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How to Add Potassium to Soil
How to Add Potassium to Soil. Keeping a generous supply of potassium in soil promotes healthy plant growth. Potassium helps plants draw water from the soil and keep it in the plant longer. The foliage of plants suffering from potassium deficiency wilt or yellow at the edges, and the potassium-deficient plants are more susceptible to disease....
Keeping a generous supply of potassium in soil promotes healthy plant growth. Potassium helps plants draw water from the soil and keep it in the plant longer. The foliage of plants suffering from potassium deficiency wilt or yellow at the edges, and the potassium-deficient plants are more susceptible to disease. Fortunately, all is not lost when soil lacks potassium. Several amendments and fertilizers, both organic and chemical-based, exist that add potassium to soil.
Things You'll Need
Tiller
Potassium soil amendment
Soil test kit
Potassium-rich fertilizer
Till the soil in the potassium-deficient garden beds to a depth of 1 foot.
Add 1 to 3 lbs. potassium to the soil per 1,000 square feet, depending on the severity of the potassium deficiency. The North Carolina State University Extension Service says that to add 1 to 3 lbs. of potassium per 1,000 sq. ft., you need to use 1.7 to 5 lbs. potassium chloride, 2.3 to 6.8 lbs. potassium nitrate or 2.1 to 6.3 lbs potassium sulfate. Use alternative, organic options such as greensand, kelp or granite meal if desired. Adjust the amounts depending on the size of the area being amended.
Till the amendments into the soil thoroughly.
Wait three or four months, then perform a soil test on the area. Examine the results to determine whether the amendment was enough to correct the potassium deficiency or if further steps need to be taken.
Apply a potassium-rich fertilizer to the soil if the test shows the mineral is still below desired levels. Look for a fertilizer with a high (K) rating, which is the symbol for potassium. Follow the directions on the labeling when applying the fertilizer.
Test the soil again before adding more potassium to the soil. Avoid overloading the soil with potassium, which can stunt root growth and deplete magnesium levels.
