Humic Acids

[CT Guy]

Just curious, but how come I never hear about people using Humic Acids in their grows? To me, I would think this is a must have product for organic growers, due to all the benefits it has for both the soil and the microbes.

 

[ThePhantomToker]

I would speculate that a lot of folks are using humic acid. Do a forum search and you should return a decent amount of information.

Peace TPT

 

[CT Guy]

There's so many different humate products on the market, and everything I read on here touts everything from seaweed, molasses, teas, etc....even the latest post on hydrogen peroxide.

To me, I would think that humic acids would be much more important than any of these bio-amendments, especially given some of the soils you're using.

 

[BurnOne]

Worm castings, compost and peat are full of humic acids (humates).
Burn1

 

[CT Guy]

Burn1,

My understanding is that you'll find humus in these products, but only infitesimal amounts of humic acids or humates. I just talked with a humic acid supplier to make sure this was accurate before I posted. Therefore, you aren't getting the benefits in your soil that are attributed to humic acids. Just for clarification, when I say humic acids, I'm referring to humic acid molecules that have been derived from Leonardite and then processed to make the humic acid molecule more available to the plant.

This would combat any micro-mineral deficiencies, as well as provide an excellent carbon source (fungal food) for your plants.

 

[candamo]

ive been using Humic acids in my teas. Ill post some pics up when my the ladies get a bit bigger.

 

[fizwit]

I use Techniflora's 15% humic acid.

.5ml/liter for daily watering is what they say to use on the bottle for houseplants and greenhouse plants. I use that dilution.

Fizwit

 

[BurnOne]

Liquid Humus and Liquid Karma are sources of derived Leonardite.
Burn1

 

[Tactical Farmer]

Adding a Humic & Fulvic Acid product to my projects.

Went with Advanced Nutrients Grandma Enggy's Extra Pure.

For over 80 years Grandma Enggy's family has used their own special Humic Acid. This Extra Pure Humic Acid recipe has been one of the family’s most guarded secrets for growing award winning flowers and vegetables. Grandma Enggy's Extra Pure Humic Acid increases the water holding ability of the soil, improves soil workability, promotes conversion of a number of elements into forms available for plant growth, promotes extremely high ion exchange capabilities, increases buffering, increases seed germination, increases vitamin content of plants, stimulates horizontal root growth and stimulates plant enzymes. Extra Pure Humic Acid is rich in mineral substances essential to plant growth and also acts as an organic catalyst.

They have a 3 part product - Humic - Fulvic - Seaweed.

 

[CT Guy]

How much humic acid % by content is actually in these products. The stuff I use is 85-90% humic acids, while most of the stuff I see on the market is only 10-15%.

There is a relatively new product that personally I think would be ideal for these plants. It's called LC-10+7 and it's already chelated with the essential minerals in the proper amounts for your plant. This takes the guesswork out of the equation in the sense that the minerals do not need to be pre-existing in your soil mix.

 

[thatguy]

How effective is pure leonardite, like GH's diamond black?

Also, how much humates is too much? Can I use the DB along with a liquid humic acid extract like floralicious grow/bloom?

I don't grow organically, but I am trying to use all types of supplements available.

All the best,
TG

 

[CT Guy]

Humus would be “the total organic fraction in soils, EXCLUSIVE of nondecomposed plant and animal material, their partial decomposition products and the soil biomass. Humic compounds (eg, humic and fulvic acids) make up the largest fraction of humus, although lignin, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and a variety of organic acids all contribute to the total soil humus. “

Humic acids are very unique fusions of the above secondary humus components that are formed under heat/pressure/freeze/thaw cycles over millions of years. Technically speaking they are the result of “interpolymerization of phenolic compounds, peptides, amino acids and carbohydrates.”

 

[Suby]

Good thread CT, since you brought it up a few weeks ago I've been using more of my LK and foliar feeding with fulvic acid as well as using liquid worm castings more often.
So far I've noticed better vigor, they aren't showing any deficiencies thus far with 21 days to go.

Please post a few links to the products you've tried out or recommend, the problem with humic acid is IMO availability in some areas so it looks like online will be the way to go.

(on a side note I'm looking for kelp meal and fish hydrolysate for a more fungal type tea)

Sub's

 

[CT Guy]

Now that you bring it up, I've seen some good microscope work from microbeman, and all fish hydrolysate is NOT created equal. He's got a good source in Canada that he lists on his website. The fungal hyphae he sent me in a video were off the charts!

I don't know of a good kelp meal source, but you might check with Organic Approcah. I've been very happy with their humate and seaweed extract powder.

 

[CT Guy]

Here's a link to the stuff I was talking about before:
http://www.simplici-tea.com/images/LC-10Plus7Label.pdf

I tried to attach it as a file, but the software wouldn't let me, so here it is on the website.

Oh, that was "Organic Approach" in the last post, I just noticed the typo.

I've been using the LC-10+7 on our houseplants and we have one plant that we got from my great grandmother about 10 years ago and within a month of using the LC-10+7 and the seaweed, it flowered for the first time. I know there's some good humate products on the market, but a lot of them (in my opinion) are sub-par. Marketing and advertising is such a big part of the commercial side of this industry (just looked at Advanced Nutrients), that I think sometimes the best products get missed.

 

[Suby]

LC-10 PLUS 7
Guaranteed Analysis:
Substance Percentage,
%
Humic Acid 10.00
Boron (B) 0.025
Cobalt (Co) 0.003
Copper (Cu) 0.064
Iron (Fe) 0.110
Manganese (Mn) 0.077
Molybdenum (Mo) 0.0009
Zinc (Zn) 0.051
Derived from: oxidized lignite, ferrous
sulfate, cupric sulfate, zinc sulfate,
manganese sulfate, cobalt sulfate, boric
acid, and molybdenum oxide.
TeraVita LLC
128 Weaver Road
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-7251
Contents: 1 gallon (3.785 liters)
Net Weight: 8.51 lbs. (3.86)

TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 is a liquid concentrate that contains 10% humic acid PLUS seven important micronutrients of plant health. Humic acid is not a plant food, but may increase the availability of micronutrients to plants. TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 is compatible with a majority of companion materials, but it is preferred that this product be applied by itself. This product should not be mixed with calcium or magnesium based materials (such as calcium nitrate) or materials containing high levels of soluble micronutrients. Adding these materials could make portions of TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 less available to the plant. This product is not compatible with materials that have a pH lower than 4.0. As with any product, we recommend a jar test when adding companion material to TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 for the first time.

Description for Use:
Whenever possible, TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 should be applied in several smaller-dose applications rather than one larger-dose application. TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 may be applied directly to the soil or used in foliar applications. The optimal results will be obtained through foliar spraying, with the first application made as soon as plant leaves emerge (seedling stage).

Standard Rates
The standard rate for slight micronutrient deficiencies is 1-2 gallons of TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 per acre per year. For moderate micronutrient deficiencies use 2-3 gallons per acre per year. For severe micronutrient deficiencies use 3-5 gallons per acre per year.

Soil Applications
For direct soil applications, apply 1 gallon of TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 per acre per application. Apply between planting and early stages of plant development and follow-up as needed with additional applications during the growing season.

Irrigation Applications
For irrigation applications, apply 0.5 to 1 gallon of TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 per acre per application. Three applications per season are recommended. Frequent lowerrate applications (as low as 1 quart per acre) may be made
every 2-4 weeks during the growing season for high maintenance areas such as golf tees and greens. The irrigation system should be adjusted so that the final solution being emitted contains an LC-10 Plus 7 to water ratio between the following ranges: 1 ounce of LC-10 Plus 7 per 1 gallon of water to 1 ounce of LC-10 Plus 7 per 10 gallons of water.

Foliar Applications
For foliar applications, apply 0.5 to 1 gallon of TeraVita LC-10 Plus 7 per acre per application. Three foliar sprays are recommended, but benefits can be achieved with even 1 application. Frequent lower-rate applications (as low as 1 quart per acre) may be made every 2-4 weeks during the growing season for high maintenance areas such as golf tees and greens. The spray concentration should always range between 1 ounce of LC-10 Plus 7 per 1 gallon of spray and 1 ounce of LC-10 Plus 7 per 10 gallons of spray.

From the PDF link.

I agree alot of very good products fly under the radar
Together we can keep focus on products that work and are of good value.

 

[CT Guy]

Thanks for translating that info.!

 

[jaykush]

Marketing and advertising is such a big part of the commercial side of this industry (just looked at Advanced Nutrients), that I think sometimes the best products get missed.

couldn't agree more. and some of the best things are completely free via nature.

 

[stinkyattic]

I use (and talk about) HA all the time. My favorite source is Soil Syrup, and my favorite nute systems (Canna and PBP) use it as a chelator.
I use Soil Syrup as a flushing agent for my mother plants, who have to live in cramped quarters for a long time, and obviously the soil salts up over time- the HA is a great soil conditioner, and I see renewed vigor one week after application. Rate is about 10mL per gallon as a flush agent, feeding immediately after with Canna Vega.

 

[quadracer]

I use humic acid ore in my medium and in my teas. A long time ago I sent an email to Down to Earth about it, here's what they had to say:

Our Humic Acid Ore is considered a soil amendment and although a large
portion of the nutrients are water soluble, I wouldn't recommend using
it as a tea or foliar spray. However, this doesn't mean that it can not
be used in that way.

Our product is 100% raw mined Humic Shale Ore which is a heterogeneous
mixture of various organic acids, minerals and inert clays. The major
minerals are iron and sulfur with varying amounts of trace minerals
present as well.

The 45% total comprises all of the organic acids present including
Humic, Fulvic and Ulmic.

Thank you for your questions and for your interest in Down To Earth
products!