A living being—be it a human, animal, or plant—needs all the nutrients it can get to grow properly. There are many kinds of nutrients that we can get, such as potassium. Potassium offers many benefits, such as helping with bone and muscle maintenance, managing cardiovascular conditions, and also reduces the risk of developing kidney stones.
On the other hand, plants benefit from potassium as well. Many people aren’t aware of this fact, but it’s a crucial element that helps in strengthening them.
How exactly does potassium help plants? This article tells you everything you need to know. Read on below to learn more.
Potassium in Plants
In a general sense, potassium is an essential element that helps with producing healthier crops. It helps plants use water efficiently to resist drought, which allows fruit and vegetable-bearing plants. A great example of this is potatoes, which rely on potassium for tuber growth.
In other words, potassium regulates plant growth so that fruits and vegetables are of higher quality, which also benefits consumers because they have a better shelf life. For garden plants, potassium helps promote healthy lawn growth. On top of that, it also helps flowering garden plants by enhancing their stems.
Potassium is also typically found in soil, but it’s not enough at times, especially if there are many plants in a plot of land. For this reason, fertilizers that contain potassium are used.
Potassium Deficiency
If a plot of soil lacks soluble potassium, it will stunt plant growth and cause other problems. This is the reason why fertilizers with potassium are used.
It’s pretty easy to spot potassium deficiency in plants. Several symptoms include:
- Brown scorching and curling at the leaf tips
- Chlorosis, or “yellowing” between leaf veins
- Purple spots appear on the undersides
The symptoms of potassium deficiency also often manifest in older leaves because potassium is a mobile nutrient. A plant can allocate it to younger leaves if they lack potassium. Additionally, potassium-deficient plants are more susceptible to damage and disease.
Supplementing Your Plants with Potassium
If you don’t want to use artificial fertilizers with potassium, there are other ways to give potassium to your plants. These include:
- Kelp Meal – Kelp and seaweed are great sources of potassium, and it’s even better because they’re in quick-release form.
- Compost – Compost is full of nutrients that a plant needs, including potassium. Its potency is increased when you add fruit and vegetable waste such as banana peels.
- Wood Ash – Hardwood ashes are an excellent source of potassium because they actually contain them. You can also add them to your compost for increased potency.
- Greensand – Greensand is a material mined from old sea beds, and they are rich in a variety of minerals apart from potassium. Additionally, they can also be used as a soil conditioner. You can also add it to your compost.
- Potassium Chloride – Also known as ‘Muriate of Potash,’ potassium is naturally occurring in them. However, its chlorine content can potentially damage the soil.
- Potassium Sulfate – Also known as ‘Sulfate of Potash,’ it’s a safer alternative to the muriate of potash because it doesn’t have chlorine. However, not all of them are considered organic, so it’s recommended to get one approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).
Conclusion
Plants are vital to our daily lives because we breathe the same air as them. For this reason, it’s essential to take very good care of them, and perhaps the best way to do this apart from watering them and giving them sunlight is through giving them enough potassium.
Keeping your plants healthy is hard work, but it doesn’t have to be with the use of organic fertilizers. Luckily, Organic AG Products has just what you need! We sell quality organic fertilizers that can help your plants grow healthy without artificial additives that can be damaging in the long run. Contact us today to learn more!