Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
About Potassium in Fertilizers
About Potassium in Fertilizers. Potassium is a common ingredient in fertilizers, usually found in potash, or potassium chloride, form. Plants absorb potassium from the ground in order to nourish themselves, and when there isn't enough natural potassium, they will begin to suffer. Potassium in fertilizers replaces the element in the soil, giving...
Potassium is a common ingredient in fertilizers, usually found in potash, or potassium chloride, form. Plants absorb potassium from the ground in order to nourish themselves, and when there isn't enough natural potassium, they will begin to suffer. Potassium in fertilizers replaces the element in the soil, giving plants what they need to stay healthy.
Potassium Deficiency
Some plants will show visible signs of potassium deficiency, signaling their need for potassium fertilizer. The leaves of grain plants will begin to look burned or scorched, while alfalfa leaves will be affected by yellowish spots. Look to the lower leaves of plants first for signs of potassium deficiency.
Applying Potassium
Adding potassium fertilizer at the time of seeding is one of the best ways to provide potassium to new plants, but too much potassium may result in delayed growth. If soil is extremely lacking in potassium, broadcasting fertilizer by hand over a large area is the most effective way of providing this needed element. Gardeners commonly apply fertilizer to soil in spring and fall. Always thoroughly moisten soil after applying fertilizer.
Chemical Makeup
Potassium chloride (KCl) is the most commonly used potassium in fertilizer. Commercial fertilizers may also contain potassium sulfate, also known as sulfate of potash, which is used on tobacco and vegetable crops. Potassium magnesium sulfate, also called sulfate of potash magnesia, is also blended into fertilizer form to provide magnesium. Caustic potash, or potassium hydroxide, is found in liquid mixed fertilizers.
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the most commonly used elements in commercial fertilizers, as plants absorb these from soil more quickly than other nutrients. Commercial fertilizers are labeled with a series of three numbers to indicate the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in that order, the mixture contains. Each number represents a percentage weight. For example, a 10-30-10 mix indicates 10 percent nitrogen, 30 percent phosphorus and 10 percent potassium. In fertilizer, potassium is often indicated by K2O, the chemical formula of potash.
