How Does Acid Affect the Growth of a Humic Plant?

Nutrients

• Humic acid’s primary role is creating chemical changes in the soil that release nutrients. These chemical changes free up nutrients in the soil, so that plants have an easier time taking up these nutrients.

Root Development

• Humic acid helps break down compacted soil, such as clay. This helps aerate the roots, allowing them to breathe and develop properly, lessening the threat of rot from compacted soils and a lack of oxygen. A strong root system means that the plant thrives in its environment. Humus is also added to sandy soils, which do not have enough nutrients to properly support most plant life. Humus increases the organic material content in the sandy soil, providing more nutrients to the plants as well as increasing the ability of the soil to retain water.

Microbial Activity

• Decaying plant matter found in humus provides food for microbes that live in the soil. These microbes eat the humus and release nutrients, such as phosphorous, which is necessary for plant health. In time, the microbes break down parts of the humus mixture that are not completely decayed, adding to the humus lessening the need to add more humus later.

Fertilizer Retention

• Adding humic acid and fertilizer encourages a plant to better use the nutrients from the fertilizer and make the plant grow faster, stronger and healthier. If enough organic material is added to the soil using humus, little or no fertilizer is needed. This has a positive effect on not only the plants but also surrounding wildlife because fertilizer can negatively affect the ecosystem.