Are you ready for the 2016 growing season? More importantly, is your soil ready?

We spend a lot of time thinking about our nutrient inputs for the growing season, but often fail to consider the health of our soil. Many of our soil management practices decrease soil carbon, as compared to what it was when the ground was a native prairie or forest.

If you think of soil being the engine of your agricultural system, carbon is the fuel that keeps the engine running smoothly.

Carbon is the keystone of all soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes. Decreased carbon levels mean your soil ‘engine’ isn’t ‘firing on all cylinders’ and cannot support healthy plants.

A healthy soil provides numerous benefits to plants, including:

• physical support
• water
• nutrients for growth
• temperature moderation
• air supply/flow
• protection from toxins

A healthy soil will also provide a suitable environment for a robust network of soil microbes. Soil microbes make nutrients available to plants, promote soil structure, produce plant growth hormones and protect the plant against toxins.

There are more microbes in a teaspoon of healthy soil than there are people on the Earth. If you feed those microbes with organic carbon, they will go to work for you and help you have healthy soils and, in turn, healthy plants.

Humic acids help promote soil and plant health in many ways, including:

• providing an oxidized carbon source to stimulate soil microbes
• enhancing nutrient efficiency
• chelating soil micronutrients
• increasing cation exchangeable material
• increasing root mass and functionality
• increasing soil water holding capacity

The Andersons range of humic products contain a highly available, soil-active carbon source that is delivered using the latest humic acid granule technology. We offer a complete line of technologically-advanced, easy-to-handle products superior to others on the market today. Our humic offering includes products that can be used in granular or liquid application throughout the growing season.

Do your soils have the carbon they need to thrive this season?

Healthy plants grow in healthy soils! As world renowned soil scientist, Dr. Will Brinton, says, “it’s not just about N-P-K, it’s about C-N-P-K.” To learn more about the role of carbon in the soils from Dr. Brinton, check out his video, below:

For More Information

To learn what The Andersons Humic Products can do for your soil and plant health, visit our Products page.

Contact us with any questions, or to request samples of our products.

Amy Schroeder is the Research Agronomist for The Andersons, Inc. Plant Nutrient Group, with a focus on high-tech, high-value solutions for the professional turf, horticulture and agriculture markets.

Questions for Amy? Click here.