Well, the pH was great in my recent soil test but the potassium was low. Auburn University's Soil Lab recommended that I apply 2.3 pounds of "muriate of potash" per 1000sqft to the garden along with 15 pounds of 13-13-13 fertilizer per 1000sqft. From reading, I'm not sure I really want to use the muriate of potash. One information source that I read stated that muriate of potash (potassium chloride) contains chlorine which can harm soil microbes...something I don't want to do.

My tilled rows are about 900 square feet, while the area including paths come up to around 1600 square feet.

Anybody got any thoughts about using it? Alternative products? I've thought of hardwood ashes for the potash, but I don't have any available at the moment...plus the measuring of it could be an issue. Greensand would be good, but shipping some in here would probably cost as much as the greensand itself. Bone meal, maybe?

Thoughts about the suggested rates and analysis?

Honestly you had better just administer potassium to those cultures you know will need them: for example it's useless to waste it on grass or drought-resistant perennials with low (no?) fertilization requirements like Russian sage, but some crops such as potatoes require very high levels of potassium in the ground. Don't throw your money to the wind: be focused like a pro.

Once you have decided what cultures really require high levels of potassium, you can choose how to supply it to them, be it through an acqueous solution (watering or foliar spraying) or though soil fertilization. Potassium chloride is usually the cheapest source of K and hence the most often used in agriculture, especially on crops like potatoes. Potassium sulfate is the second most common source but on a per weight basis it's FAR more expensive than KCl.
If you need a lot of the stuff, you'd better off buying 25lbs bags such as this: https://standishmilling.com/ca...

ElPolloDiablo said:Honestly you had better just administer potassium to those cultures you know will need them: for example it's useless to waste it on grass or drought-resistant perennials with low (no?) fertilization requirements like Russian sage, but some crops such as potatoes require very high levels of potassium in the ground. Don't throw your money to the wind: be focused like a pro.

Once you have decided what cultures really require high levels of potassium, you can choose how to supply it to them, be it through an acqueous solution (watering or foliar spraying) or though soil fertilization. Potassium chloride is usually the cheapest source of K and hence the most often used in agriculture, especially on crops like potatoes. Potassium sulfate is the second most common source but on a per weight basis it's FAR more expensive than KCl.
If you need a lot of the stuff, you'd better off buying 25lbs bags such as this: https://standishmilling.com/ca...

ElPol, I appreciate the feedback. It is a vegetable garden but no corn or wheat will be planted. Also, no leaf vegetables during the summer (way too hot)...basically cow peas, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelons, okra, and...zinnias. From what I can tell, all of the vegetables can use the potassium...naturally some more than others. By the fall/autumn, when I hope to plant some leafy vegetables the added potassium should have been partially used up.

Looks like I was way off base with the thought of bone meal....0% potassium!!!! <duhhhh>

The entire garden is around 1600sqft with the growing area only being around 900sqft. 2.3 pounds of muriate of potash is recommended per 1000sqft so at the most I would only need probably around 4 pounds or so. The amount of potassium sulfate that I would need seems like it wouldn't be cost-prohibitive. I'm not sure, though, how muriate of potash (potassium chloride) converts to potassium sulfate in regards to the amounts to use. I've found one place that stated to use only 1/3 the amount of potassium sulfate as was recommended for potassium chloride.

I would go down to my favorite feed and seed and buy 50 lb sack of O-20-0 or whatever analysis their brand uses. It does not migrate fast, so the last I put down was probably 15 years ago. A fifty lb. sack will do about 4000 sq. ft.

That's for phosphorus, isn't it?

Btw, everybody...notice the title? I must have been channeling a French writer when I wrote it.

Yep I was asleep at the switch when the train rounded the curve. For potash most folks around here use 5-10-15 for beans and peas which is in plentiful supply. I have more that enough potash (years of using wood ash) so I don't use it, but many area soils are deficient.

As much stuff that is stored in your head sometimes I'd get a wire crossed, too! What I've been looking for is something along the lines of the 5-10-15 that you mentioned. I'm still trying to wrap my head around going from the triple-13 and potassium chloride combination to a single complete fertilizer. Here's the lab report if you (or anyone) wants to comment on it. Thanks!

Intheswamp said:
ElPol, I appreciate the feedback. It is a vegetable garden but no corn or wheat will be planted. Also, no leaf vegetables during the summer (way too hot)...basically cow peas, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelons, okra, and...zinnias. From what I can tell, all of the vegetables can use the potassium...naturally some more than others. By the fall/autumn, when I hope to plant some leafy vegetables the added potassium should have been partially used up.

Looks like I was way off base with the thought of bone meal....0% potassium!!!! <duhhhh>

The entire garden is around 1600sqft with the growing area only being around 900sqft. 2.3 pounds of muriate of potash is recommended per 1000sqft so at the most I would only need probably around 4 pounds or so. The amount of potassium sulfate that I would need seems like it wouldn't be cost-prohibitive. I'm not sure, though, how muriate of potash (potassium chloride) converts to potassium sulfate in regards to the amounts to use. I've found one place that stated to use only 1/3 the amount of potassium sulfate as was recommended for potassium chloride.

I used to use Thomas' slags as a nitrogen -free fertilizer for vegetables when it was still commonly available. I may still have half a bag of it.
However starting in 2019 I have switched to a liquid PK fertilizer for vegetables and showy ornamentals. Minimal waste since only the plants that need it get treated, either through irrigation or foliar spray. Very very good results so far and I'll keep using it until the rocket scientists in Brussels will outlaw that as well.