On the market today, there are many Humic and Humate products, so many that no one can estimate how many products are currently being sold on the market. In the midst of such a matrix, how can we choose the right product to buy and how to use it best for our garden? That is indeed not easy. Within the framework of this article, we would like to take the liberty of providing users with the most concise and concise information possible. With the hope of helping consumers understand and choose the right product for themselves.
What is humic?
Humic, also known as Humic Acid or Humic Acid, is an organic substance found in soil and formed from the decomposition of organic materials such as plants and animals. It is a complex mixture of organic acids, fats, sugars and other related substances. Humic acid has complex and diverse properties, and has an impact on the physical and chemical properties of soil.
Humic acid has many important roles in plant and soil growth, including:
– Improve soil structure: Humic acid has the ability to absorb water and increase soil porosity, making the soil more aerated and reducing the risk of clogging.
– Improve water retention capacity: Humic acid has good water retention ability, helping to reduce drought and increase water capacity for plants.
– Providing nutrients: Humic acid has the ability to adsorb and hold nutrient ions, helping plants absorb more nutrients from the soil.
– Reduce soil acidity: Humic acid has the ability to reduce soil acidity, helping the soil become more neutral or alkaline, helping plants grow better.
– Stimulates plant growth: Humic acid can stimulate plant growth by enhancing nutrient absorption, increasing plant durability and resistance to environmental stress.
What is humate?
Humate is a type of organic complex formed from the decomposition of organic materials, including humic acid and fulvic acid. Humates are often found in soil in low concentrations and are mainly produced through extraction from coal or peat mines.
There are many methods of extracting humates from natural resources such as soil, coal, and decomposition products of organic materials. Here are some main humate extraction methods:
Acidification method: Use acid to extract humate from resources, then use alkali to neutralize and filter impurities.
Thermal extraction method: Uses heat and pressure to extract humates from resources, then filters out impurities.
Solvent extraction method: Use organic solvents to extract humates from resources, then remove the solvent and filter impurities.
Enzymatic extraction method: Using enzymes to decompose organic substances in resources, then extract humates and filter impurities.
Alkalization method: Use alkaline solution to extract humate from resources, then use acid to neutralize and filter impurities. This is the most commonly used method. The two most commonly used alkalis are KOH and NaOH. The product name Potassium Humate that we often hear is also produced from this method. We will go deeper into this issue later.
Advantages of Humate over Humic
Humate is a product produced from humic acid so it has advantages compared to simple humic acid. The following are some advantages of humates over humic substances:
– Has lower polarity than humic acid, allowing it to be easily absorbed and moved across cell membranes in plants and soil.
– Able to enhance nutrient absorption, increase plant absorption of nutrient ions, helping to increase productivity and product quality.
– Able to increase soil moisture, increase soil moisture retention ability better, helping to maintain suitable moisture for plants to grow.
– Able to enhance plant resistance: Humate has the ability to strengthen the immune system of plants and help them fight against pathogens and stress.
– Soluble in water: Humate is soluble in water, making it easier to use and transport the product.
Therefore, Humate has many advantages compared to simple humic acid and is commonly used in agricultural production and plant care.
