How to apply potash fertilizers

Potassium is considered one of the most important plant nutrients. Unfortunately, it's not included in organic plant nutrition, so it must be added to the soil separately. The main ingredient in potassium supplements is potassium chloride, also known as potash.

This naturally occurring chemical is extracted from potash ores. Fertilizing the soil with potassium chloride has a positive effect on plants, helping them grow faster and resist diseases and weather conditions. Using this fertilizer can significantly increase crop yields, and the resulting fruits also taste better thanks to the potassium supplements.

Signs of potassium deficiency

Experienced farmers insist that potassium is an essential micronutrient, and without it, plants will not develop fully or produce a good harvest. Potassium deficiency doesn't become apparent immediately, but rather around mid-season. It manifests itself as a general dullness of the plant, a bluish tint, and leaf edges that begin to dry out. Growth also slows, and flowering is delayed. If the deficiency isn't corrected, brown spots may appear on the foliage.

In order for a plant to develop fully and bear fruit well, it needs to receive three nutrients:

• Nitrogen;
• Phosphorus;
• Potassium;

Nitrogen promotes the growth and development of fruits, phosphorus helps the plant grow significantly faster, and potassium helps it overcome unfavorable conditions.

The best potassium fertilizers to use

Potassium-containing fertilizers include:

• Ash is considered a natural, inexpensive, and readily available fertilizer with a high mineral content. It contains only 10% potassium, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. It can be used as a fertilizer throughout the year, before planting in the spring and fall, and before tilling.
• Potassium sulfate is considered by many experienced farmers to be one of the best potassium-containing soil fertilizers, as it's the only one free of toxic additives among the various mineral fertilizers. It's applied in the fall or spring, added to the planting hole.
• Potash salt contains two elements: sylvinite and potassium chloride. It contains significantly more chlorine than potassium chloride, so it is not recommended for fertilizing plants that are sensitive to chlorine. It is recommended for use in soils deficient in potassium, such as peat, sandy, and sandy loam soils.
• Potassium chloride isn't always suitable for plant fertilization and is even toxic. It contains 60% potassium, as well as chlorine, which is harmful to most plants. To use this fertilizer, it must be applied to the soil beforehand. Berries respond best to potassium, but they also don't tolerate chlorine well. For this reason, potassium chloride is added to the soil before plowing for the winter.
• Potassium magnesium sulfate is a popular fertilizer among farmers, used for potatoes. It contains potassium and magnesium, which are essential during growth. Even with organic fertilizer, plants still require these elements. It is made from recycled chenite. It is often used for light soils.
• Potassium nitrate contains up to 50% potassium and 13% nitrogen. This fertilizer is used for growing vegetables. It must be dissolved in water before use.
• Potassium carbonate, also known as potassium carbonate, is chlorine-free, making it a popular fertilizer. It contains up to 55% potassium oxide, as well as small amounts of sulfur and magnesium. It is widely used to fertilize potatoes. Industrially, it is produced by processing natural potassium salts. It can also be produced independently by processing plant material with ash.

Types of fertilizers

There is currently a huge variety of potassium fertilizers available in stores, and they can be divided into three groups:

1. The most common fertilizers in agriculture are those produced by processing high-concentration potash ores at a plant. These include potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate with added magnesium, and potassium-magnesium concentrate.
2. This is crushed potash ore, or raw potassium salt. These types of fertilizers contain high concentrations of chlorine, which is toxic to many plants.
3. This group includes potassium salts, which are obtained by mixing raw potassium salts and concentrated ones.

Correct application of potassium fertilizers on your plot

If you notice any signs of potassium deficiency, you should immediately apply a potassium-rich fertilizer to prevent disease or death. It's important to follow the recommended dosage, as indicated on the packaging or in the instructions. If you exceed the recommended dosage, the plants will not be able to obtain other nutrients, such as phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium, which are also essential for healthy growth.

For heavy soils, fertilizers, especially those containing chlorine, should be applied in the fall before plowing. This allows the chlorine, which is toxic to many plants, to sink into the deeper soil layers and not harm the plants.

For light soils, it's recommended to apply them in the spring during sowing, as potassium is quickly leached from the soil. The best fertilizers are those with little or no chlorine, such as potassium sulfate.

Potassium-containing fertilizers for vegetables

Vegetables are quite demanding of the soil's mineral content. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are often used alongside potassium fertilizers. Potassium improves crop quality, especially in tomatoes. If cucumbers are pear-shaped and narrowed near the stem, or have white patches, this indicates a potassium deficiency.

For potatoes

Although potatoes are a relatively low-maintenance vegetable, they do require care. Regularly applying potassium fertilizers in combination with minerals can double the yield. It's best to use fertilizers without chlorine or with low chlorine content, as chlorine can reduce yield and starch content in tubers. Charcoal is commonly used, at a rate of 5 kg per 100 m², as well as potassium sulfate, at 2 kg per 100 m². Of the various chlorine-containing fertilizers for potatoes, potassium chloride is the most optimal, containing 62% potassium oxide. It dissolves well in water, and its harmful effects on potatoes are reduced if applied before plowing.

What to replace it with?

Some agronomists avoid using commercial fertilizers on principle, replacing them with what they consider more natural options. For example, wood ash, humus, manure, and compost contain many nutrients beneficial to the soil, but their potassium content is low.

Which plants require potassium content in the soil?

• Vegetables: cabbage, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, eggplant;
• Fruit and berry: plum, pear, grapes, cherry, apple, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry;
• Flowers: gerberas, calla lilies, hydrangeas;
• Cereals: flax, barley, buckwheat.

Fertilizers made from ingredients you always have on hand

You can make fertilizer from wood ash; it's excellent at replenishing soil with micronutrients and is quick and easy to prepare. You'll need 10 liters of settled water and 150 grams of ash. Where can I get ash? Burnt branches from pruning trees or from roasting meat will work. Mix the ingredients and let it steep for fifteen minutes. One mature tree will require a bucket of solution. For cucumbers, tomatoes, and cabbage, half a liter per plant.

The dangers of potassium salt

It would seem that a high potassium salt content wouldn't harm plants, but it can disrupt the nutrient balance. This fertilizer also contains a high amount of chlorine, which is toxic. Increasing the dosage should only be done if the soil is severely deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. This should only be done in the fall before plowing, so that all the chlorine is absorbed deep into the soil over the winter, preventing harm to plants and leaving only beneficial potassium.

Reviews

Nadezhda, 46, from Voronezh

We have a small garden plot; we live there in the summer, and the air is clean and everything is natural. I noticed that the leaves on my tomatoes were pale, and my neighbor said it might be a sign of potassium deficiency in the soil and recommended using potassium nitrate. I bought some, dissolved it in water, and within a month I noticed improvement.

Nikolay, 52 years old, Belgorod region

We've been planting the same tomato variety for several years now, and this year we decided to use a potassium-rich soil fertilizer. I honestly didn't expect such results. The tomatoes are significantly larger than in previous years, and their flavor has improved.

Anna, 38, Nizhny Novgorod

For the fourth year now, I've been using potassium sulfate to feed my bushes and trees before winter. I dilute one teaspoon of the fertilizer in two liters of water and apply it to the roots, then again two weeks later. The fruits are noticeably larger and have a more pronounced flavor.