the water and nitrogen that have already been mixed into a conventional liquid starter.
When switching over to Inhabit P, a few real-world issues have come up and been addressed by our team of agronomists.
Inhabit P is an acid-based product. Even diluted 10-to-1, it falls below the pH threshold (5.5) that raw cast iron is designed to handle. If your liquid fertilizer system has raw cast iron transfer pumps or components, this product can degrade them over time.
Coated or treated cast iron components have worked fine for many users, but it's worth checking your equipment. Stainless steel, EPDM, Viton, and neoprene have all held up well in jar testing and in field use.
When Inhabit P is mixed with chemically chelated zinc (EDTA-chelated, for example), the drop in pH from the dilution can destabilize the chelation — if there is some other element in the water, such as calcium, the chelator releases the zinc, which then falls out of solution. The result: a plugged planter and a mess to clean out.
The solution is not to avoid zinc — it's to use a different form of zinc.
Zinc EPC is a peptide-chelated zinc product, and the distinction matters.
Instead of a chemical bond holding the zinc molecule, Zinc EPC physically encapsulates it inside a peptide structure. Peptides — nitrogen-based chains that are building blocks of proteins — are something the plant actively wants and can use. The encapsulation is stable in low-pH environments, making it fully compatible with diluted Inhabit P even in the tank.
As a real-world test, a jar of Inhabit P and Zinc EPC mixed in some of the hardest water available sat on my desk for a year and a half before showing even minor settling. That's exceptional compatibility.
Beyond tank mixing, peptide chelation also appears to deliver a more extended, consistent nutrient release throughout the growing season compared to chemical chelates, which tend to release their load quickly and then deactivate. The plant gets zinc when it needs it — not all at once.
In trials comparing Zinc EPC vs. chemically chelated Zinc:
16 oz/ac of Zinc EPC performed the same as 32 oz/ac of Chemically Chelated Zinc in multiple test sites in multiple states.
Zinc EPC has remained stable for long periods of time in water and Inhabit P mixes. Even very poor water quality sources that would normally have caused a Chemically Chelated Zinc to “fall out”
Most growers are running the following standard program:
Inhabit P: ½ gallon mixed 10-to-1 with water, applied at 5 gallons per acre in-furrow
Zinc EPC: 1 pint per acre, added to the same mix
If you've been running 3 gallons of straight ortho, simply reduce the diluted mix to 3–3.5 gallons per acre. The goal is to match your existing application volume so you're not reinventing your planter setup.
While data is most robust on corn, given most trials have been focused on that crop, other crops also benefit from Inhabit P, including:
Soybeans: Growers with high-pH ground are reporting 3–5 bushel improvements, though the data set isn't as complete as for corn
Sugar beets: Some growers have run it with positive feedback
Sunflowers: A handful of users in western North Dakota have used it successfully
The general stance: any crop where you'd normally run an in-furrow phosphorus starter is a candidate.
Foliar application is possible, but in-furrow has been the primary use case and has generated the most consistently positive results.
For growers using biological products, compatibility with Pivot Bio has been tested — they confirmed approximately 36 hours of viability in a 20:1 concentration.
Or a better solution is a Dosatron pump that would keep the biologicals separate form the fertilizer stream until application. Buffer action in the soil is expected to neutralize the acidity quickly after application.
For other biologicals or liquid partners, jar testing is strongly recommended before committing to a full-field mix.
Inhabit P is part of a wider lineup built around two core technologies:
Microhumate (Carbon) Technology:
Inhabit P — microhumate pre-bonded to orthophosphorus
Inhabit Boost™ — 9% microhumate solution blended with 28% or 32% UAN (pint to quart per 40 gallons), or applied at ~1 pint/acre mixed with a phosphorus starter
Peptide Chelation Technology:
Zinc EPC™ — peptide-chelated zinc for in-furrow or tank mix
Iron EPC™ — peptide-chelated iron for IDC (iron deficiency chlorosis) situations, providing a more sustained season-long iron release versus traditional chemical chelates
Atarrus™ — plant health and stress response product; used in herbicide applications to help crops recover faster from potential phytotoxicity
Nourish Vitals™ — lower-rate peptide combined with foliar micronutrients
If you're currently running an in-furrow phosphorus starter and you're looking for either better supply reliability, cost competitiveness, or improved performance on high-pH ground, Inhabit P + Zinc EPC is worth a serious look.
It won't dramatically outperform competitive products on neutral to low-pH soils — but it holds its own. Where it earns its keep is on high-pH ground, where the acid-buffering chemistry appears to meaningfully improve phosphorus availability and yield outcomes.
The key watch-outs — cast iron compatibility and chemical chelate incompatibility — are manageable once you know about them. Check your equipment, use Zinc EPC instead of EDTA-chelated zinc, and jar test any new tank-mix partners.
The logistics case alone — a tote on your farm, mixed when you need it, no waiting on deliveries — may be reason enough for many growers to try it.
Huma, FBN's collaborator on the Inhabit product line, will be offering an expanded lineup of carbon-based products through the FBN Marketplace. For questions, contact your FBN agronomist.
10-34-0 vs. Farmers First™ Inhabit™ P: Comparing Starter Fertilizer Options
Inhabit P™ Requires 10X Less Product Than Conventional Starter, Trials Show
What Does Inhabit P Look Like and How Does it Compare in a Jar Test? [Video Demo]
Low Impact, Big Impact: Targeted Nutrition [Farmer2Farmer Educational Session]
Farmer Saves $5-10/Acre with Farmers First™ Inhabit P™ [Video]
© 2014 - 2026 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.
FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice and excludes CA mills tax and MN ACRRA fees. Terms and conditions apply.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your state department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements.