Humic acid acts like a magnet for minerals, making it a favourite among farmers throughout the Canadian Prairies. But with its popularity naturally come misconceptions. Fortunately, we at Norstar Agriculture are well-versed in the ins and outs of this powerful soil amendment. We’re your local expert agronomists, here to help turn your soil crop-ready! Together, let’s debunk some of the most common myths about humic acid.
Myth #1: Liquid Humic Acid Is Just a Fertilizer
Contrary to popular misconception, liquid humic acid actually isn’t a fertilizer at all. It’s a soil conditioner used to increase organic biomass and nutrient availability. Liquid humic acid is not a replacement for traditional NPK fertilizer, but is instead a highly valuable complement.
Unlike fertilizers, which add in essential macronutrients to soil, humic acid works to increase nutrient bioavailability. It does this by chelating essential nutrients, like iron and calcium, to form stable compounds. This process helps convert otherwise insoluble nutrients to plant-available forms.
Myth #2: All Humic Acids Are the Same
There are three different types of naturally occurring humic substances: humic acid, fulvic acid, and humins. These substances all have various benefits. As a result, humic acid inputs will have different ratios of these substances.
But the truth is that these substances aren’t completely equal. For example, humins don’t offer the immediate microbial benefits that fulvic and humic acid bring. However, they are extremely small yet completely indissoluble, making them difficult and expensive to remove during processing. As a result, many liquid humic acid inputs contain humins, which can plug up sprinklers and irrigation systems. Fortunately, there are some liquid humic acids, like NOR-Hum, which contain zero humin particles.
Myth #3: You Can’t Overapply Liquid Humic Acid
The standard application rate of liquid humic acid is generally around 2 to 4 litres per acre. Adding in any additional humic acid is unlikely to hurt your soil, but won’t be any more effective.
Humic acid binds to soil particles and organic matter. But when there’s more humic acid than bindable particles, the excess simply remains inactive. There’s no added benefit to adding an excess of humic acid to your soil other than wasting both time and money applying it.
Myth #4: It’s Only Useful in Nutrient-Poor Soils
Humic acid is known to make nutrients more available, especially in soils with already present nutrients that have been ‘locked away.’ That said, it’s also highly beneficial for soil during periods of high stress, including drought and heat waves.
Drought is no stranger to the Canadian prairies. Over the last few years, long periods without rainfall have become more frequent—most notably in 2023. Though these natural disasters can be catastrophic to soil health, soil inputs like liquid humic acid can provide some respite. When humic acid binds to large soil particles, it also creates pore-like holes. These pores retain water, improving the ability for soil to remain resilient during periods of low water supply.
Myth #5: Liquid and Granular Humic Acids Perform the Same
Granular and liquid humic acid act very differently in soil. Liquid humic acid is the fastest-acting of both options, being already dissolved and allowing for quick nutrient availability. Granular humic acid, on the other hand, needs to be exposed to moisture to work—making it most beneficial as a long-term solution. Some farmers see success in using both forms.
Dig Into Better Soil Solutions with Norstar Agriculture
At Norstar Agriculture, we believe that there’s no such thing as truly unfixable, unproductive soil. That’s why we travel throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—helping farmers improve and restore their soil with science-backed solutions. Contact us today to book your soil remediation consultation and build healthier fields before the next growing season.
