Potassium, the key to Yield and Resin?

[C21H30O2]

I have been running LCs mix #1 in my grow and everything is going pretty well, with the exception of one problem, potash deficiency. THIS HOWEVER IS NOT THE FAULT OF LCs MIX. the problem is my kelp meal. it has a npk of 0-0-1.4 way to low. I should have and will pick up some maxicrop which has almost 4 times the amount of potash. not a big problem, so im not concerned about my grow but it got me thinking about the importance of potassium.

Potassium is essential for root development and the enzyme responsible for resin production. So my thinking is that if it is low during veg roots will not be fully developed thereby hurting yield and during flower will limit resin production. It would seem that potash is as essential in veg as nitrogen is and as essential in flower as phosphorus is of course in real life all of these elements must be present for the health of the plant and microherd.

Im thinking of experimenting by upping potash in veg to nitrogen levels and doing the same with phosphorus in flower. has anyone noticed increased yield and/or resin production with an increase in potash supplementation or amendments?

 

[VerdantGreen]

i cover Potassium with both kelp meal and rock potash at 5g/litre in veg and flower - works well for me

V.

 

[C21H30O2]

how do your potash ratios compare to nitrogen in veg and phosphorus in flower? thx VG

 

[igrowone]

i know MG soils don't get the greatest reviews here, but their organic garden soil gave me a very potent northern lights grow
on the topic, i noticed on the label that the ratio of available nitrogen and potassium was the same, 0.01% - which struck me as a fairly high potassium ratio, but not sure

 

[Clackamas Coot]

i cover Potassium with both kelp meal and rock potash at 5g/litre in veg and flower - works well for me

V.

Yep - 1/4 cup of kelp meal in 5 gallons of soil and you're good to go through the entire grow.

HTH

CC

 

[nassos]

great share. thanks for sharing the info.

 

[jaykush]

you need comfrey, loads and loads of potassium

 

[guest2012y]

you need comfrey, loads and loads of potassium

I was wondering what you were doing with comfrey Jay......I figured it had some quality I was unaware of....for a second I thought you were nutty....kidding.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

you need comfrey, loads and loads of potassium

jaykush

My comfrey starts are 'wintering over' as they say. I should have some to use by June or so. I'm anxious to try it out on our raised beds.

An interesting plant to be sure.

CC

 

[jaykush]

I was wondering what you were doing with comfrey Jay......I figured it had some quality I was unaware of....for a second I thought you were nutty....kidding.

well i am a bit nutty, so thats ok.

My comfrey starts are 'wintering over' as they say. I should have some to use by June or so. I'm anxious to try it out on our raised beds.

An interesting plant to be sure.

i cant wait for my comfrey to wake up, its dormant right now but come spring itl grow with the fury. then i can dig a few up and divide them like crazy too. potatoes LOVE comfrey. place a leaf covered with some castings under each potatoe you plant. but everything else loves it just as much.

 

[*Journeyman*]

Always knew comfrey was high in calcium but never knew about the K thing. I dunno...I'm a K-Mag fan.

 

[*Journeyman*]

This thread reminded me of my weed research. Someone recently recommended Weeds and Why They Grow. Some charts in there where you could basically determine general soil nutrient/mineral content by the types of weeds that were growing such as lots of broad leaf weeds ='s low calcium and phosphorous. Someone else posted recently that weeds make excellent compost material and now believe that. Bruce Tainio said that weeds always have a higher K to N ratio so guess if you don't have comfrey around just compost some weeds

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Bruce is right - using weeds in a FPE is an excellent fertilizer IMHO

CC

 

[*Journeyman*]

Bruce is right - using weeds in a FPE is an excellent fertilizer IMHO

And they're free...LOL. I genuinely do see weeds in a whole different light now. One old bro taught me to take equal parts comfrey, horsetail and red clover, macerate, soak in a bucket of water overnight then use straight to water plants near the end of the flowering cycle as a finisher. For one you get all those nice leaf bacteria cultures, organic plant compounds, sugars, enzymes, blah, blah, blah but still about weeds. I mean shit...yellow dock is very high in iron, nettles are great but just wear gloves...lol, then there's things like lamb's quarter. Gotta love weeds.

As for K I still love K-Mag.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

And they're free...LOL. I genuinely do see weeds in a whole different light now. One old bro taught me to take equal parts comfrey, horsetail and red clover, macerate, soak in a bucket of water overnight then use straight to water plants near the end of the flowering cycle as a finisher. For one you get all those nice leaf bacteria cultures, organic plant compounds, sugars, enzymes, blah, blah, blah but still about weeds. Gotta love weeds.

Your bro is very bright and has much knowledge, IMHO

Good advice all the way around.

CC

 

[C21H30O2]

im using sul-po-mag or k-mag to adjust my current mix. It is a great source of potash especially if you run it through a coffee grinder first. Its 20% potash by weight so im thinking of adding a teaspoon per gallon to my LC mix. 1 tbsp kelp meal, 1tsp k-mag, and 1 tbsp greensand. Thoughts?

Always knew comfrey was high in calcium but never knew about the K thing. I dunno...I'm a K-Mag fan.

 

[*Journeyman*]

Thoughts?

For one no need to grind it up and I would not use salts, even though this is a natural mineral, globally. If larger chunks just start in the container earlier in the plant's life to give time to breakdown. I've always spread K-Mag on the bottom of the container or on the bottom of the hole outdoors.

Greensand is another great K source and you can use a shitload globally. I think you're kelp and greensand rates are fine but use that K-Mag down low. Would have to double check my notes about '1 tsp per 1 gal' sounds close.

 

[C21H30O2]

why am i only spreading the k-mag in the bottom of the pots? running it through the grinder makes it available faster, better for deficiencies.

 

[*Journeyman*]

One thing I want to add...your thread title of 'Potassium, the key to Yield and Resin?' could use a little reorientation on your part IMO. While I do think growers don't focus enough on adequate K levels ultimately yield and resin production is determined by genetics which are restricted by the 'limiting factor' in your grow and that could be anything. If you add K and yield and resin production go up you were simply deficient in K. Nutrient uptake in organics is ultimately determined by the plant when in soil through it's exudate production which controls the microlife and their activities.

 

[*Journeyman*]

why am i only spreading the k-mag in the bottom of the pots? running it through the grinder makes it available faster, better for deficiencies.

Salts like K-Mag are better down low and in more concentrated areas...mainly what my mentor taught me. Steer manure is very high in salts and also better to use down low. Others may say different. Try it for yourself.