10 L pail, about 9 kg
A$29.95 plus A$24.95 postage, anywhere in Australia.
Work it in once, before the turf goes down.
The Black Stuff is a humate soil conditioner from the Atherton Tablelands for the soil under new turf, renovated fields, garden beds and seedling mix. The supplier's line: it holds water and holds your fertiliser in the root zone.
Request a quote- Mined and screened
- Nothing added
- Lynch's Crater, Atherton Tablelands
- 0.3 to 0.5 L per m²under turf
- 15%by volume in seedling mix
- Nothing addednothing extracted
Supplier's starting rates. Adjust with local advice and a soil test.
In plain words
What it is
Peat humate, mined and screened at Glen Allyn. Not leonardite, not coal-derived. A soil conditioner, not a fertiliser. Supplier's typical analysis: humic acid 11.3% average (IHSS), pH about 4.5, conductivity 0.11 to 0.23 dS/m. Varies by batch.
How to use
How it is used on the job
- New lawns and turf farms: 3 to 5 m³ a hectare, which is 0.3 to 0.5 L a square metre. Spread on the prepared ground, work it in, lay or sow, water in.
- Renovation: work it into the soil at renovation. Cover it. It does not go onto standing grass or any plant.
- Garden beds: 0.3 L a square metre, between rows or around the root zone, worked in and covered. A 10 L pail does about 33 m².
- Planting holes: 0.5 to 1 L a hole, worked into the backfill, not against the roots or stem.
- Pots: 0.5 to 1 L around the edge of the pot, worked in.
- Seedling mix: 15% by volume, blended with composted material and sand.
Always: spread, cover, water in, record. Leave yourself a strip to compare.
Quick sums, at the supplier's rates
- 300 m² lawn at 0.3 L a square metre: about 90 L.
- One 1 m³ bag: about 3,300 m² at 0.3 L, 2,000 m² at 0.5 L.
- 100 m³ of seedling mix at 15%: 15 m³.
After the job
The Black Stuff goes in once, under the surface. For the standing lawn afterwards there is Fulvic Gold, the liquid extracted with water from the same peat: 1 L per 450 m², monthly, on its label. Two products, two jobs. Results from one are not results for the other.
From the paddock
Grower accounts
Six Queensland growers have put their accounts on record, 2018 to 2026. They are published in full on the supplier's site.
grower account slot
grower account slot
grower account slot
What it costs
Packs and prices
1 m³ bulk bag
A$900 + GST, ex factory. No minimum.
More than 3 bags, and loose bulk from 20 m³
ask for a quote.
confirm with Peter: bulk sizes and price
100 m³ and over is by negotiation. Prices are ex factory at Glen Allyn QLD; freight is quoted separately.
On the record
Published specification
From 21 laboratory reports, 2004–2025, IHSS method.
| Humic acid | 11.3% (Section A average) to 32.3% (premium horizon) |
|---|---|
| Fulvic acid | 0.27–4.8% |
| Humin | about 62.9% |
| Total organic carbon | 27.0–37.8% |
| Organic matter | 46.0–64.2% |
| pH | 4.46–4.47 |
| Conductivity | 0.11–0.23 dS/m |
| N, P, K | very little |
Heavy metals, mg/kg
| Arsenic (As) | <0.5 |
|---|---|
| Cadmium (Cd) | 0.10 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 12 |
| Copper (Cu) | 4.8 |
| Mercury (Hg) | 0.08 |
| Nickel (Ni) | 1.3 |
| Lead (Pb) | <0.5 |
| Zinc (Zn) | 12 |
Substantially below the EU 2019/1009 limits.
The Black Stuff is not a registered agricultural chemical. No claim is made that it controls, prevents or treats any plant disease.
Questions
Before you ask for a quote
Can I top-dress an existing lawn with it?
Not onto the grass. The supplier's direction is to work it into the soil at renovation or before sowing, cover it and water it in.
Is it a fertiliser?
No. Keep your feed program.
Will it loosen clay or builder's fill?
That claim is not made. It is a humate soil conditioner; the supplier says it holds water and fertiliser in the root zone.
Can I mix it in a tank?
No, it is a solid. If you also use liquids on the same job, Fulvic Gold included, jar test first before mixing any two.
How do I store it?
Covered. It handles heat, cold and a soaking. If it dries out it sheds water at first; bring it back with repeated light waterings.
Dust?
None while it is moist. Dry, it makes a fine dust: P2 mask, sealed goggles, gloves, long sleeves. Safety Data Sheet linked below.
Is it certified organic?
No.
Do you have a reseller price?
Ask. More than three bags is quoted. confirm with Peter: reseller terms
Delivery?
Ex factory at Glen Allyn QLD, freight quoted per order, forklift or loader with forks needed at your end. Pails post anywhere in Australia, not to PO boxes.
Quote