What is humate or what are humic acids?
Humic acids (HAs) are a remarkable brown to black products
of soil chemistry that are essential for healthy and
productive soils. Current humic acid models help to
explain HAs' origins and behavior as flexible,
aliphatic-aromatic, highly functionalized molecules that
can act as photosensitizers, retain water, bind to
clays, act as plant growth stimulants, and scavenge
toxic pollutants. No synthetic material can match humic
acid's physical and chemical versatility. Removal of
humic acids from water avoids disinfection by-products
such as chloroform and is a required step in production
of potable water. Humic acids can bind soil toxins along
with plant nutrients and they strongly stabilize soils.
For these reasons more widespread HA production from
composting and future applications of humic acids
extracted from coal (humate / leonardite) will help to combat water and soil
pollution, fight soil erosion, and lessen our dependence
on chemical fertilizers. Humates are bio-stimulants -
almost anything that grows will benefit from application
of humates.
Humates stimulate seed germination and viability, and
root respiration, formation and growth.
Humates produce thicker, greener, and healthier foliage.
Humates produce more, larger, longer lasting, and more
beautiful flowers.
Humates increase the protein, vitamin, and mineral
contents of most fruits and vegetables.
Humates supply growing plants with food. They also act
in other important ways to make soil more fertile and
productive.
Humates help retain water-soluble inorganic fertilizers
in sandy soils releasing them as needed to the growing
plants.
Humates increase the water holding capacity of sand
helping plants to resist droughts and reduced water
conditions.
Humates reduce fertilizer requirements and increase
yields in most crops.
Humates increase aeration of the soil.
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Are all humic acids or humic
extractions the same?
No! The main difference between one company and another
using the same type product, such as Organic Mined Mineral
uses, is the time and care that it takes to make proper
extractions of the short chain fulvic acids. They may
use a
high level of humic acids, but the short chain acids
fulvic acids take time and knowledge to yield the highest level
product possible.
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What are some of the other things humate does?
By applying humates the plant receives fulvic acid plus
short chain humic acids that stimulates the plants that
are growing new growth to:
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A plant in its fast
growing stage or early development will take
advantage of the stimulation of the humic acids
to grow more vigorous roots. |
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Top growth is generally noted following good
root development. |
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The increase root development allows the
plant to take up more plant nutrients from the
soil. |
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Within a few hours of foliar treatment the
polysaccharides will increase in the sap of the
plant. Polysaccharides feed the Myorrhizae on
the roots of the plant. Mycorrhizae which are
little fungi found on healthy plant roots. As
the sugars from the polysaccharides increase so
do the Myorrhizae. Many soils only allow 1 to 2%
Mycorrhizae. When the plant sugars are
increased, the plant is able to secrete more
food for the Mycorrhizae. The Mycorrhizae will
grow around the roots and will reach out into
the soil and make plant nutrients more available
to the plant. In time (over a period of a few
years) these Mycorrhizae will increase in
numbers and help change the soil structure to
benefit the soil. |
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Plants treated with Liquid Humate-Extract
will take advantage of nutrients including
fertilizers and thus will increase the yields of
plants. Most plants will become much more
efficient with all nutrients including water.
Efficient plants are more productive thereby
increasing profit if used properly!
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How much of an increase in
yield can be expected?
yield is directly dependant upon the proper levels of
nutrients being available. The nutrient that is in
shortest supply of meeting its requirement will play the
greatest role in controlling production. However, plants
will be able to increase and compensate for such
deficiencies with the additions of Humates. The same can
be said when the question is asked, "How much will the
addition of nitrogen increase yield?" Other plant
nutrients also play a role in that yield as well. In
general conditions, the addition of Liquid Humate-Extract will
return excellent yields.
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Do I still have to use
fertilizer when I use Humate?
Whether one is using a commercial fertilizer program,
alternative farming practices or is an organic farmer,
the plant has nutrient requirements. In most all cases,
humates help make these nutrients not only more
available to the plant but allows the plant to use them
more efficiently. It is recommend that you test the soil and
choose your method of supplying those nutrients for the
plant.
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How do humates help plants
energy levels?
Fulvic acid contains a high energy factor. With
just a little movement fulvic acid will discharge a
static charge. Plants respond to this in a positive
way. It has been proven that most insects seem to leave high energy plants alone. The
immune system of the plant seem to work better when
energy levels of the plant are elevated.
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Why are Liquid Humates
gaining popularity?
Research has proven that plants treated with Liquid Humate
have more stress tolerance to shade, drought, and other
nutrient shortages. These tolerances are generally very
apparent. These tolerances play an important role to
insure the success of any program.
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Why use foliar feeding?
Research has proven that foliar feeding is
more efficient in the use of plant nutrients from 2 to 5
times more effective in plant response. Liquid Humate-Extract
have a chelate effect upon plant nutrients, or makes
them more available to the plant. The fulvic acids can
penetrate the cell walls of the plant and will draw in
the plant nutrients with it. When product is applied to the surface
of the plant, the plant opens up to draw in the Liquid
Humate-Extract. As plants draw in the Liquid humate, the other
plant nutrients that are in the tank mix will be drawn
in at a higher rate. Two things are happening here;
better nutrient uptake by the plant plus the plant is
stimulated to grow and use the nutrient more
efficiently. Adding Liquid Humate-Extract to a foliar feeding
program just makes a good program even better! Always
test a small amount (mix sample) to insure that all ingredients are
compatible.
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What about
Liquid Humate-Extract
and herbicides?
Caution should always be used when Liquid Humate-Extract is used with
herbicides. When Liquid Humate-Extract is added to the tank mix
and used properly along with your herbicides the plant
will open up and receive more of the herbicide than
normal. This increase uptake of herbicide may have an
adverse effect upon plants that are not targeted.
Normally one can cut the herbicide recommendation up to
about 20% with 15 or 16 ounces per 100 gallons of tank
mix and achieve excellent results. You should first
test a small mix to insure that all ingredients are
compatible.
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How do humates benefit the
soil?
Humic acids have a very positive effect upon the soil.
The addition of humate or humic acids will not benefit
very much when the organic matter is above 5%. However,
the foliar application of Liquid Humate will benefit the
plant a great deal. Soils low in organic matter will
also have a low cation exchange. This means the soil has
a very poor ability to make plant nutrients available to
the plant when fertilizers are not properly used. The additions of
Humates or Liquid Humate-Extract will increase
the cation exchange of the soil. The micro life of the
soil will increase which will aid the soil structure.
Sandy soils will improve in its water holding capacity
and tight soils loosen up. Note, some toxic metals may
also be locked up with
the humates and will prevent them from entering the
plant. Humate tend to move the soil pH to neutral.
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What about adding
molasses to the soil?
Molasses contain sugars that feed bacteria. If the soil
is low in organic matter then the addition of molasses
will increase the number of bacteria in the soil.
However, molasses does not feed only the friendly
bacteria but also the unfriendly bacteria. Which ever
one is present at its highest level will increase the
most. If an unfriendly bacteria is present in higher
numbers they will dominate the friendly bacteria. Since
humates are only formed from friendly bacteria, the
present of humic acid suppress the unfriendly bacteria,
thus allowing friendly bacteria the upper hand. The odor
of good soil is not offensive, and will have a good
aroma to it. When you till good soils it has an
invigorating smell to it. If your soil smells sour
your soil may have unfriendly bacteria having the upper
hand, applying molasses on this soil might only
increase your problem. However, putting Liquid Humate-Extract
with molasses will suppress the unfriendly bacteria and
allow the friendly bacteria to multiply. It may take
time to change the environment with in the soil to
overcome the unfriendly bacteria and to create a
friendly environment for the good bacteria. Normal rates
of molasses is one gallon per acre spring and fall. If
your soil does not have a pleasant odor, apply at least
400 - 600 lbs of our dry humate per acre followed by
one gallon of molasses per acre. Note: Follow this treatment
with one gallon of molasses with one gallon of Liquid
Humate-Extract every fall and spring.
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When is the best time to
apply Liquid Humate-Extract?
To increase your yield and to improve the plants ability to
deal with stress, Liquid Humate-Extract should be
applied at the beginning of the season to any plant that
is developing new growth. This is generally done when
the plant has enough new growth to absorb the foliar
application. A second application is recommended about
10 days to two weeks later. The first application will
start an
increase in root formation. The second application will
take advantage of the increase root system and increase
top growth. Both applications should be at least 16
ounces per acre. If it is on hay crops, apply two applications
at the beginning of the season as stated above and then
apply 16 ounces of the 12% product when there is enough new growth for good
foliar coverage after each cutting. Applying a 16 ounce
application after your last cutting will pay big returns
next spring. If you are unable to apply only once, apply
24 ounces per acre. (always mix with
water and / or fertilizer)
To help your plants speed up their maturity, apply 16 to 32 ounces per acre to
the
plants that are in a stressed condition.
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