Humus is the organic matter of soil remaining after prolonged microbial decomposition - or the high quality organic matter that makes up soil and is necessary for germination and healthy plant and turf growth.  Quantum-VSC, Quantum-1 and Quantum-HSC contain organic humates.

What do humates do for plants and turf and how do they work?
•Humates help buffer soil pH.  Humates are the major buffering system for ponds and lakes, and do the same thing in soil.  This allows users to cut down on lime and other transient pH controls, and is a more long-term solution to pH stability.
•Humates help to retain water, which is vital to plant growth during hot, dry periods and during transplant. 
•Due to their complex nature and structure (see the structure below), humates are known to interact with over 50 elements from the periodic table.  This includes many of the fertilizer components and micronutrients (such as N, P, K, Ca & Mg) that are vital for plant growth, blooms and health.   By readily  forming salts with these elements, they are kept from washing through the soil, and they are much more easily utilized by living organisms.
•Humates are known to detoxify and buffer soil that contains harmful chemicals; for instance from over-fertilization, excess chemical use or from natural sources.