What Growers Should Know About Humic Material and Organic Matter

Many of the world’s farms and agricultural production centers are currently struggling to maintain peak output.

Farmers are finding their yields threatened by factors ranging from the overuse of land to soil toxicity and even deteriorating soil structure. As a result, more and more businesses are becoming interested in the way humic acid can be utilized to increase yields and produce stronger crops year after year.

Here at Black Earth, we are often asked about humic material and its relation to organic matter. It’s important to keep in mind that not all humic material is the same.


growers humid matter organic material row crop


Our humalite is sub-bituminous coal mined in northern Alberta, making it low in ash and toxins. It is partially oxidized and contains high contents of carboxylic and hydroxylic groups that make humailte more reactive in soil.

With that in mind, here are a few of the things you should know:

First, humic acid comes from the decay of other organic matter.

Like all living things, plants and dense vegetation decay over time. Under certain sets of conditions, these can become humic material, which is filled with humic acid and other related biological components that enhance plant growth. So, humic material isn’t an unnatural additive, but something that’s found in productive soil around the globe.

Humic material helps vegetation and other organic matter to absorb more nutrients.

Through a variety of processes, humic material makes soil more fertile and water absorbent. That means it can help stronger, healthier plants to grow, especially if it’s used in conjunction with other fertilizers.

Humic material also increases microbial growth and activity.

Humic material helps plant life at the microbial level, encouraging growth activity and offsetting the effects of salt, toxins, and even poor soil structure. This microbial growth can, in turn, help healthier plant life to develop and flourish.

The bottom line on humic material, like the products we offer at Black Earth, is that they are 100% natural. What’s more, they aren’t really so much soil additives as they are enhancers – helping nature to move the growing process along with better results, using humic material that is present in the best soil anyway.

To find out more about humic acid and its benefits, see the research results:

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