What is the Best Potassium Fertilizer?

What is the Best Potassium Fertilizer?

Potassium, along with nitrogen and phosphorus, makes up the trio of nutrients that most impact the growth of plants.

Nitrogen is essential to protein creation, while phosphorus is vital to the photosynthesis process.

Amongst other functions, potassium strengthens disease resistance in plants.

Choosing the right mix of potassium for plants can be tricky as there's no one-size-fits-all in plant nutrition needs.

Why Do Plants Need Potassium?

Plants use potassium in developing chlorophyll, which provides the green color in plants and algae.

Potassium also supports plant growth in other ways.

For example, it helps water and sugar transport inside the plant, making flowers and seeds stronger and fruit sweet and juicy.

When plants get the right level of potassium, disease resistance is improved as well.

How Do I Know When My Plants Need Potassium?

Plants lacking in potassium develop:

Weak stems

Floppy leaves

Discolored leaves including:  yellow or brown tips or appear scorched along the edges.

Do I Need a High Potassium fertilizer?

Whether you need a high potassium mix to feed your plants depends on several causes —specific plant needs, the nutrients in your soil, and the local climate.

For example, sandy soils in high rainfall areas often lack in potassium.

If you're ever unsure about what nutrients your plants need, conducting a soil test analysis is the safest bet to ensure you accurately provide the nutrients your plants require at any given time.

Potassium Fertilizer Mixes

Fertilizer mixes have three numbers printed on their bags, e.g., 10-10-10.

These refer to the amount of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus), and K (potassium) that are in the mix.

There are several standard fertilizer mixes containing potassium (K) for plants:

Potassium Chloride also known as Muriate of Potash, is the most widely used potassium fertilizer. It can cause plants to burn if directly applied but is safer in powdered and soluble mixtures as they are weaker mixes.

Other mixes contain potassium and other nutrients for specific uses, such as indoor plants with lower fertilizer needs.

Buy Quality Fertilizers

Fertilizers rich in potassium can be guaranteed to improve the growth and strength of your garden.

If you're cautious with the elements you put into your garden, it helps to check the labels of fertilizer bags and go with an option that heavy-metal free and eco-friendly.

You can then be confident of not unintentionally introducing any toxic elements onto your property.

Where Do I Find Quality High Potassium Fertilizer?

Here at Greenway Biotech, we sell only the highest quality fertilizer mixes, including potassium for plants.

We know it can be tricky working out which combination of potassium fertilizer is the best for your garden needs.

Different plant species have different nutrient needs, and your soil conditions and climate also affect potassium levels.

Our quality high potassium soluble fertilizers include:

If selecting the most suitable mix of potassium for plants seems confusing, we're always happy to help.

Use our 'questions' email page to get expert advice on your gardening needs, but if you're ready to shop, you can browse some of our high potassium fertilizers below.

What Do Fertilizer Ingredients Do? Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK)

Published on Thursday, April 01, 2021

We've all heard of lawn fertilizer and know that it helps replenish the nutrients in our lawns, but do you know what it is actually made up of? Every fertilizer has three key nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Each one offers different benefits to your grass no matter what type of grass seed your lawn has.

Before fertilization, it is important to understand what each type of nutrient does and how too much of these nutrients could actually cause future damage. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to ensure that your grass is getting the best care possible.

Nitrogen helps your lawn grow fuller, thicker, and greener.

Lawns that have the correct amount of nitrogen will grow healthy, green grass. Nitrogen is one of the most important aspects of grass growth because it encourages the production of chlorophyll, which helps grass produce energy and feed itself. Nitrogen will also help your lawn grow fuller by increasing the blade density and thickness. Some signs your lawn is in need of a nitrogen boost include yellowish grass, slow growth, and low density.

Although nitrogen is an extremely important aspect of your grass's health and growth, there can also be too much of a good thing. Too much nitrogen might "burn" your grass, which will produce spots or streaks of brown grass throughout your lawn. An over-application of nitrogen can happen easily with fast-release fertilization products.

Phosphorus will promote strong root growth and early development.

Phosphorus is essential for root growth and early development. Without it, the slightest form of erosion will wash your grass away because its roots were not anchored down with enough strength. Phosphorus also supports the energy transfer in your grass, aiding nitrogen in growth encouragement. This essential nutrient is prominent in starter fertilizers to give the grass seeds the boost they need to begin developing strong roots.

Before adding phosphorus to your lawn, though, you must understand the harm that too much of it could do. An excess amount of phosphorus will hinder your grass's ability to take up required micronutrients like iron and zinc, causing your blades to turn yellow and possibly die. Too much phosphorus is also an environmental problem because it will wash away in soil runoffs, reach nearby lakes and streams, and create a harmful amount of algae and weeds.

Potassium gives your grass the strength it needs to fight off stress, drought, and disease.

Potassium helps cool-season grass survive weather changes, such as the frigid cold winter air and the blazing hot sun. Its main benefit is that it aids your grass in fighting off drought, stress, and disease. Potassium is known for keeping your grass generally healthy and stress-free. You will find that it is the main ingredient in winterizer treatments because it prepares your grass to withstand the cold weather ahead. Signs that your lawn is in need of more potassium include wilted and yellowing blades.

Just like nitrogen and phosphorus, there is always a possibility of over-applying potassium to your lawn. Too much potassium does not directly harm the health of your lawn, however, it will affect the way that your soil absorbs other nutrients. Therefore, too much potassium will lead to the deficiency signs of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Worried about adding too much or too little nutrients? Let us help.

It can be nerve-wracking choosing the right amount of each nutrient for your lawn, knowing that too much or too little will cause more harm than good. That is why it is so important to call in the professionals before you do anything that might demand more time, attention, and money down the road.

At Grow Pros Lawn Care, LLC, we have been fertilizing lawns in the Elkhart, Granger, and South Bend, Indiana area since 2012. You can rest easy knowing that we have the experience and training to know exactly what your lawn needs. Give us a call today at (574) 326-3526 to receive a quote for your lawn fertilization application.

How does Potassium Help Plants Grow? - Phoslab Environmental Laboratories

Potassium (K) is an essential element for plant growth it is important to food crops. Potassium, often called potash, helps plants use water and resist drought and enhances fruits and vegetables.   If soluble Potassium is deficient in soil it can stunt growth and cause other symptomatic issues.  To overcome deficiencies Potassium is commonly applied to gardens, lawns and orchards as part of a balanced fertilizer.  In addition, Potassium promotes healthy green lawn grass.

Potassium grows healthy lawns by promoting green sturdy stems on deep roots. It aids roses and other flowering plants by encouraging strong stems and well-developed flowers. Farmers depend on potassium for healthy crop production. Plants rich in carbohydrates such as potatoes need potassium for tuber growth.  Potassium regulates plant growth so that harvested fruit is fully formed, high quality and has a better shelf life for consumers.

Because large amounts of (P) are absorbed from the root in the production of most agronomic crops, it is classified as a macronutrient.  Most soils can supply some K for crops, garden and lawns, but when the supply from the soil is not adequate, K must be supplied in a fertilizer program.  Having your soil tested will help to identify exactly which fertilizers you should use for best results.    Also, it is one of the three nutrients found in synthetic fertilizers: NPK = nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.

Potassium Deficiency in Plants

Typical symptoms of potassium deficiency in plants include brown scorching and curling of leaf tips as well as chlorosis (yellowing) between leaf veins. Purple spots may also appear on the leaf undersides. Plant growth, root development, and seed and fruit development are usually reduced in potassium-deficient plants. Often, potassium deficiency symptoms first appear on older (lower) leaves because potassium is a mobile nutrient, meaning that a plant can allocate potassium to younger leaves when it is K deficient.  Potassium deficient plants may be more prone to frost damage and disease, and their symptoms can often be confused with wind scorch or drought.

Organically Supplamenting Potassium

If you’re looking to go organic, there are many ways to supplement your lawn or garden with potassium without using chemical fertilizers.  Here are some common sources of organic potassium:

Compost: Compost is full of nutrients, including potassium, especially if it is beefed up with banana peels and other fruit and vegetable waste. The potassium compounds in compost are water-soluble, which makes them readily available to plants but also likely to leach out of your compost pile over time.

Wood Ash: The original source of “potash” fertilizers, hardwood ashes can be used directly as a fertilizer (about a 5-gallon bucket per 1000 square feet) or added to your compost pile to increase the potassium content. Wood ash also raises soil pH, so be sure to do regular soil testing to make sure it stays balanced.

Kelp Meal: Available dried or liquid, kelp and seaweed offer potassium to the soil in a fairly quick-release form.

Greensand: Mined from ancient former sea beds and is rich in a number of minerals including potassium. It’s used both as a fertilizer and a soil conditioner, or it can be mixed with compost.

Muriate of Potash (potassium chloride): Mined from ancient deposits, this commercially available product can be used as natural sources of potassium, though the chlorine found in it can harm soil microbes.

Sulfate of Potash (potassium sulfate): More expensive than muriate of potash but safer, since it doesn’t contain chlorine. Not all potash products are considered organic, so make sure the product you use is approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

Sul-Po-Mag: A variation of potash, Sul-Po-Mag is actually a naturally-occurring mineral called langbeinite (sulfate of potash-magnesia). Sul-Po-Mag is water soluble and convenient, although it shouldn’t be used unless your soil also needs sulfur and/or magnesium.

Granite Dust: Available from granite quarries, granite dust is a relatively inexpensive way to add potassium and tract minerals to your soil. Since it’s ground-up rock, this product is very slow to release its minerals and is not a quick fix or drought. The deficiency is most common in several important fruit and vegetable crops.

For healthy crops and plants (or lawns) first have an accurate soil sample test performed to determine what fertilizer you may need. When looking for a fertilizer rich in nitrogen, check the middle number labeled on the fertilizer bag. Usually the bags are labeled with numbers such as 13-35-24 or some other combination. The first number is Nitrogen, the second is Phosphorus and the third is Potassium. Fertilizers high in Phosphorus are usually determined by a high middle number. A simple soil test will help determine exactly what is needed to give you the highest yielding crops, most delicious fruits and greenest lawn.

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