12 Things to Know About Humic Material
It's no secret that here at Black Earth, we think humic material is a revolutionary product for agricultural operations of all types.
Or at least as revolutionary as anything can be after tens of millions of years of formation, and centuries of use by cultures around the world.
Still, we find that there is quite a bit about humic material that farmers and other agricultural professional still don't know.
With that in mind, here are some things you might find interesting and/or useful:
- Humic material is formed by the decay of organic matter over a period of millions of years, and is 100% natural.
- A number of Native American cultures used forms of humic material to improve crop yields long before Europeans arrived.
- Humic material is actually a name for lots of different specific organic compounds, including humic acid, fulvic acid, etc., and is sometimes referred to as "humates."
- Because humic material helps soil hold more water, it can result in soils of good aggregate stability and better growing environments.
- In some studies, humic material was used to convert desert-like land and marginal patches of soil into viable farming environments.
- Additionally, studies with humic material suggest that it can decrease soil salinization and remove toxins (environmental contaminants) to allow plants to grow.
- Research has shown that plants grown in soil treated with humic material tend to germinate faster.
- Although humic material does not act as a fertilizer, it can enhance the effects of fertilizer and other soil additives and reduces gaseous, leaching and surface wash-out losses of nutrients.
- Plants that grow after humic material has been applied grow stronger, quicker and develop more root biomass, allowing for better crop yields.
- Also, humic material affects organic life at the microbial level, and can positively impact disease resistance amongst crops.
- Humic material does not work evenly across all plants and soil types, so experimentation is often needed to achieve the best results over time.
- Not all humic material has the same quality; in fact, the best humic material comes from Canada, where we source Black Earth products.
Want to know more about humalite and its effects on agriculture, or see what makes Black Earth humic products different? Check out the applied research of a variety of humates.