The Value of Humic Acid to Soil

 

Maximising the nutritional value of soil is essential to productive plant growth. And this can be easily achieved with the application of humic acid.

 

Humic acid provides a number of important benefits. It increases the amount of organic matter, improving soil structure, which allows better root development as well as increasing the soil’s ability to hold water, and it provides an excellent food source for the soil microbes, which, in turn, feed the plants.

 

Improved soil structure

Poor soil structure, particularly clay soils, can restrict a plant’s growth and productivity by impairing drainage, aeration and root development. The loose texture of sandy soils means they don’t hold water well and essential nutrients are easily leached. The organic matter in humic acid improves soil texture and friability – breaking up compacted soils and adding valuable moisture-retaining bulk to light soils.

With better water retention and penetration, plants benefit from improved root growth and development – especially important in the production of root crops.

 

Micro-organism development

Along with unlocking important chemicals in the soil, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur, humic acid also provides an excellent environment for microorganism development, crucial for the sustainability of any soil and plant growth. Microbes are the ‘workforce’ in plant growth and humic acid stimulates microbial activity by providing a carbon source for food.

 

Choosing a quality product

It is important to be aware that humic acid is available in varying qualities. It is essential your supplier is providing you with the best available for maximum performance and productivity.

It is worth investigating the quality of the raw leonardite that is used as well as the extraction process.

The purer the leonardite is, the better. Some mines produce a raw product up to 90 percent pure, while others are 40 percent or lower in purity.

 

How a company makes its humic acid also impacts on the quality of the product – is it a simple one-step extraction process or are there two or more steps involved. More steps means more beneficial compounds will be present in the humic acid product.

 

Seaweed for maximum benefit

Super Hume is a leading humic acid as it is made with an 80-90 percent pure leonardite and with an eight-step extraction process. It is also formulated with a liquid kelp extract that adds definite synergistic effects – they work better together than either one does separately. The seaweed also provides trace minerals, chelating agents and naturally occurring growth promoting substances. With the addition of a bio-stimulant, Super Hume provides a high-energy feed for soil microbes.