Humates the Answer to Soil Exhaustion

Humates the Answer to Soil Exhaustion

25 October 2011

The amazing benefits of Humates in 'Exhausted soils'

New Zealand's market gardening history has evolved since the days that early immigrants post the Otago and West Coast Gold Rush made their way from the gold fields to settle around New Zealand leasing land to crop. Areas such as Pukekohe have been in intensive gardening and cropping for over 100 years.

With time and repeated cropping, soils can suffer from factors which can upset the natural balance vital to sustain good yields. Factors such as compaction and damage to soil structure, erosion, and depletion of the soil's microbial and other soil life lessening the uptake of nutrients and micronutrients held in the soil.

Using humates are increasingly attracting attention as a solution to restore the natural balance in soil necessary for optimal plant growth.

Humates have been shown to consistently improve the uptake of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron as well as innumerable trace elements essential for plant health. This is due to the biochemically active nature of Humic acid, and its ability to form both soluble and insoluble complexes with various metals, minerals and organics. Nutrients are mobilized in forms that the plants can accept.

Life forms such as bacteria and earthworms, which are dependent on humus content, contribute a lot to the maintenance of the soil structure. The use of Humates can prevent soil cracking, which exposes roots to the air and can cause crops to burn in severe heat conditions. Since organic matter is not water soluble, soil with high humus content is less likely to be subject to water erosion

Humates can hold up to 20 times their weight in water. By enhancing the soil’s ability to retain water, Humate usage can reduce the need for crop irrigation. This can be especially helpful with sandy soils, and contributes a large measure of drought resistance to crops.

Humates can improve the quality of fruit, vegetables, and flowers by improving their physical appearance, and in the case of food crops, their nutritional value.  Cereal crops for example have shown more balanced amino acid content, and higher protein content.  All of this can enhance their worth in the marketplace.

For more information on humates please call 0508 humates or visit www.humates.co.nz