Humic acid and sea kelp are 2 natural resources used to improve the health and appearance of your lawn. It’s a type of organic matter found in soil and water and it contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Kelp is a type of seaweed rich in nutrients including vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Combining both makes the perfect soil strengthening mix.
Benefits of Humic Acid and Sea Kelp For Lawns
Improved soil health: improves the structure of the soil, making it easier for water and air to get into the soil which leads to healthier plants.
Increased nutrient uptake: humic acid and kelp helps plants absorb nutrients more efficiently by chelating nutrients making them more available to plants. As a result, any fertilizer that you put down will be more easily absorbed resulting in less of it getting wasted due to runoff or evaporation.
Improved Color: humic acid and kelp increase chlorophyll production in grass plants. Chlorophyll is the green pigment that gives plants their color.
How to Apply
Humic acid and kelp are applied in granular or liquid form. An example of a granular version is found in some fertilizers such as this fertilizer by the Andresons. However, a more affordable option is to apply it in liquid form using a back pack sprayer, pump sprayer or a hose-end sprayer. I use the Ortho Hose-End Sprayer to apply it. The only down side to applying the liquid version is if you also want to fertilize the grass at the same time, in which case, you’ll need to make 2 separate applications, one for the mix and another for the fertilizer.
When To Apply
The best time to apply humic acid and kelp to the lawn is in the Spring or Fall. This is when the grass is actively growing. However, it can also be applied monthly or every 2 months. Remember to water the lawn after applying this mix so it makes its way into the soil before it gets evaporated, or apply it before rain is expected.
How to Make Your Own Humic Acid and Kelp Liquid Mix
Use the 3 ingredients below to make your own soil fortifying mix:
- Water
- Humic Acid
- Sea Kelp
The recipe: using an empty gallon container, combine 2 ounces of sea kelp and 4 ounces of humic acid. Fill the rest of the gallon container with water. Credit for this recipe is given to the folks at the Around The Yard Lawn Forum. The recipe can be found in its original form here. This mix as well as the humic acid and kelp ingredients should last several seasons.
Humic acid and Kelp can be applied at a minimum rate of 2 ounces per 1000 square feet. With the Ortho Hose-End sprayer that I use, I pour 4 ounces of this mix into the sprayer container and fill the rest with water. When spraying more than 1,000 square feet, take that number and multiply it by 4 (or which ever quantity of mix you decide to apply). For example, if I’m spraying 3,200 square feet, 3.2 x 4 = 12.8 ounces (round it up to 13 ounces) of mix poured into the sprayer.
When applying it, I set the hose-end sprayer dial to 4 ounces. This setting gives me enough time to evenly spray the mix. Whether you apply it at 2 or 4 ounces, you can’t burn the lawn since it’s organic. Remember to water it in.
