# Does anyone use humic acid to amend their soil?



## tmac196 (Aug 26, 2014)

I have been made aware of potential benefits of humic acid as a soil amendment by a local forage grower. I just did a Google search and review and really haven't found much of specific value to improve my understanding of this product. There are lots of general comments and lots of advertisements selling the product. I am curious if anyone on this forum uses it, if so how and what benefits there may be. I farm 14 acres of mix hay on poor quality yellow sand in SE Michigan and am looking for ways to improve both my soil quality and my stand health and yield. Yes, I have soil tested and made the typical N-P-K amendments and added lime to adjust the pH, but I am looking into other possibilities as well.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

tmac196 said:


> I I farm 14 acres of mix hay on poor quality yellow sand in SE Michigan and am looking for ways to improve both my soil quality and my stand health and yield.


If you have access to beef manure and can have it spread annually for 3-4 years I think this will give you more benefits.....you need something to help hold your amendments and not let them run thru the sand so quickly.

Regards Mike


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## JayTN (Jul 12, 2015)

You could also add the type of compost that comes from the dairy farm loafing sheds. Not sure if you are familiar with it, but it's where they add wood shavings to the loafing shed and turn it with a chisel plow every day. The shavings are added on a regular basis and the barns build up several feet of compost. Around here they clean the barns a couple times a year. Its not real high in nutrients, I think like around 4-4-4 per ton. But it is great for building poor soil if you can get enough. I use it for the garden and my asparagus and does real good for those. I put about 6 inches on my asparagus bed this spring and almost watched a change overnight in the growth rate and plant color.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

A Lady Cattle Man 20 or so miles from here has a cement pad where she piles clippings and runs water over it. The result is an organic Compost Tea which she claims is a miracle additive that replaces all fertilizers.

She does have measurable results, but if it is a cause and effect or just a coincidence is up in the air.

I will admit she does not over graze, uses good rotation, and has mostly native vegetation. Possibly there is a cause and effect.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Do you have access to broiler litter? There is a great volume of research on the benefits of this material for building soil. Here, it can be purchased and applied for about $40 per ton, and the benefits are much greater than for humic acid.


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

Dittos. Litter will add billions of microbes that will help release nutrients in the soil as well as add some OM and traces as well as a dab of calcium. It's almost the perfect fertilizer.


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## JayTN (Jul 12, 2015)

Broiler litter is great, just make sure to get an analysis on it. I made the mistake of putting 76 tons on 20 acres once without getting an analysis and it just made nice green strips about 3 feet wide right directly behind the spreader. If I remember correctly, it consisted mostly of rice hulls. It was a very costly mistake on my part.


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## robert23239 (May 10, 2009)

Was low on hay one spring and weather was dry. Picked up some wheat straw and didnt use feeder just spread it in pasture. Cows ate it but left a lot . Than the rains came .monthe later that is the best part of pasture . Where ever that straw was the pasture is beautiful ..!!!


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