The Benefits of Humic Acid for Grass
What is humic acid, and how does it benefit the turf of your lawn? Humic acid utilization in turfgrass was initiated in the 1960’s and has increased in home lawns, sports fields, and golf courses. Many turfgrass managers include humic acids as a regular part of maintenance within their turfgrass programs. Many claims have been made about humic acids, and there have been a lot of positive results from using products that contain humic acids.
Humic acids improve nutrient uptake and fertilizer efficiency, enhancing nutrient absorption through the turfgrass roots. In return, turfgrass response can be witnessed without applying excessive amounts of nitrogen to generate a satisfying reaction.
Water Retention and Drought Tolerance
Sandy soils are prone to leaching and rapid percolation rates, which can add stress to the turfgrass by being water deficient. In sandy soils that percolate well, nutrients are quickly leached, making them unavailable to the roots within the root zone. Adding humic acids to sandy soils has shown improvement by retaining water and retaining nutrients. Water distribution throughout the root zone is also an added benefit through applying humic acids. Water held within the leaf tissue and roots through humic acid presence may help turfgrass survive longer during drought stresses. University studies estimate that state irrigation may be reduced by 20% when using humic acids on golf course fairways.
Benefits of Organic Top Dressing in Turfgrass
What is organic topdressing? Organic topdressing involves using a screened topsoil or compost, free of foreign debris, distributed evenly over the surface of the lawn. This practice can improve soil structure and enhance drainage, creating a conducive environment for root development. Organic topdressing also introduces essential nutrients and beneficial microorganisms, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Microbial activity is increased when organic topdressing is applied, thus reducing the thatch layer. Moisture retention is improved through organic topdressing materials, which can aid in times of drought stress.
Beneficial Bacteria and Fungi for Soil
Organic topdressing material contains beneficial bacteria and fungi that are great for the lawn. One such fungus is mycorrhizal fungi, which is most helpful to all plant life on Earth. Beneficial bacteria are introduced through increased organic topdressing, nutrient cycling, and speedup thatch decomposition. Organic compost topdressing can aid in moisture retention within hydrophobic soils.
Humic Acid With Organic Topdressing
When utilized together, humic acid and organic topdressing produce positive results. First, compost-based topdressing with humic acid can improve water infiltration and prevent localized dry spots. Applying humic acid after organic topdressing may speed up the breakdown of organic matter, releasing nutrients for turf growth. Organic topdressing prevents nutrient leaching, keeping fertilizers in the root zone for plant use. Organic matter increases in the soil over time, and soil fertility becomes evident. Lawns treated with this combination have displayed long-term color increases, density, and usability.
Combining organic topdressing and humic acid applications may optimize soil structure and nutrient retention. This combination can increase water efficiency, reducing irrigation operations by 20%. Introducing bacteria and microbes increases microbial activity, utilizing dead organic material (thatch) as food and energy while reducing its thickness. Long-term use of combining organic topdressing and humic acid reduces dependence on synthetic fertilization.
