What is potash and tell me why I want to buy it? (forum)

Elf starts with ...
Potash. I keep reading about it here and am very interested.

What is it
Why do I want it
What will it do for my plants
Why is it so expensive

I really do plan on buying some, but I need more info. I was going to ask where do I get it, but I found it in Big W in my travels there. I could buy 50 litres of cow manure and a mars bars for the same price, so it must be good.

Thanks for your help

Time: 7th November 2009 6:54pm

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Zarra Ridge says...
Hi Elf,

Potash in essence is a source of potassium (element K).
Potassiums main attribute to to increase overall plant health. It assists in protecting plants from stress and disease. It is associated with water use and conservation, and moves nutrients and sugars through the plant.

It will assist your plants accessing nutrient in your soil to do it more efficiently. Very important for heavy feeders such as citrus and corn.

Its expensive because there are different forms of Potash. They range in the % of potash contained.
The 3 main types are Muriate of Potash, Sulfate of Potash and Wood Ash. Wood ash is easily accessible by anyone with a wood stove/oven or burn pit. It contains approx 35%. Burning any organic source however with fibre will contain ample potash for any fertilizer.
Sulphate of Potash is a 45-50% potash fertilizer readily distributed. Its the expensive one but less harmful to plant roots and soil bacteria than muriate.
Muriate of potash is potassium chloride prob the highest source of potash but harmful to beneficial bacteria.

If you have room to compost getting the right carbon mix in your heap/turner and adding woodash is fine. Applying K in your humus is far better than in liquid or soluble form and is far cheaper.

A healthy balance of nutrient is essential and Potassium is no exception.

Hope the above helps :)


Time: 8th November 2009 10:43am

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Elf says...
Thank you very much, I appreciate the indepth answer, it certainly has helped educate me :)

Thanks again :)

Time: 8th November 2009 2:16pm

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Julie says...
I use wood ashes sometimes, but my soil tends to be a bit acid. For anyone living with alkaline soil, I would be wary, as it can raise the pH.



Time: 8th November 2009 5:50pm

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MR says...
Hi, Elf,
Seems you need it to actually get Fruit !! A friend of ours in another area planted passionfruit the same time as we did last October (08). He got loads of fruit, we got one. "Potassium - it's a lack of patassium" he said. Sulphate of Potash seems expensive, but you don't use much, about 10gr/sq mtr., perhaps repeat a couple of times. You can also dissolve 10g to watering can, and foliar spray leaves and fruit, that gives a quicker response. We have treated our fruit trees, vegies, with it as a priority, but are waiting the results of a mineral analysis test on untreated soil from our block.
And, we are waiting to see how our passionfruit respond after this!
Seasol is a source, and foliar spraying supposed to be good for plant health. (Little N or P in Seasol)
Seems this vegie / fruit gardening is all a learning process, eh?

Time: 8th November 2009 6:30pm

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Roger Abrey says...
hi l would like to know if using muilt-fuel ash would be ok to use same as wooodash

ROGER ABREY

Time: 19th March 2012 4:41am

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jakfruit etiquette says...
Exactly what are you burning as fuel ??

Time: 19th March 2012 7:17am

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amanda says...
Be careful of wood ash if u have soil you don't want your soil to become more alkaline.... as it can be very alkaline...

Can put it through your compost heap first in this case though...

Time: 19th March 2012 7:42pm

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Original Post was last edited: 19th March 2012 7:42pm

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bob says...
hi

Time: 6th September 2012 12:57pm

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steve says...
bob i agree

Time: 6th September 2012 1:00pm

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bob. says...
thank you steve

Time: 6th September 2012 1:03pm

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steve. says...
thank you bob

Time: 6th September 2012 1:06pm

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Jeff says...
So Potassium does not directly promote flowering, I read in an artical that overal condition of a plant contributes to flowering, I am an orchid grower, what a letdown.

Time: 21st September 2012 3:13pm

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Brendan says...
Check out this liquid potash Jeff. I'd say it does help to promote flowering & fruiting etc.
They also have a orchid bloomer, NPK of 9-6-27.

http://www.searles.com.au/fertilisers.html

http://www.searles.com.au/pdf/Liquid%20Potash%201%20Litre%20label.pdf



Time: 22nd September 2012 8:42am

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Original Post was last edited: 22nd September 2012 8:47am

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irshad gardezi says...
I have a mango and kinnow farm .I will start picking kinnow after 75days. can failar spray of Potassium help me to increase size and colour.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 1st November 2012 3:59am

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Brendan says...
Yes irshad, it will help. Maybe won't help your present crop (as it looks mature), but will help next year.
Check out this link: http://www.searles.com.au/pdf/Liquid%20Potash%201%20Litre%20label.pdf

Time: 3rd November 2012 7:42am

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JP says...
Does the charcoal contain the potassium or is it in the (white) ash that one would take out of the fire place. I also have a bi-product of commercially made charcoal beads and have yet to try it. In one garden area where I have spread the ash, the plants look great, but in another area, they are doing ok but not great. All the gardens have been done only in the last 12 months

Time: 5th November 2012 8:48pm

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Julie says...
Surprised no-one has answered this. I'm pretty sure it's the ash that contains the potash. The charcoal would be almost pure carbon. Anyone disagree?

The plants that are not looking so great - maybe the ash has made it too alkaline for them? Different plants have different needs, and most veggies like it slightly acid.

I have used the ash successfully to amend acid soil. Worth doing a pH test.

Time: 9th November 2012 9:00pm

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Mike says...
charcoal should be mostly carbon and the ash calcium carbonate,less than a tenth potash,less than a hundredth phosphate and a mix of trace elements.

Time: 9th November 2012 9:55pm

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Mage says...
Would it be good for hydrangea ??

Time: 23rd May 2016 12:33pm

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Julie says...
Yes, if you want pink hydrangeas. To get blue flowers the soil needs to be acid.

Edit: Mage, I was referring to using wood ash as a source of potash.

Time: 23rd May 2016 7:26pm

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Original Post was last edited: 25th May 2016 10:16am

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