Humus is the basis of soil fertility. They say that if there is a lot of it, then the soil is fertile. It is this that colors the soil dark. Humus is the final stage of decomposition of organic matter in the soil, including a complex of complex compounds. Now many gardeners and gardeners use potassium humate to grow and feed vegetables and flowers. Considering it a fertilizer, many are mistaken. Then what is the product used for, what effect does it have on plant growth, how to use it correctly? Read more in the article.
Potassium humate - what is it?
Depending on what is extracted with, that is, what alkali is used, sodium, potassium or ammonium humate is obtained. Potassium humate is considered the best, since excess sodium ions spoils the soil structure. But some plants love sodium ions, for example, onions.
Potassium humate itself is a fine-crystalline black powder. As a rule, this is a product of peat processing. The following forms of humates are distinguished: ballast-free, highly purified, and containing ballast substances.
Differences from sodium humate
In addition to potassium humate, plant growers use sodium humate. The second drug in combination with other fertilizers is suitable for wider use. This explains its popularity.
The acidity of sodium humate is up to 8 pH. The drug is used to treat seeds, tubers, and cuttings. The purpose of the composition is to strengthen plant immunity and reduce susceptibility to negative factors.
Both sodium and potassium humates are growth stimulants. In terms of chemical composition, they are almost identical. Therefore, one remedy can be replaced by another.
Beneficial properties for soil
The use of humic preparations, according to foreign and domestic scientists, is expressed in the following:
- Increases seed germination and germination up to 100%;
- Stimulates root nutrition as a result of building up the root system;
- Helps the plant to absorb those beneficial substances and microelements contained in the soil, converting them into an assimilable form;
- The microbiological structure of the soil improves;
- Humates are responsible for structuring the soil, turning very small soil particles into larger lumps. The soil becomes looser and more moisture-absorbing, and significantly more so;
- Due to the looseness of the soil, the roots absorb more oxygen from the soil;
- Heavy metal salts are bound into compounds that are inaccessible for absorption by plants.
Fertilizer compatibility
At the beginning of the season, the farmer creates his own calendar of treatments and field work with plants. At the same time, treatments with fertilizers, fungicides and other means are taken into account. If you decide to use potassium humate during the growing season, it means:
- Do not treat the soil together with phosphorus-containing preparations or potassium nitrate. The gap between applications can be at least a week.
- Perennial crops are processed several times per season. But annual plants - only before budding.
Release form
- Tablets, 14 g each. For root and foliar feeding, dilute at the rate of 1 tablet per 50 liters of water, for soaking seeds - 1 tablet per 3 liters of water.
- Powder is a more economical preparation. A concentrated solution is made from it. 1 tsp. powder is diluted in 10 liters of hot water, temperature 70-80ºС. The solution must stand for at least 8 hours so that all the granules are well dissolved. Afterwards the solution is drained from the sediment. If this is not done, then granules like potassium permanganate that get on clothes can leave stains. The working solution is prepared at the rate of 0.5 liters of concentrate per 10 liters (bucket) of water.
- The liquid concentrate is used as bark and foliar feeding.
- Paste and gel have a high percentage of penetration and binding.
Compound
Depending on the raw materials used, the composition of the fertilizer can be different - organic or organomineral. Based on this factor, humates are divided into two types - potassium humate and sodium humate. Both drugs are similar in their characteristics. Let's take a closer look at how their composition differs.
Composition of potassium humate
Under the influence of this drug, the soil is saturated with useful elements that can improve the biological, chemical and physical parameters of the soil. Thanks to this, crop yields increase, their growth is stimulated and their quality improves.
This product belongs to organomineral fertilizers made from peat. In addition to the high content of potassium salts of humic acids, the composition of potassium humate is saturated with low molecular weight fulvic acids and amino acids. Also, the presence of active trace elements such as cobalt, copper, boron, molybdenum, zinc and manganese provides the drug with high value.
Potassium humate is characterized by neutral acidity and a wider sphere of action compared to sodium humate.
Composition of sodium humate
It is a powerful plant growth stimulator. Under its influence, the number of shoots increases, immune resistance to diseases and negative climatic factors (drought, high humidity, cold snaps) increases. The drug exhibits high adaptogenic and immunostimulating qualities.
Sodium humate is made from peat, less often from brown coal. The high pH content of humate makes it highly effective on alkaline soils. The drug prevents premature falling of leaves and ovaries. In plant growing, it is widely used in both liquid and dry form. The stimulant does not exhibit toxicity, it is not mutagenic and does not have cumulative properties.
The composition of sodium humate includes sodium salts of humic acids (70% of them in the substance). Microelements include molybdenum, copper, cobalt, manganese and zinc. Heavy metals include lead and cadmium. The dry composition contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Instructions for use
Before use, when diluting a ready-made or powdered concentrate, make sure that the working solution is the color of walnut wood (like the surface of a wooden work table). If you make the concentration stronger, there is a risk of burning the plants. A lower concentration will not give the expected effect. But in any case, it is better to make a solution of lower concentration so as not to harm the plant.
Root feeding of vegetables
Tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, cucumbers in a greenhouse and open ground are watered at the root with a working solution (0.1-0.5 liters per bucket of water). 1-2 liters are used for each plant. Feeding is carried out 3-4 times per season every 2 weeks.
Foliar feeding
Treatment of greenhouse plantings is carried out by spraying the leaves. Dilute 150-200 ml of concentrate in a bucket of water. Consumption – 10-20 liters per 100 sq. m. Treatment is carried out 2 months from the beginning of the growing season in order to nourish the root system in order to continue fruiting. Before processing, it is necessary to remove fruit-bearing shoots from cucumbers. This reduces the load on the root system.
Pre-sowing seed treatment
Vegetable seeds, onions, garlic are soaked in a 0.01% warm solution of potassium or sodium humate for a day (1 g per 100 ml of water).
Flower crops in open ground
80-120 g of powder are diluted in a bucket of water. After complete dissolution, water the flowers at the rate of 3-4 liters per 1 square meter. m. Feeding is carried out every 2-3 weeks.
Houseplants
To prepare the solution, 10 g of powder is diluted in 1 liter of water, watered once every 2 weeks in the summer, and once a month in the winter. Make sure that the powder or granules are completely dissolved.
Fruit trees
To improve the soil around old trees, make a ditch at a distance of 1-1.5 m from the trunk, about the depth of a spade bayonet, and pour in a solution of humate prepared from concentrate (0.5-1 liter per bucket of water). Or pour powder and then seal the groove.
Strawberry
Before transplanting strawberries, the prepared rosettes are soaked in the working solution for several hours. In this case, the strawberry roots should be completely immersed in the solution.
Kinds
Potassium humate is a natural and environmental fertilizer that is derived from minerals saturated with peat. Gardeners and gardeners most often use liquid potassium humate. It is convenient to dilute and use, according to reviews.
Liquid
A dark brown liquid concentrate is removed from peat, from which the necessary trace elements and nutrients are extracted. The product is diluted in cool water according to the instructions depending on the purpose of use:
- To improve the quality of the soil, take 0.1-0.2% of the total volume of liquid fertilizer.
- To feed plants and soak seeds, take 0.01% of the total volume of the product.
Important! Humate helps remove nitrates and pesticides from plants and fruits.
The product in liquid form can be used in conjunction with nitrogen and organic fertilizers.
Dry (powder)
In dry form, the product is used to increase immunity, accelerate their growth and faster ripening of fruits.
The powder is diluted in water according to the instructions indicated on the package. The product effectively acts on the development of the root system of plants, and also regulates the amount of chlorophyll and vitamins. When dry potassium humate is added to the soil, the microflora in it develops much faster, accelerating the formation of good humus. Thanks to this, the yield increases by up to 50%, and the fruit ripening period is reduced. At the same time, the soil does not lose its quality characteristics, heavy metals are removed from it and it becomes fertile.
Interesting! 1 kg of dry potassium humate replaces 1 ton of humus.
"Prompter"
This type of fertilizer with microelements is extracted from bottom sediments of fresh water bodies (humic sapropels).
Potassium humate "Prompter" is universal in use. It is applied from March to September 2 times a month, the rest of the time - 1 time every 1.5 months. It is recommended to prepare the solution before use and not store it for future use.
Soil improvement
To increase the nutritional properties of the soil and detoxify after using pesticides, humates can be added in powder form under digging. Depending on the condition of the soil, fertilizing is done 2-3 times. It is enough to add 100 g of powder per hundred square meters of land. It is allowed to water the beds with a working solution in the open ground and in the greenhouse. This can be done in the summer, when vegetables bear fruit and flowers bloom, and also in the fall, after harvesting.
You can add humate as an additive to organic fertilizers, such as manure, compost, humus (10 g per 10 kg of organic matter).
What is it used for?
The product is used on the site for various purposes:
- to improve soil structure, increase fertility;
- for growing crops.
When the mixture is added, dense soil becomes loose and allows air and moisture to pass through better. On loose soils, the effect is the opposite: the product increases viscosity, which is why moisture is retained well in the soil.
The addition of humate improves the microflora, as pathogens are suppressed, favorable conditions are created for the life of beneficial microorganisms, and biochemical processes are accelerated. It is interesting that when the composition is applied to the ridges, the color of the earth slightly changes: it becomes darker and is better warmed by the sun's rays.
The substance is an excellent sorbent, neutralizing the harmful effects of heavy metals and radionuclides. Due to the chemical activity of humate, they are converted into insoluble, and therefore non-hazardous, compounds.
Humate also has a beneficial effect on cultivated crops:
- increases the efficiency of fertilizing;
- strengthens plant immunity;
- promotes faster and better delivery of nutrients to the root system and leaves;
- stimulates the synthesis of plant hormones;
- suppresses the accumulation of nitrates;
- gives a good increase in yield (yield indicators with proper use of the drug increase to 45-50%).
The product is safe and non-toxic (hazard class IV), does not contain synthetic components, and combines well with most mineral fertilizers. It is used both on open ground ridges and in greenhouses.
Storage and precautions
Potassium humate (the composition of the fertilizer is considered safe) requires compliance with protective measures when working.
In particular:
- when preparing working solutions, use rubber gloves and safety glasses;
- after completing work, wash your hands and face thoroughly with soap;
- If the product gets into your eyes, rinse them with plenty of water;
- if the medicine was accidentally swallowed, drink several glasses of water and induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue. If undesirable symptoms appear, consult a doctor, presenting the label with a description of the drug;
- do not store the product packaging in close proximity to food, animal feed or medicine;
- do not use empty containers for storing food;
- Before using the product, carefully read the instructions and strictly comply with all requirements regarding working with it.
In the original packaging, the liquid product can be stored for 3 years, maintaining its properties. The precipitate formed during storage does not indicate their loss and completely dissolves when shaken. Storage conditions: in a dark room at a temperature of 5 to 10 ° C and normal humidity.
Powdered potassium humate (provided the packaging is kept sealed) can be stored indefinitely at temperatures from -50 to +50o C. The prepared solutions are subject to immediate sale.
