Q): What do growers do now that will make them better using humic and fulvic acids?

A): Growers need to be educated to understand and distinguish between different types of carbons, such as functional and normal carbons. It is also vital for the grower to understand how functional carbons enhance soil health and nutrient availability. The best means of achieving this goal is to hold applied workshops for the growers to…

Q): Why are these products important?

A): Humic and fulvic are functional carbons. They help with soil aggregate stability, unlock the fixed nutrients, complex salt, buffer, chelate, and complex nutrients for better fertilizer use efficiency. They also enhance microbial activity.

Q): What happens to the soil after repeated use?

A): With each year that the grower uses humic, there will be significant enhancement of soil health and crop production. Many growers have used humic for 30 years and still see the benefits. Repeated use reflects cumulative effects.

Q): Besides affordability, when is it not feasible to us those products for fertilization?

A): Based on IHSS research (which comes from many universities worldwide), results demonstrate that, applying humic substances from an economic standpoint is equally important as using micro-macronutrients for maintaining soil health and crop production. From standpoint of ROI, it enhances fertilizer and water-use efficiency, as you save on fertilizer usage. If the grower cannot afford…

Q): What should be the goals in using humic and fulvic acids? What are the clients expectations?

A): We use humic to condition the soil to create a stable humus. In all soils, according to FAO over the past 200 years, we lost stable humus. The organic acid or humic creates stable humus by conditioning texture and enhancing soil chemistry, chelating, complexing, and buffering capacities for better soil health. Fulvic acid is…

Q): Is fruit fuller? Tastier? Same?

A): Generally, the humic helps the plant translocate the micro-macro nutrients (especially calcium) that makes the cell walls stronger and more firm with higher quality. Some studies show that fruits are harvested 5- 10 days earlier. Many fruit growers have also reported better taste but there is no data to quantify that. With apples, there…

Q): Any possible plant side effects?

A): There are no possible plant side effects. According to my research, however, if you apply more than 10 gal/acre of humic at one time, it will make plants over-activate enzymes and hormones which can result in yield reduction. This is why we don’t recommend applying more than 10 gal/acre at one time. You can…

Q): What changes happen to the soil with regards to animal life such as worms, etc?

A): There is a common misconception that microbes eat carbon from humic. Humic functional groups create energy for microbes. Since they are comprised of nanoparticles, they create micropores, in which roots, water, and nutrients reside. The other portion of the soil forms macropores in which oxygen resides. Another change is excellent aggregate stability with stable…

Q): How can we tell the product is working?

A): Refer to above questions. Soil becomes very friable, depending upon different soil types (montmorillonite, vermiculite etc). In most cases, you will notice an increase in crop quality. Montmorillonite will show better results than the other types. However, it is also contingent on particular cultural practices.

Q): How noticeable are results generally based on first season run?

A): Noticeable results may be seen in the first season. Applying any recommended amounts may enhance your fertilizer and water-use efficiency. If you apply the required nutrients (fertilizers) you should notice healthier plants and an ample amount of nutrients from your tissue analysis reports. By the 3rd year, you can quantify increases of yield and…