When it comes to the quality of soil in an agricultural environment, one of the things that many new owners overlook is the humic acid content in the soil. Humic acid is a naturally occurring substance in soil, but when it's in a concentration that's too low, it won't be as effective. Since modern agricultural processes deplete humic acid in the soil, and that acid is necessary for microbial stimulation and feeding vital insects, you should understand its role and what you should do about it if you're creating a new farm or working organic farmland.

If It's Naturally Occurring, Why Worry About It?

Since the agricultural environment has started to evolve, the tools and methods used for farming actually disrupt some of the delicate balance of the soil. Part of that disruption includes reducing the humic acid in the soil and the water table. This is partially due to the water treatment that happens in city systems because it eliminates virtually everything from the water.

If you want to be sure that your farmland has the microbial structure and food sustainability for the ecosystem, you need to actually add some humic acid to your property. Humic acid will maintain its stability when mixed into the soil and can come from direct supplementation or from the addition of compost to the area.  

What Should You Know About Using Humic Acid?

Humic acid supplements can be incorporated into almost any type of organic farming and sustainable system. You can use them for biodynamic farming as well as conventional agriculture and bioremediation. Sometimes, humic acid products are incorporated into compost teas as well, because that's another way to introduce it to the soil.

Depending on the type of environment where you're working, you can choose products that can be directly applied to the soil, in a hydroponic platform, into your irrigation system and more. You can work with your local soil and garden supply store to find the product that's best for your situation.

How Much Humic Acid Amendment Should You Do?

For those who are new to incorporating humic acid in their soil, it's common to wonder how you should handle the supplement. You may not know just how much to use or when to use it. You will need products of different concentrations based on the existing quantity of the humic acid that's already in the area where you're working. The best way to know how much you should use is to have your soil tested so that you know what the existing concentration actually is. Then, you can calculate how much is needed to help maintain your property.

To learn more, contact a company like Live Earth Products, Inc.