How can I apply fulvic and humic acids in solid form?

[Phoenikakias]

I found at a great price a 5 kg container with solid form of humic (80%) and fulvic (12%) acids in solid form. The stuff is supposed to be 100% water soluble (with some extra effort it is eventually).   My question is whether I can simply spread the powdery stuff around each plant and then water with the hose meticulously or I have to dilute it first in a bucket of water. Former method would be considerably easier than latter, when it comes to dozens of plants. Thanks in advance for your reply.

[sonoranfans]

Konstantios, I would dissolve in water first because you have a mediterranean climate.  IF you apply a liquid slowly to relatively dry ground it will spread more concentrated to a better depth.  I would start with a "humic tea" with about a heaping tablespoon  per 5 gallon and see how dark it gets.   If not dark enough add 2 tablespoons.  By putting it in water first the water penetration of the soil will bring humic to many roots and greater depth.   I overdo humic in my sandy soil rather than underdo it, since it keeps nematodes in check and adds some (temporary) cation exchange.  A 3-5 gallon size palm in the ground wont need much, perhaps a couple cups per application about an hour before you water your palm.   By putting the humic down first and letting it settle in you get a better coverage when you irrigate after.  The watering after will push the humic even deeper but dilutes it, so I concentrate it more than needed in the initial appliction.   I think you will be happy to see the effects in a few months.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I have never used this product and I cannot read the Greek label to get an idea of application methods and rates.  But, it would seem to me to apply it dry to the soil or dissolved in water after your irrigation.  This way the affects might be prolonged in sandy soil and not washed deeper than the root zone.

 

[Phoenikakias]

3 hours ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

I have never used this product and I cannot read the Greek label to get an idea of application methods and rates.  But, it would seem to me to apply it dry to the soil or dissolved in water after your irrigation.  This way the affects might be prolonged in sandy soil and not washed deeper than the root zone.

 

Regular dosage is 100 - 150 gr per 1000 sq m through soil drenching. However on troublesome soil types because of absence of organics spreading around or incorporation in to the soil in initial solid form at 20 - 30 gr per sq m! I use to dilute around 15 to 16 gr in 10 lt water and drench a soil surface of around 1 sq m.

[sonoranfans]

I apply humic acid every 3-4 weeks when its not the rainy season.  I have some big palms that have deep roots up to 4'.  The humic also works well to dissolve hardness on sand that tends to repel water, important for my soil as it can channel moisture in places.   As a chemist I fundamentally bought the argument that the chemistry of the never dried out liquid will be less oxidized than a processed powder.  The smell is much more pungent in the liquid, which kind of backs that up.  But I have used the humic solids on potted plants when I was living in calfornia away from my garden.  It seemed to do very well with flowering plants I had on my balcony.  The application rates are almost impossible to do with a powder.  

[Frond-friend42]

On 8/16/2021 at 12:31 PM, sonoranfans said:

I apply humic acid every 3-4 weeks when its not the rainy season.  I have some big palms that have deep roots up to 4'.  The humic also works well to dissolve hardness on sand that tends to repel water, important for my soil as it can channel moisture in places.   As a chemist I fundamentally bought the argument that the chemistry of the never dried out liquid will be less oxidized than a processed powder.  The smell is much more pungent in the liquid, which kind of backs that up.  But I have used the humic solids on potted plants when I was living in calfornia away from my garden.  It seemed to do very well with flowering plants I had on my balcony.  The application rates are almost impossible to do with a powder.  

So this is a water-attractor for soil? Like a wetting agent?

[sonoranfans]

3 hours ago, Frond-friend42 said:

So this is a water-attractor for soil? Like a wetting agent?

it chelates hardness that repels water, it not a water attractant.  IF you have sandy soil and irrigate it, it may get that water repellent hardnes accumulation.  A wetting agnt would be SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate(also called sodium laurel sulfate).  IF you want tp unlock clay soils, I'd try SDS.  But using humic adic is better than mulch in the nutrients which are the final decomposition product of mulch.  IF you have great organic soil content, you don't need humic acid.