Erosion Control

Soil conditionersimprove the physical and biological properties of soil and therefore are valuable tools in erosion control. Soil conditioners can amend the soil structure and nutrient content to enhance new plant development and growth. Typically in erosion control, the soil has been damaged in some way as not to provide the optimum environment for new plant growth. Therefore, using soil conditioners has become a standard part of any erosion control programme in many countries and will continue to increase in the future. As valuable soil conditioners and biostimulants, humic acids are growth enhancers and stimulate metabolism of plants, increase chlorophyll efficiency and production, increase antioxidents , improve nutrient availability and increase water-holding capacity of the soil. They enhance the root system and plant development. Furthermore, they increase the ability of soil colloids to combine by increasing the cohesive forces of these very fine soil particles and they provide for lasting fruitful clay-humus complexes.  As a result, they offer an effective means to control soil erosion. (fig.1,2)

Light Sandy Soils

They do not only have the ability to bind nutrients and heavy metals and aluminium, but they also increase the cation exchange capacity of the soil, thereby increasing the sites in which nutrients can be bound and providing a home for microorganisms to proliferate.

Humic acids promote good soil tilth, increases organic matter(humus), microbial activity and microbial count in the soil. They provide a high level of available carbon that acts as a food source for both indigenous and augmented microorganisms, trace minerals in a  colloidal suspension that are readily available for plant uptake and development, and organic acids that enhance nutrient uptake and aid in early root-zone development. They increase the nutrient-holding capacity of the soil, improve water infiltration and allow easier root penetration.

Humic acids can also be applied in revegetation projects and in what known as hydro-seeding , which has proved itself to be one of the most effective methods to control erosion and to recultivate fields lacking native soil. These types of soils are particularly confronted with erosion.

Compacted Clay Soils

Humic acids are ideal for the recultivation of steep slopes, highway banks and roadsides, for slope stabilizing and embankment, greening of mining fields, refuse dumps, construction sites and landfills, maintenance of parks, sports grounds and golf courses, etc.

Densely vegetating a sloped area is accepted as an extremely effective means of controlling erosion. Therefore, using humic acids in the vegetation is strongly reccomended also for wine terraces. This does not only reduce erosion, but also reduces nutrient leaching and provides for equal availability of nutrients to the grape tendrils, thereby reducing stem Stagnation.

Humic acids can also be mixed with wood mulch , fertilizers , seeds, etc. and sprayed together in hydroseeder with water to the area to be recultivated. They can be applied even to the steepest of slopes. The area is stabilized immediately and the danger of erosion is reduced.

The erosion control practice with humic acids described above also serves as an effective means to control the movement of sediment in the soil. The movement of soil particles, pollutants and nutrients bound to the particles have been found to cause significant environmental impact on surface waters.

In controlling erosion, Humintech products can be applied in a number of ways. They can be incorporated into the soil before planting, mixed in the hydroseeding slurry, spread by broadcast or by hand and used with an imprinter or strawblower. In areas where incorporation into the soil is not desired or possible due to steep slopes or inaccesibility, they can be applied with most spreaders and broadcast devices. 

Humintech products can be applied economically and cost-effectively for all types of soils and plants. They are totally natural, safe, easy to handle and effective.