From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Denver, CO

I need to reduce my potassium. Have been told to add a few buckets of sand per 15 foot circle to help. Are there other ways to help as well?

Thanks!

4/15/2009 4:26:30 PM

raise your other levels to balance soil mag calcium etc growing a pumpkin will reduce your potassium

4/15/2009 5:23:16 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Use a cover crop that consumes alot of K and harvest rather than incorporating.

I think wheat/rye does, but I can't say for sure.

4/15/2009 6:22:09 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

How high is your k...ppm? base saturation %?

4/15/2009 7:39:10 PM

Midway, UT

It can be flushed out some with a fair amount of irrigation Greg but it will flush out nitrogen as well but you can added after the flushing. Sand isn't a great choice if you have a lot of clay in your soil because it will fill the limited spaces in the clay and you end up with a brick. You can try injecting some native soil that is lower in potassium to help bring it down. Don's suggestion is a good one too.

4/15/2009 7:53:06 PM

Denver, CO

My Potassim is at 1774 ppm. Craig Lembke thought this was too high and would cause splits and pre-mature ripening.

My base saturations are:
K - 20%
Mg - 19.6%
Ca - 56.8%
Na - 3.6%

with a 22.8 CEC
and low nitorgen levels at 126 lbs/acre
8.2% organic matter

4/15/2009 8:23:24 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

growing a crop of alfalfa and taking the alfalfa hay off a couple years will bring it way down

4/15/2009 8:57:14 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Wow......that's one wild-looking K level. Was anything ever grown on this ground before, or do K levels like this occur naturally?

4/15/2009 9:13:32 PM

follow Don's advice

your Ca is very low, do some math and "balance" the levels

4/15/2009 9:19:11 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I agree with Don and Dan

You Ca is low, add Lime or Gypsum to lower the base saturation of K. Also your salt level is very high. Anything over 2% is dangerous. You may be able to leach some of this out with water and possibly the addition of Gypsum

The kins will eat up that potash over a few seasons. Don't apply any manure

4/15/2009 10:13:20 PM

Going Green

The High Potassium is it due to application of Chicken litter? Because although not dangerous your salts are also high (should be under 2%) As Pap and Don and so many others say.....This is a race and a marathon.....make small changes over time to avoid having catastrophic consequences which require major adjustments.

4/16/2009 9:24:09 PM

President - GPC

Greg,

I dropped my high levels of potassium in my soils under the WiZardnator. Not always caused by chicken poop, but I will agree with copper coming from chickens amoung others. Use Peat Moss, unbalanced, let it drench out, and I agree, slow and sure winZ the race....tiny changes, know what you are adding, if you dont, error on the side of caution. I stayed away from anything that added in Potassium...You need to also. One good thing though....mine dropped as rapidly as it roZe....perhapZ yourZ will too. Plant your winter Rye and Don's advice Raise your calcium....Super Cal worked for us.....make sure it sayZ with sulphur....not lime....

Youll get your drenching with this 20" of snow plus rain...Sand helpZ with the structure of the soil. A key in Colorado Clay......ChooZe wiZely...


Greg go Slow and Sure....

4/16/2009 9:45:11 PM

Denver, CO

Thanks for all the help!

OK, I now realize that by adding more gypsum I can correct my base saturation percentages and eliminate my problems with the potassium.

As it turns out, I think my high potassium is from the application of Kelp Meal. I don’t think I over applied it last year but its the only source I can think of.

Thus, how do I get all benefits of Kelp meal's hundreds of trace elements without raising my potassium levels? Is there and alternative to kelp meal? Should I just skip it this year? Or is just adding the gypsum as stated above going to be enough such that it wont matter anyways?

4/18/2009 8:53:20 PM

alfalfa meal = poor man's kelp meal,,,

(and there aren't hundreds of trace elements btw)

4/18/2009 9:04:56 PM

Eighty Four,PA

There are several things you can do. One is to add more soil and till in. Two, grow a cover crop and take the cutting off from the area. Three, your calcium and nitrogen levels are low. Add 2-4inches of dairy cow manure and till in. This time in the season can be late, but with a hurry effort, soil test, you may savor the season to grow. Remember, there is more than one way to get something done. Test the soil over the summer and go from the readings. Use a different lab too.

4/28/2009 7:18:41 PM