Having a soil that is high in organic matter has a wide range of benefits for a turfgrass manager. Soil organic matter provides nutrient holding capacity, water holding capacity and provides stable aggregates to the soil. Some of the most fertile soils in the world are located in the Amazon region. In this region these fertile soils known as ‘Terra Preta’ were created by Amazonian inhabits via the addition of a variety of organic soil amendments including biochar. * Biochar is the result of burning wood byproducts (feedstock) at high temperatures with little to no oxygen present. The resulting byproducts (biochar) are high in carbon and provide excellent physical structures for microbial development. * By comparison, humates are formed by the process of humification of plant and animal remains, which occurs over a long period of time. * Due to the higher levels of oxygen present (aerobic), in conjunction with longer development time, the end result is humate (Humin, Fulvic and Humic acid). * Humates provide similar soil physical improvements to biochar in the form of increased water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity and soil fertility. * Humates are also very reactive in the soil and are important for nutrient chelation by helping turfgrass roots access nutrients in a form available for uptake. What Sets Humic DG CharX Apart? One of the traditional limitations of applying both Humate and Biochar stem from their physical characteristics. Screened humate and large particle biochar have a very difficult time making their way through the turf canopy down to the soil floor. The greatest benefit from these amendments is in their ability to improve both soil physical and chemical characteristics. Therefore, there is little to no benefit of having these amendments residing up in the turf canopy. The Andersons patented dispersible granule technology allows for particles of Humic DG CharX to break down into millions of smaller particles upon watering. Therefore, these smaller particles can easily make their way down through the turfgrass canopy, to the soil where they can provide agronomic benefit.
