If you understand plant nutrition, you have probably heard of the various nutrients your plant may need to thrive. Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid have gained notoriety in the world of gardening during the past few years. Both indoor and outdoor plants sometimes need a gentle nudge in the right direction, growth-wise, which is what makes these two products ideal for an extra boost of nutrition in the soil. Learning how to keep the soil healthy and fertile may get a little complicated, especially when using a neutral growth medium such as coco. Let us take a closer look at the uses of Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid and what sets them apart:

Humic Acid vs Fulvic Acid

Humic Acid and Fulvic acid are two of the four main sub-components of Humus - well-aged plant compost. The four sub-contents are: 1. Fulvic acid and humo-lignin acid 2. Humic acid 3. Humin 4. Humus coal. Many people have trouble differentiating between the two, even though they both have several key differences that set them apart.

What is Humic Acid?

Humic acid makes up a vital part of Humus. To have healthy soil, you need to have the right percentage of all four components of Humus. Humic acid, a compound that is only water-soluble in alkaline conditions, is important for your plant because it holds ionized nutrients necessary for your plant. Without Humic acid, your nutrients would flow away before the plant can absorb them. The reason why Humic acid is great at what it does is that it has a negative charge. This negative charge holds the positively charged cations and enables the roots (negative charge) to efficiently take them up, improving the absorption levels. In short, Humic acid does not necessarily fertilize your plants but may help your plant get the nutrients from a fertilizer more efficiently. Now that we know what Humic acid is, let us discuss what its used for: Uses for Humic acid

Humic acid is extremely beneficial for both indoor and outdoor plants in both powder and liquid forms. The greatest benefit being the prevention of nutrient deficiencies. Some of the other uses of Humicacid include: 1. Nitrogen anchoring: Your plant can not survive without Nitrogen as it is a vital component of Chlorophyll: a compound used by plants to convert sunlight into energy. Without Humic acid, Nitrogen, and many other nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and zinc seep from the soil. 2. Prevents Iron oxidation: Iron is vital for moving oxygen throughout the plant and producing Chlorophyll. By preventing iron oxidation, Humic acid enables your plant to get enough iron from the soil. 3. Used as a soil conditioner: Humic acid bonds to the "micronutrients" in the soil that ensure absorption.

What is Fulvic acid?

Unlike Humic acid, Fulvic acid is soluble in water no matter what the PH. It is yellowish-brown and has a lower molecular weight than Humic acid. Fulvic acid has the reputation of being more refined than Humic acid as its smaller particles are more easily absorbed by the plant. The smaller particles enable Fulvic acid to penetrate the cell walls better and bring all the necessary nutrients along with it. Uses for Fulvic Acid Fulvic acid has many uses • Foliar spray: Fulvic acid may be used as a foliar spray or even mixed into your normal irrigation system. • Stimulating Plant growth: Fulvic acid contains enzymes such as cytokinins and auxin that help your plant grow faster. If both these compounds stimulate plant growth, do you need both of them?

Humic acid vs Fulvic acid: Which one should you be using?

A Hydroponic system specifically requires the use of both Humic and Fulvic acid. That is because they require the use of insert media like coco or hydroton, which lack these compounds. Many soil-grown plants also require these acids. These soils often contain very little amount of these acids, which is why you may need to use them. However, this begs the question: Do you need them both?

Humic Acid and Fulvic acid: Stronger Together

Your plant needs Humic acid for healthy soil, whereas the fulvic acid will ensure that the nutrients are absorbed effectively. Therefore, to get the best results, you should use them both together. Following are the reasons why we would recommend using both acids • Cost-effectiveness: These acids are great if you are on a budget. As these acids boost the uptake of nutrients in the soil, you may not need to spend as much money on fertilizer. • Improve drainage and water retention: Some soils such as those that are on the sandy side are unable to retain water. Adding Humic and Fulvic acid can improve water retention in these soils. • Healthy microbial activity: Humic and Fulvic acid encourage microbial activity and reduce uptake of toxins by the plant.

The best humic and fulvic acid supplements

The best humic and fulvic acid supplement for you depends on how you grow your plants.

For Home growers and hobbyists

Several humic and fulvic acid supplements will work for you if you grow plants at home or as a hobby. We have a wide selection of Humic-Fulvic blends here • Grow More Amber Humic-Fulvic • Cutting Edge Solutions Solar Gaia • Humboldt Nutrients FlavorFul

For Commercial Growers

For commercial growers, it is recommended to stick with OMRI listed supplements. We recommend them because OMRI listed products are approved Organic Material Review Insitute's review procedures, ensuring the highest quality. These products include:

GroIndoor has got you covered for all your Acid needs and more!

Now that you understand the difference between Humic and Fulvic acid as well as their uses, you can finally get planting. Visit GroIndoor.com to shop everything you will ever need for your plants. From growth tents to Fertilizers: We have got it all!