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Humic Acid?
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Humic Acid?
In article , T wrote:
My soil is very alkali. Is this a good idea? https://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-17...011L3T6BS/ref= sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478841441&sr=8-5&keywords=humic+acid It's likely highly cost-inefficient .vs. an actual source of humus, (compost or compostable materials) which comes with humic acid as a free byproduct. If you want something compact and _somewhat_ reasonable to buy mailorder that will affect your soil pH, consider sulfur. http://extension.usu.edu/files/publi..._Soils_2003-02. -- Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away. |
Humic Acid?
On 11/11/2016 03:55 PM, Ecnerwal wrote:
In article , T wrote: My soil is very alkali. Is this a good idea? https://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-17...011L3T6BS/ref= sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478841441&sr=8-5&keywords=humic+acid It's likely highly cost-inefficient .vs. an actual source of humus, (compost or compostable materials) which comes with humic acid as a free byproduct. If you want something compact and _somewhat_ reasonable to buy mailorder that will affect your soil pH, consider sulfur. http://extension.usu.edu/files/publi..._Soils_2003-02. Great reference. Thank you! |
Humic Acid?
T wrote:
My soil is very alkali. Is this a good idea? https://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-17...rds=humic+acid humic acid is a somewhat weak acid which is probably just leached from humus aka rotten organic materials. probably no better than what you would get from buying bags of wood chips and letting them rot. as you are trying to do things inexpensively i always say go for whatever free organic materials you can scrounge and keep growing and harvesting weeds as well. the mention of elemental sulfur as a pH adjuster is ok, but what do you have to hold that element in place? if you have no topsoil, clay or loam it may mostly wash or leach away. songbird |
Humic Acid?
On 11/11/2016 07:10 PM, songbird wrote:
T wrote: My soil is very alkali. Is this a good idea? https://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-17...rds=humic+acid humic acid is a somewhat weak acid which is probably just leached from humus aka rotten organic materials. probably no better than what you would get from buying bags of wood chips and letting them rot. as you are trying to do things inexpensively i always say go for whatever free organic materials you can scrounge and keep growing and harvesting weeds as well. the mention of elemental sulfur as a pH adjuster is ok, but what do you have to hold that element in place? if you have no topsoil, clay or loam it may mostly wash or leach away. songbird Hi Songbird, So something that stays put, such as peat moss. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). Thank you for the help, -T |
Humic Acid?
T wrote:
.... So something that stays put, such as peat moss. i like things that are bigger chunks for an arid climate. then it can be used as a top mulch to help keep up soil moisture levels and it protects against the heat/wind evaporation. pretty much any organic material will help through time. keep looking around and stop any time you see people doing tree work and ask them what they do with the wood/wood chips, etc. never hurts to ask. adding some clay will help in so many ways if your soil lacks it. clay/loam added to sandy soil will make your other efforts work out much better too. without being there and seeing the soil you are working with it's hard to tell what is best to do first. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. did it blow away? have you planted any alfalfa/clover or any other cover crops? And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). it's all residual humus in the end, it can take a lot of organic materials to end up at just a little humus. in primarily sand too much gets leached away. i can have alkali dirt here that is powder from crushed limestone yet it grows some plants very well. poppies, lavender, love in a mist and as you've found purselane does well almost anywhere. songbird |
Humic Acid?
.... p.s. she's usually worth listening to when it comes down to soil stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzthQyMaQaQ songbird |
Humic Acid?
On 11/12/2016 06:19 AM, songbird wrote:
T wrote: ... So something that stays put, such as peat moss. i like things that are bigger chunks for an arid climate. then it can be used as a top mulch to help keep up soil moisture levels and it protects against the heat/wind evaporation. pretty much any organic material will help through time. keep looking around and stop any time you see people doing tree work and ask them what they do with the wood/wood chips, etc. never hurts to ask. adding some clay will help in so many ways if your soil lacks it. clay/loam added to sandy soil will make your other efforts work out much better too. without being there and seeing the soil you are working with it's hard to tell what is best to do first. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. did it blow away? have you planted any alfalfa/clover or any other cover crops? And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). it's all residual humus in the end, it can take a lot of organic materials to end up at just a little humus. in primarily sand too much gets leached away. i can have alkali dirt here that is powder from crushed limestone yet it grows some plants very well. poppies, lavender, love in a mist and as you've found purselane does well almost anywhere. songbird I am after the instant acid / base reaction to neutralizer the base in the soil. And Humic acid is not toxic to plants and worms. Then digging stuff under should be more effective. |
Humic Acid?
On 12/9/2016 8:32 PM, T wrote:
On 11/12/2016 06:19 AM, songbird wrote: T wrote: ... So something that stays put, such as peat moss. i like things that are bigger chunks for an arid climate. then it can be used as a top mulch to help keep up soil moisture levels and it protects against the heat/wind evaporation. pretty much any organic material will help through time. keep looking around and stop any time you see people doing tree work and ask them what they do with the wood/wood chips, etc. never hurts to ask. adding some clay will help in so many ways if your soil lacks it. clay/loam added to sandy soil will make your other efforts work out much better too. without being there and seeing the soil you are working with it's hard to tell what is best to do first. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. did it blow away? have you planted any alfalfa/clover or any other cover crops? And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). it's all residual humus in the end, it can take a lot of organic materials to end up at just a little humus. in primarily sand too much gets leached away. i can have alkali dirt here that is powder from crushed limestone yet it grows some plants very well. poppies, lavender, love in a mist and as you've found purselane does well almost anywhere. songbird I am after the instant acid / base reaction to neutralizer the base in the soil. And Humic acid is not toxic to plants and worms. At $12/pound??? |
Humic Acid?
On 12/09/2016 08:37 PM, Bob F wrote:
On 12/9/2016 8:32 PM, T wrote: On 11/12/2016 06:19 AM, songbird wrote: T wrote: ... So something that stays put, such as peat moss. i like things that are bigger chunks for an arid climate. then it can be used as a top mulch to help keep up soil moisture levels and it protects against the heat/wind evaporation. pretty much any organic material will help through time. keep looking around and stop any time you see people doing tree work and ask them what they do with the wood/wood chips, etc. never hurts to ask. adding some clay will help in so many ways if your soil lacks it. clay/loam added to sandy soil will make your other efforts work out much better too. without being there and seeing the soil you are working with it's hard to tell what is best to do first. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. did it blow away? have you planted any alfalfa/clover or any other cover crops? And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). it's all residual humus in the end, it can take a lot of organic materials to end up at just a little humus. in primarily sand too much gets leached away. i can have alkali dirt here that is powder from crushed limestone yet it grows some plants very well. poppies, lavender, love in a mist and as you've found purselane does well almost anywhere. songbird I am after the instant acid / base reaction to neutralizer the base in the soil. And Humic acid is not toxic to plants and worms. At $12/pound??? Ya, I know. I am only going to use one box. |
Humic Acid?
On 12/09/2016 09:54 PM, T wrote:
On 12/09/2016 08:37 PM, Bob F wrote: On 12/9/2016 8:32 PM, T wrote: On 11/12/2016 06:19 AM, songbird wrote: T wrote: ... So something that stays put, such as peat moss. i like things that are bigger chunks for an arid climate. then it can be used as a top mulch to help keep up soil moisture levels and it protects against the heat/wind evaporation. pretty much any organic material will help through time. keep looking around and stop any time you see people doing tree work and ask them what they do with the wood/wood chips, etc. never hurts to ask. adding some clay will help in so many ways if your soil lacks it. clay/loam added to sandy soil will make your other efforts work out much better too. without being there and seeing the soil you are working with it's hard to tell what is best to do first. I was thinking on this for my beds where I did not mix the peat and the dirt too well and I did not have a lot of peat left. did it blow away? have you planted any alfalfa/clover or any other cover crops? And I have no end to the table scraps. Also, I have used compost for years and it did no good (the nutrients in dirt won't break up in alkali dirt). it's all residual humus in the end, it can take a lot of organic materials to end up at just a little humus. in primarily sand too much gets leached away. i can have alkali dirt here that is powder from crushed limestone yet it grows some plants very well. poppies, lavender, love in a mist and as you've found purselane does well almost anywhere. songbird I am after the instant acid / base reaction to neutralizer the base in the soil. And Humic acid is not toxic to plants and worms. At $12/pound??? Ya, I know. I am only going to use one box. Then I am generating tons of vegi scraps from cooking that I am going to bury, not to mention all my dead tomato plants. Lots of frozen green tomatoes to bury too! Stinkers would never ripen. Now they will be next year's tomatoes. |
Humic Acid?
T wrote:
.... I am after the instant acid / base reaction to neutralizer the base in the soil. And Humic acid is not toxic to plants and worms. it is such a weak acid you are not getting that much effect. you would be much better off using sulfur, and if you are digging it in and watering it well a few weeks before planting it won't hurt plants. after planting you can mix small amounts into the top or sprinkle it on and it also won't hurt plants. Then digging stuff under should be more effective. that's always going to help as long as the soil community is there and some moisture to digest things. songbird |
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