Organic Potassium

drabstab

Active Member
All right, I've been trying organics with the round of soil-grow girls I've got going right now, but I've been giving them bat guano for nitrogen, bone meal for a little phosphorous (Not flowering yet), and putting that in a mix of peat moss and organic soil. So I'm realizing I've got to be real low on potassium in my soil mix, but I don't know if it's slowing the plants down or anything. They look great, but I know for a fact that they have almost no potassium! So how well can they really do with no potassium, and where would I find some sort of organic potassium supplement??
 

Green Cross

Well-Known Member
All right, I've been trying organics with the round of soil-grow girls I've got going right now, but I've been giving them bat guano for nitrogen, bone meal for a little phosphorous (Not flowering yet), and putting that in a mix of peat moss and organic soil. So I'm realizing I've got to be real low on potassium in my soil mix, but I don't know if it's slowing the plants down or anything. They look great, but I know for a fact that they have almost no potassium! So how well can they really do with no potassium, and where would I find some sort of organic potassium supplement??
"
Potassium is associated with strong sturdy stems and plants with a high resistance to diseases and pests."

You don't need a lot, in fact too much may knock the potency down - in a study I read...

Green sand is probably the best organic K supplement, but it's best to add it to the soil when you mix it.

Earth juice catalyst has plenty of K and lots of other good stuff
 

drabstab

Active Member
"
Potassium is associated with strong sturdy stems and plants with a high resistance to diseases and pests."

You don't need a lot, in fact too much may knock the potency down - in a study I read...

Green sand is probably the best organic K supplement, but it's best to add it to the soil when you mix it.

Earth juice catalyst has plenty of K and lots of other good stuff
I'm probably gonna use earth juice or something similar with my hydro grow. What is green sand??
 

youraveragehorticulturist

Well-Known Member
You can also use Epsom Salts for potassium. You can add some into your soil before you pot, or top dress with it. I guess you could dissolve some in water as well, but I've never tried that.

You don't need much, probably just a table spoon per gallon if you're going to top dress. I'd start with a teaspoon per gallon if you want to add it to a tea or something.

I believe the epsom salts are faster acting than greensand, because they are water soluable.
 

svchop889

Well-Known Member
You can also use Epsom Salts for potassium. You can add some into your soil before you pot, or top dress with it. I guess you could dissolve some in water as well, but I've never tried that.

You don't need much, probably just a table spoon per gallon if you're going to top dress. I'd start with a teaspoon per gallon if you want to add it to a tea or something.

I believe the epsom salts are faster acting than greensand, because they are water soluable.
epsom salt is magnesium sulfate MgSO4.7H2O and does not contain potassium so i do not know why epsom salt would help low potassium maybe you are thinking of the table salt alternative potassium chloride?
 

stealthygrower

Active Member
Seaweed (kelp) is used for potassium...Potash is used as well.You can find both on e-bay.A good idea is to find out what some of the better nutrient companies are using in their ferts.Try to emulate and save some $$
 

purpz

Well-Known Member
You can use green sand which has many trace elements in it usually around a 0-0-3 N.P.K. ratio. kelp meal which is also good for condition your soil as well, usually around a .1-.5-2 ratio. Also as mentioned before wood ash from any type of hard woods, ash also gives many micro-nutrients as well as fast acting, but don't over do it because it tends to throw p.h. off.
 

drabstab

Active Member
composted banana peels will work for you bro
Can I let them compost in the soil or do I have to compost them remotely and add them to the soil?

This is so funny, it's actually for my room mate's plants. He was gonna try banana peels but it seemed too simple. Everyone knows bananas have a lot of potassium!
 

youraveragehorticulturist

Well-Known Member
Well, I just checked the bag again. I've been using "Epsom Plus" from Espoma. It's epsom salts with potassium added. It's 0-0-22, plus you get the magnmesium and sulfur from the salts.

So, like you said, regular epsom salts don't have any K.
 

Tyrannabudz

Well-Known Member
Check out the label on this bottle of molasses that I have used. Can be purchased at the grocery store in the baking goods section. A good source of potassium, not to mention calcium and magnesium and vitamin b as well. Molasses can be used throughout veg and flower. Another benefit it provides is a food source for beneficial bacteria if you are using any.:joint::mrgreen:
 

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kjar

Active Member
Check out the label on this bottle of molasses that I have used. Can be purchased at the grocery store in the baking goods section. A good source of potassium, not to mention calcium and magnesium and vitamin b as well. Molasses can be used throughout veg and flower. Another benefit it provides is a food source for beneficial bacteria if you are using any.:joint::mrgreen:
I use this exact stuff. I just wish I knew exactly what the NPK ratio was when applied to plants. any one know how to figure it out?
 

plaguedog

Active Member
Liquid seaweed or powdered kelp is your best bet. Greensand takes FOREVER to break down and generally does nothing for a short grow. If you reuse your soil it works better.
 
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