Humic acid is a substance that most intermediate to advanced lawn owners and gardeners use to maintain a healthy lawn with fewer resources and effort. This is a completely natural and readily-available substance that, when used carefully, can help improve every aspect of your lawn- from root growth to nutrient management and even overall soil health.
Below you can find out what, exactly, humic acid can do when applied to your lawn as well as how to apply it and a few things to avoid.
What is Humic Acid? (The Short Answer)
Humic acid is a natural substance that is formed from decaying organic matter. It is typically dark brown or black and has a relatively neutral pH. When applied to your lawn in the correct way, it can enhance growth, improve the lawn’s resilience to disease and stress, and even reduce the need for more nutrients and water.
What Does Humic Acid Do for Lawns? (If Used Correctly)
If used correctly, humic acid can provide a handful of benefits to your lawn. These benefits apply no matter which form of humic acid you choose, as long as the concentration you use is appropriate for your lawn type and size.
Humic Acid Improves Soil Health
The best answer to “what does humic acid do for lawns?” is that it improves soil health. As humic acid is a natural substance derived from decaying plant and animal matter, it makes sense that this stuff builds good soil. When applied to the soil, even if you haven’t planted any grass yet, humic acid can help improve the soil structure.
Humic acid can break up heavy clay soils and trapped organic matter. It improves soil porosity, helping water and nutrients reach further into the soil and distribute more evenly. These changes caused by humic acid can even increase beneficial microbial activity, reducing the risk of disease for your lawn.
Humic Acid Increases Nutrient Availability
Humic acid acts as a chelating agent for grass and other plants. This means it binds to nutrients in the soil and makes them easier to absorb for nearby roots. This applies to several nutrients key to a healthy lawn including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, it’s also important to note that some phosphorus fertilizers can have a different reaction to humic acid, and the phosphorus in these fertilizers becomes less available to plants when it combines with humic acid.
Humic Acid Enhances Root Development
Humic acid can help stimulate several types of plant growth. When it comes to a greener, fuller lawn, however, humic acid does one thing that few other substances can. Humic acid stimulates root growth.
In a similar way to how it acts as a chelating agent, making it easier for roots to absorb nutrients, humic acid encourages grass and other plants to develop longer and stronger roots. Better roots can lead to a lawn that is healthier overall and that is better able to resist stress from pests, disease, and environmental factors.
Humic Acid Improves Soil pH Resilience
Humic acid helps to buffer soil pH, making it less likely for that pH to change over time. Having a consistent pH in the range ideal for the type of turf grass that you have can help reduce stress for the plants as well as work for you.
Humic Acid Can Increase Resilience to Stress
In addition to the ways humic acid improves your lawn and makes it more resilient listed above, it can also help your lawn resist stress from drought, heat, and other environmental factors in another way. It does this by enhancing the lawn’s natural defense mechanisms, such as antioxidant production and the production of necessary enzymes.
Should You Use Humic Acid on Your Lawn?
Overall, applying humic acid to your lawn can help to improve soil health, increase nutrient availability, enhance grass growth, and increase resistance to drought. In my opinion, humic acid is a valuable tool for maintaining a healthy and vibrant lawn.
There is no reason not to apply it in some way, shape, or form, and many of us may already make use of this substance without even realizing it.
For example, humic acid is found in the compost and manure many lawn owners already apply to their lawns. Well-rotted compost is often called “humus” and contains a relatively concentrated level of humic acid.
Humic acid can also be found, in smaller amounts, in coal and ash. While not commonly applied to the lawn, both of these also have their place in lawn care at times.
How to Apply Humic Acid to a Lawn (Step By Step)
Now that you know just how much humic acid can do for your lawn, you’re probably wondering how to apply humic acid to your lawn. The good news is that the process is simple, no matter if you have chosen a liquid concentrate, granular powder, or humic acid as a component of a ready-mixed soil amendment or fertilizer.
Below are the five steps you need to follow to successfully apply humic acid to your lawn.
Know How Much Humic Acid You Need for Your Lawn
Before you do anything else, you will need to determine how much humic acid you need. The amount of humic acid you should apply to your lawn will depend on several factors, including the type of soil you have, the condition of your lawn, and the specific product you are using. The drier your lawn is and the more compact your soil is, the greater the margin for error you will have.
This does not mean, however, that you should ever add more humic acid than directed to your lawn. This is a recipe for disaster, even if your lawn’s condition is extremely rough. The better thing to do would be to apply the humic acid as directed. Then keep an eye on the condition of your lawn, noting any improvements. If things seem to be headed in a positive direction, feel free to reapply the product as directed by the manufacturer or every 8 to 12 weeks.
Choose a Humic Acid Product
Humic acid is available in several different forms, as noted above. These forms include dry granules, liquid concentrate, soil amendments, and fertilizers that contain humic acid as a primary ingredient. All humic acid is created equal. Choose the product that you think will best suit your lawn and that makes the application the easiest for you. I prefer a liquid humic acid added to a compost tea, strained, and then applied to the lawn using a conventional sprayer.
Apply Your Humic Acid
If you have chosen a dry, granular form of humic acid, all you need to do is evenly sprinkle this product over your lawn. You can do this by using a spreader of the hand-powered, battery-powered, or pull-behind variety. You could also use gloved hands to broadcast the granules evenly.
If you choose a liquid humic acid concentrate, you will want to dilute the product according to the manufacturer’s directions and apply it using a sprayer. You can also mix humic acid with other typical soil amendments and fertilizers before application, as long as these do not already contain humic acid.
Water Your Lawn Well After Application
After applying humic acid, water the lawn thoroughly to help the product absorb into the soil. This will also help to ensure that the lawn receives the nutrients it needs to grow.
Repeat As Necessary
Depending on the condition of your lawn and the product you are using, you may need to repeat the application of humic acid throughout the growing season. Over time, this need will be reduced as soil health improves.
Things to Be Careful of When Using Humic Acid on Your Lawn
While humic acid is generally considered safe and beneficial for soil health and plant growth, there are a few potential risks or drawbacks to keep in mind when applying it to your lawn. Here are some things to be aware of:
- Over-application – Applying too much humic acid to your lawn can lead to excessive nutrient uptake by plants. This can cause them to grow too quickly, in a disordered way, making them more susceptible to disease and insect damage. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended application rates and avoid applying humic acid more frequently than necessary.
- Soil Acidity – While it keeps soil pH relatively neutral when applied as directed or sparingly, too much humic acid applied all at once to a lawn can lower the pH of the soil. If you’re concerned about soil pH or if you want to check and see if you may have applied too much humic acid, compare the pH of your soil before application and several days after.
- Environmental Impact – While humic acid is a natural product, excessive application or runoff, especially near natural bodies of water, can lead to algae blooms and other problems. Avoid applying humic acid near water sources.
- Incompatibility With Other Products – Some soil amendments, fertilizers, and other lawn care products are not compatible with humic acid. Using these products together can reduce effectiveness or lead to unexpected results. Always read product labels and, if you’re unsure, refrain from combining products. As an example, humic acid can nullify the effects of several common types of pesticides by binding to the substances that target pests. Humic acid can also nullify the effects of lime and alkalizing fertilizers when these products are added at the same time.
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