Some Local Repairs Here And There
With the openings from the aeration holes in place and the heat of summer gone, why not sod or over-seed any bare patches in your lawn now?
Tagawas carries a wide selection of grass seed in bulk. Our Garden Advisers at Dicks Corner will gladly help you choose which variety of seed is best for your lawn.
The grass seed will need to be kept slightly but consistently moist until it sprouts, but now is an excellent time to help new grass plants take hold while the soil is still warm.
Remember, if you have any questions about your lawn, or other issues in your landscape, take pictures on your smart phone and bring them into to Dicks Corner. Our Garden Advisers will gladly help you make your yard the best it can be!
How To Build Humic Acid Levels
Compost and other sources of decomposing organic matter are not an efficient way to build soil humus levels. Compost rapidly decomposes and leaves its minerals behind, releasing carbon into the atmosphere as CO2. Humic substances, on the other hand, are stable, long-lasting biomolecules. Components of humus have a mean residence time of 1,140 to 1,235 years, depending on the molecular weight of the humic acid.
If you really want to fix or rehabilitate a soil, increase its CEC, improve its tilth and porosity, improve water availability for conservation, and therefore make a soil a healthier terrestrial biosphere for all plants, roots, microorganisms, you must depend on humus. Humus is a product of soil chemistry, and is dependent upon a source of its precursor chemicals: amino acids.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The best source of the amino acids in a natural ecotone are produced by the Glomus species of mycorrhizae. These are associated with any grass in a natural, undisturbed site. The tallgrass prairies of the Midwest exemplify this soil-building process better than any ecotone on earth, because grasses utilize a Glomus-mycorrhizal relationship. This is why there is was so much humus-rich topsoil in the Tall Grass Prairies. Glomus makes a soil protein called glomalin, a substance that is rich in amino acids. Combined with humus, they create a huge carbon sequestering and banking factor.
Humus Vs Organic Matter
We must begin by understanding that there is a difference between soil organic matter and humus. Humus is a general term that describes a group of separate but distinct humic substances. Soil organic matter is material that is decomposing at various rates in the ground.
Some of the most common substances we collectively refer to as humus include:
- Fulvic acid: a yellow to yellow-brown humic substance that is soluble in water under all pH conditions and is of low molecular weight.
- Humic acid: a dark-brown humic substance that is soluble in water only at higher soil pH values and is of greater molecular weight than fulvic acid. Humic acid may remain for centuries in undisturbed soil.
- Humin: a black humic substance that is not soluble in water at any pH, has a high molecular weight, and is never found in base-extracted liquid humic acid products.
Adding a small amount of humus to an acre of soil can achieve positive results.
Applying organic matter is certainly an excellent way to remineralize a soil that has been leached or has no chemical reactions, such as with some sands. Sand with a low cation exchange capacity has difficulty holding onto the cations of nutrients, and these cations can easily leach deep into the soil and become unavailable for plant uptake.
Humus is powerful stuff, and a tiny amount can produce a huge measurable result. We have seen as little as 40 total pounds on an acre of farmland increase the yield of a crop dramatically.
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How To Use Humic Acid In The Lawn
There is no specific volume amount of Humic your soil will need and most professionals will tell you you cant over apply it either.
Spoon feeding Humic acid is usually considered to be most beneficial to lawns. By this I mean applying a little bit at a time many times over a season should be better than apply a lot only once or twice in a season.
Any amount should be okay if you mix it with water. But depending on the concentration of the product youre using you will be able to spread it better if you dilute liquid Humic acid in a lot of water instead of a little.
If you choose to apply granual Humic acid then you should expect to have to water it in heavily and then wait a couple of days to weeks for it to start working. Soil temperature and moisture levels have to break down the granuals before it starts affecting the soil and root system of your lawn.
Quick Tip: Humic acid performs best when you apply it along with regular lawn fertilizers or in the early part of Spring as lawns are emerging from winter dormancy.
If you choose to go with a water soluble Humic Acid product the first step will be to scoop it into a big bucket for mixing and follow label rates on the low end to start a spoon-feeding plan.
After scooping the acid into the water, pour a generous amount of water and mix. You can start with a gallon of water or two. Then mix thoroughly for about two minutes before putting it into a movie sprayer to spray all over your lawn.
Benefits Of Humus Vs Commercial Humic Acid
Here is the marketing logic that is used to promote these products. Humus in soil provides many benefits as discussed above. Commercial extracts from coal produce humic acid. Therefore commercial products also provide the same benefits as humus.
Clearly this is flawed logic. Science has shown that humus in soil is beneficial, but science has not shown that the commercial product is beneficial, and since the two are chemically different, we cant make an assumption just because a similar name is used for both.
The other problem is that there are many sources of coal and different extraction procedures are used to produce products, and the end results are not characterized enough to allow a consumer to compare one product to another, or even one batch to another. The industry currently relies entirely of consumer trust and the assumption that anything called humic acid is good for the garden.
That does not mean commercial humic acid does not work, but it does mean that it is impossible for a consumer to know if any product works.
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The Effect Of Humic Acid To Sandy Soil
Because it is the largest mineral particle, it has a rough texture. Soils with a high sand content are generally well-draining, but they can be difficult to work with since nutrients are carried away from the root.
Humic acid slows down water evaporation on sandy soil at a rate of 30% thereby increasing its water-holding capacity.
Use Humic Acids To Effectively Prevent The Effects Of Abiotic Stressors
The year is half over and summer is just around the corner. Time to prepare your lawn for heat and drought before it’s too late. Humic acids help reduce stress from abiotic factors, such as lack of water, high temperatures and heavy UV exposure, and maintain your velvety green lawn throughout the height of summer.
Nutrient deficiencies are quickly apparent
For an adequate supply of nutrients, an adapted water supply is essential. During dry periods, you should supply the lawn with about 10 to 20 liters/m² of water once or twice a week. Otherwise, the nutrients are trapped in the dry soil and are no longer available to the plants. The consequences are quickly visible: a pale color, patchy growth, lack of vitality.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
To prevent the stress caused by extreme weather, it is important to prepare the lawn accordingly. In addition to good aeration of the turf and a deep water supply, a second fertilization is recommended starting in June. It is best to opt for a slow-release fertilizer that contains potassium. Potassium helps the foliage to withstand the heat and generally strengthens resistance. In addition, it ensures a strong metabolism.
An adequate supply of nutrients is essential and depends on the water balance
A humus-rich soil with a lot of organic matter reacts much more favorable to usage stress and weather-related influences.
Humic acids improve soil properties
This way, your lawn will get through the summer in good shape.
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The Next Generation Of Humic Acid: Biological Dispersible Spreadable Blendable
Features:
- Biological: Contains four biologically active components: HAP, fulvic acid, humic acid and humin.
- Dispersible: Dispersing Granule Technology facilitates granule breakdown and soil incorporation
- Spreadable: Uniform, spherical granules allow for ease of handling and even application
- Blendable: Ultra dry granules are engineered to be compatible with all fertilizers including urea
Youll See The Proven Humic Acid Benefits When You Use Humic DG!
- Increases soil carbon
- Chelates nutrients making elements available for a longer period of time
- Improves aeration and water movement
- Effective in sandy soils
$5 Off Winterizer & Humate And $2 Off Top Dressing
Stop by Tagawa Gardens before 10-26-17 and receive $5 OFF Pro-Rich Lawn Winterizer and/or Natural Guard Granular Humate and $2 OFF EKO Lawn Top Dressing
Want to pay it forward and help your lawn look its best next season? Then consider this: Its officially fall, weve had our first snow and our lawns are preparing to go dormant. This is the purr-fect time to act!
Heres a short list of some steps you can take to send your lawn into winter primed and ready for a five-star performance next year! And for the record: my lawn got this T.L.C. just last week. Within days, I saw a remarkable difference in its appearance. No kidding! I was amazed, and I think you will be too!
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Use #1 Fertilizer Complement
Due to the number of soil supplements out there, many often confuse humic acid as fertilizer.
Humic acid is not a fertilizer and consequently, it is not a direct source of plant nutrition. Humic acid is used in conjunction with both organic and synthetic fertilizer as a soil conditioner.
This is despite the fact that you can sometimes find humic acid as a standalone product .
What Is The Benefit Of Humic Acid
Humic acid neutralizes acidic and alkaline soils regulates pH-value of soils, increasing their buffering abilities and has extremely high cation-exchange properties. Benefits: Improves and optimizes uptake of nutrients and water holding capacity. Stimulates plant growth with its rich organic and mineral substances.
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Products That Contain Humic
My favorite humic acid product is the Humic12 from Greene County Fertilizer Co. If you just added only this product to your strategy, youd get much better results and enrich your soil quickly. It contains 12% humic acid which is one of the highest concentrations available anywhere. You can get it as a part of the bio-stimulant pack or stand alone. Apply humic12 at 6 oz/1000 sq ft every month throughout the growing season. Water it in after you apply.Another excellent choice is the EnviroPlex from Ecologel which tops the charts at 22% humic acid. You can also apply this one at 6oz/1000 sq ft every month during the growing season.
Liquid Humate Is A Natural Safe And Easy Way To Add Beneficial Organic Matter To Your Lawn Garden Or Potted Plants
Rich, healthy soils contain large amounts of Humate. This critical form of organic matter improves soil structure, aeration, nutrient retention, and provides a haven for beneficial microbes
Liquid Humate is a fantastic soil amendment that improves both clay and sandy soils.
- Liquid Humate is a premium, natural product derived from Leonardite.
- Easier to apply than compost and weed-free.
- Stimulates beneficial soil microorganisms.
- Penetrates the soil quickly, going directly to the roots for rapid absorption.
- Can be used with other fertilizers and is ideal to use alongside RestoreClay
- It helps to soften and restructure hard clay soils.
- Adds body and nutrients to sandy soils.
- Easy to apply using either a hose-end applicator, pressure sprayer or even a watering can.
1 Gal will treat up to 12,000 sq ft of lawn or garden.
1/2 Gal will treat up to 6,000 sq ft of lawn or garden.
SHAKE WELL PRIOR TO EVERY USE.
Liquid Humate can be applied every 4 weeks
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS 0-0-0
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How To Apply Humic Acid
Now that you know the benefits of humic acid, youll want to apply it to your lawn at the next opportunity. In order to do so, just follow these steps:
- Choose a windless day in spring or fall, when your lawn is green and growing.
- Plan to apply in the morning or evening
- Spread a natural fertilizer that works by fueling microorganisms on your lawn.
- Mix 2 ounces of liquid humic acid per gallon of water.
- Use a pump sprayer with the nozzle held 26 inches above the grass to spray the humic acid mix evenly over the grass.
- Apply 1 gallon of humic acid and water mix per 100 square feet of lawn.
Its that simple. The humic acid will go to work right away, breeding helpful microorganisms in your soil. Then, as the granular fertilizer breaks down, the microorganisms will feed on these nutrients. Finally, the microorganisms will release the nitrogen and other nutrients to your lawn as necessary. Fertilizing and spraying a humic acid mix on your lawn is the perfect one-two punch.
Top 10 Benefits Of Adding Humic Acid To Your Lawn
Again, many premium bio-stimulants these days include humic acid as an active ingredient. You can see my recommended products for lawn care here.
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How Often Should You Apply Humic Acid
You should consider applying the humic acid 3 weeks after the initial application but this time, we recommend mixing 1 ounce of product into a bucket of water. You will find that the mix resembles black coffee again. Mix it well and then spray it every 100 square feet. For 1,000 square feet, we recommend mixing 6 ounces into your buckets and spraying it over. Again, water generously to ensure the product reaches the roots.
Two applications are more than enough humic acid for your lawn to last the season. The next year, apply humic acid once as the season begins ONLY. The next year, however, you can apply it twice again. However, we would like to mention that if you apply it twice every year, you wont risk burning, singing, or otherwise ruining your grass, provided you are mowing it regularly.
This is to say that while there is no such thing as over-application of humic acid, applying it twice every year can lead to wasted humic acid. A pound of humic acid can easily last you anywhere from 2 to 5 years, depending on the size of your lawn.
The Benefits Of Adding Humic Acid
With an increasingly energized focus on environmentally friendly approaches to plant care, humates are becoming more important. Although it has been around since the earth’s creation, people are now becoming more aware of how it works.
Plants and microorganisms in soil benefit from applications of H/A in several ways. It has shown to stimulate root growth, increase carbohydrate production, have a hormone-like affect within the plant, and increase soil microorganisms. It has shown to be a great addition to your outdoor plant care when used correctly.
The soils that will benefit the greatest are those low in organic matter, such as clay or sandy soils. Look for products that have the highest concentrations of humic acids. These will provide the most benefit. Be aware that many products sold have very low concentrations that will provide little noticeable affect.
Conditions That Provide The Best Benefit:
Facts About Humates/Humic Acid
Studies about humic acid have been increasing since it was discovered in the 1800’s. However, not all humic products are made equally. The oldest natural humic materials, such as leonardite coal, will contain the highest quality. Look for products that states where the source is from.
Humic substances are dark brown in color and are the bio-chemically active ingredients of soil organic matter. They are created when soil microorganisms break down organic materials.
The following are some examples of materials containing humic deposits:
References
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Benefits Of Humic Acid
Humic acid improves soil consistency, color, and water retention, among other things. Below are the top reasons you should use humic acid on your lawn:
- Increases the population of helpful microorganisms in soils.
- Increase soils ability to retain water, air, and nutrients.
- Chelates nutrients in soils and fertilizer, making them easier for plants to absorb.
- Helps plants to absorb nutrients that would otherwise be blocked to them by high or low soil pH.
- Combats the negative effects of salt in soil, from fertilizers, pet urine, and other sources.
- Promotes larger and stronger root systems in plants and grasses.
- Increases plant membrane permeability, making it easier for your lawn to absorb nutrients.
- Increase the germination rate of plants and grasses.
These are all reasons humic acid is heralded as a super-effective soil amendment. It reduces the harmful effects of poor pH and high salt levels in the soil at the same time it helps retain soil moisture and feed plants more nutrients. Your lawn will see a huge boost in growth, color, and health after you apply humic acid.
