Technical infos & composition

Large brown paper bag and a clear plastic bag filled with small pellets, labeled 'ProPlantis,' with some pellets spilled in front of the bags.

The core philosophy behind ProPlantis is simple: to replicate key functional properties of natural forest soil within engineered substrate systems — water retention, nutrient storage and biological substrate activity.

Beyond the physical and chemical parameters commonly prioritized in substrates, ProPlantis helps create moisture- and nutrient-stable conditions that can support biological activity in the root zone.

Looking ahead, ProPlantis is exploring biomass from rewetted peatlands and paludiculture as a sustainable raw material pathway. This circular-economy approach is being investigated within the EU project MarginUp!, in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Potsdam-Bornim.

ProPlantis is an organic NPK fertilizer and natural substrate additive designed to optimize key performance parameters of green roof substrates, tree planting media and professional landscaping soils.

Engineered for demanding vegetation systems, it helps substrates retain more water, store nutrients effectively and support plant vitality under heat, drought and climate stress.

In modern landscaping and green-blue infrastructure, ProPlantis serves as a technical tool for improving substrate performance and increasing the ecosystem services provided by green roof and urban vegetation systems.

  • High water-holding capacity

  • Highcation-exchange capacity (CEC) for effective nutrient storage

  • Organic NPK fertilizer and natural substrate additive

  • Engineered for green roofs, urban tree substrates and professional landscaping

The guiding idea behind ProPlantis is simple: to functionally mimic key properties of forest soil in a form that can be integrated into technical substrate systems. In the longer term, ProPlantis also sees biomass from rewetted peatlands and paludiculture as a potential raw material pathway, an approach explored in the EU project MarginUp.

The logo of IASP, featuring the words 'IASP' in green.

Tested and documented by

Logo of Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg with a stylized medical heart rate monitor line.
Logo of Universität Stuttgart featuring black dots forming a sphere
LUA Nord-West logo with green and gray elements.

EU research project partner

Margin Up! logo with a green leaf and an upward arrow inside the letter U.
European Union flag with text 'Funded by the European Union'. 
“Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor REA can be held responsible for them.”
Logo for Dr. Upmeier Sachverständigenbüro with a hexagonal pattern

Technical documentation, laboratory testing and field trials demonstrate the role of ProPlantis in improving water retention, plant vitality and roof runoff dynamics, while supporting stable nutrient availability within the substrate system.

Runoff coefficient in comparison

The graphic compares the test results of a mineral substrate amended with 3 kg/m² ProPlantis at a 6 to 8 cm substrate height against published FLL (2018, p. 58) reference values for standard bulk-material layers at a 5° roof pitch, omitting special drainage layers in both cases. While standard mineral substrates require a substantial depth of 25 to 50 cm to achieve a runoff coefficient (Cs) of 0.2, the ProPlantis system achieves this identical performance at a fraction of the thickness. By enabling significantly thinner roof structures, ProPlantis dramatically reduces the structural load of green roof designs without compromising stormwater retention.
A scientist wearing protective glasses and green gloves in a laboratory, holding a test tube filled with a yellow liquid. Shelves behind her contain small bottles and laboratory equipment.

Key technical parameters

  • water retention: up to 880 g H₂O / 100 g dry matter

  • organic matter: 78.2%

  • NPK: 2.2 – 0.5 – 1.2

  • Nitrogen: more than 99% organically bound

  • pH value: 6.3 dry product / 5.7 at water capacity

  • Cation exchange capacity (CEC*): 27 mmolc/100g

*For comparison, typical CEC values of porous growing media constituents (in cmolc/kg): rockwool (up to 0.5), perlite (2.0), expanded clay (2.5), crushed brick (4.0), and volcanic pumice (6.5).

Request documentation via enquiry