Humates are natural elements that boost the growth and development of plants. They form in the soil during the breakdown of plant fiber and are also known as humic acids. They have a complex effect on soil and are classified as salts based on sodium or potassium. When humates enter the soil, they stimulate the work of microorganisms, improve soil structure, and facilitate the penetration of water and oxygen into the earth.
Humate soil conditioner is great for garden crops; even though they are not fertilizers, they can replace them perfectly. It is also very much possible to make your own compost at home if you prefer.
Humates are applied to improve soil and support nutrient uptake, they also help plants to grow deeper roots. You use humate in small quantities when starting seedlings and you’ll want to use it in a liquid form together with missing nutrients.
All you have to do is simply spray it on the undersides of your crops’ leaves and add it to the soil. However, leaves that are already damaged cannot be saved. But if you’ve identified the mineral deficiency correctly and there aren’t other issues with your crops, new leaves will grow healthy in no time.
Humates are mainly used to improve soil quality. They are used in gardening, growing crops, viticulture, growing vegetables, and dressing indoor ornamental plants. Humates are available in the form of powder and a solution is prepared by diluting a substance with water when using it. The ratio should be one tablespoon of humates per 10 liters of water. However, when doing pre-sowing seed treatment, the components are mixed in a different ratio.
A few rules are required when feeding humate. For starters, during the growing season plants should be sprayed from 2 to 6 times, and spraying is performed with potassium humate 4 times during the season when feeding beets, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and during the formation of fruit ovaries, the processing of fruit plants is carried out together with pesticides and herbicides. Finally, at least 3 liters and not more than 10 liters of solution are used per square meter.
What are the benefits of humate?
Humates are an essential component of soil fertility, and they supply nutrients to plants. Crops that are grown in soil rich with humate produce higher yields, provide better nutrition, and are less subject to plant disease when compared to plants that are grown without humate.
Humate is a rich source of nutrients and energy and consists of beneficial bacteria which aid overall plant growth and health. The bacteria are also responsible for protecting the plants from pests by providing a natural form of protection. Therefore, humate is a safe addition to crops of any size and is suitable for home gardens too. Below we will take a look at the benefits of humate in detail:
Humates are easy to apply
Humate can be applied in liquid form directly to the soil or on the leaves, so you don’t have to add it in the fall and wait until spring to plant your crops. It can also be applied in granular form as a soil amendment when you plant and transplant. The convenience humate provides is just amazing, and that’s what farmers love most about them.
Humates improve water holding capacity
The ability to hold water is one of the most essential functions of humate. And as we know, water is one of the most essential components for crop growth and overall health. Humates act as a sponge by holding about seven times their volume in water. Individuals who apply humate to their crops are always able to harvest crops in seasons of drought.
Reduced cost of other fertilizers
Humates boost the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in plants. Because of this, the use of N-P-K fertilizers may be reduced. Since the price of fertilizers is high, this saves you a significant amount of money as you won’t have to spend on expensive fertilizers.
Offers improved germination rates
When you apply humates during seed germination, it’s been proven to improve seed germination rates and the development of seedlings as well. An increased germination rate is known to save growth time and improve returns also. When you have a higher number of successful germinations, there’ll be less waste and a more abundant harvest.
Boots root growth
Humate is known to help stimulate root growth. According to research, several case studies have been completed to show the effects of BioFlora products on crops, compared with a control group with no added enhancements. Results proved that when you apply humates, it encourages root growth to grow larger and more robust.
Humate is known to be a more effective option when compared to traditional N-P-K fertilizers.
According to soil scientists and agronomists, humate is essential in maintaining healthy soil. They are known to be very effective, and when compared with the N-P-K fertilizers, the supremacy of humates in their ability to improve soil yield, year after year is massive. Humate is economically safe and agricultural farmers see it as a wise thing to include humate and reduce the use of N-P-K.
Improves growth of foliage and fruit when applied as a foliar
Humate has been proven to improve the growth of foliage, roots, and fruit when applied as a foliar. This helps to improve the quality of your crops. This is something else that farmers love about using humate.
Cons of using humates
Just like all other products on the market today, humate has its disadvantages too. When compared to purchased compost, humate is cheaper. However, it does cost more when compared to making your own compost at home.
Humate is also mined like coal or other fossil fuels. They’re made from ancient decomposed organic matter called lignite. In just a matter of time, it would have become coal. This simply means that humate is not as environmentally friendly when compared to homemade compost with waste products.
