Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Humates
Humic and fulvic acids are present in compost and humus. It's extremely beneficial to
build them up in our soil. It can also be useful to buy them as a product that is derived from
leonardite, a soft brown coal, or other kinds of shale or humate deposits. Humic and fulvic
acids are very similar, the main difference being that fulvic acids are smaller, which means
they are more soluble in water. They're both important in the soil, though.
The dry products are messy, dark powders that get into everything, so it's better to mix it
outside and not even bring it inside. Some people prefer to use a liquid product because it's
easier to work with and the humic acids are more quickly available, although it's more ex-
pensive. I used to sell one for close to $50 for one quart, which covered 10,000-15,000
square feet. The quality varies drastically from product to product for both dry and liquid,
so it's a good idea to buy it from someone you trust and learn a little bit about where good
sources come from and how they're processed. It's nice to find a product that has been pro-
cessed naturally instead of with harsh chemicals.
I use humates mostly in liquid foliar applications. The main benefit here is that the plant
will be able to take up and utilize the other nutrients in the solution many times more ef-
fectively because of how the humic acids combine with the nutrients, a process called che-
lation. Make sure to mix it thoroughly in the spray tank.
Humic and fulvic acids are also important chelators in the soil, combining minerals into
organic compounds that are more available to plants. They also tie up toxins, making them
less available to plants. They will already be present in good soils with a lot of organic mat-
ter. Otherwise, they'll be lacking so it will be beneficial to bring them in while also focus-
ing on increasing the organic matter content of the soil.
It's a great idea to mix humates in with calcitic lime before you apply the lime, espe-
cially in a soil with low organic matter. The lime wants to sink out of the root zone and the
humates want to rise to the surface, so they help keep the lime up where you want it. I do
this at two tablespoons of dry humates per ten pounds of lime.
Humates also increase the water infiltration and water-holding capacity of the soil, in-
crease plant root growth and metabolism, enhance seed germination, and help plants deal
with environmental stresses. They remove odors in slurry and compost piles, and keep ir-
rigation lines clean. They are mostly used in such tiny amounts that you can purchase a
pound and it can last a long time in a typical residential garden.
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