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Fresno, CA

I have fruit growing on two plants. I don't need blossoms anymore. What is the best product/method for putting potassium back in the soil?

7/23/2010 3:44:12 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

You can use a cup full of potash every week. But be careful you may lock up your soil...I would ask somebody like Pap who really knows a good fertilization program. I'm using a light application of 20-20-20. It will still give my plants some Nitrogen to maintain health and will also be giving the plant or fruit some potassium that is in a balanced formula. Go light with any application of fertilizer. above all else keep the plant healthy. During the mid season we tend to ignor this. this is the time of year that the plant gets taxed with the heat and the weird weather that we've had. don't push your plants and fruit that almost always leads to disaster. Good luck and hope you get an answer to your question.

7/23/2010 4:00:34 PM

Fresno, CA

Thanks Kenny. Is that 0-0-50?(full cup of potash every week) What do you mean by 'lock up the soil'? Do you mean from the potassium itself getting too high? I try to be pretty conservative but I think compared to the real hard-core enthusiasts out there I put almost nothing in my patch. One of Pap's posts is what lead me to this question. He stated in an earlier thread that it's a good idea to put some 0-0-50 at 10% to 90% myco at each node when burying vines, because growing fruit pulls a lot of K out of the soil. I'm done burying (all but one vine). I was wondering if I could 0-0-50 or some other form of K into soil or plant that would compensate for that loss. Only things I have put on so far are composted manure and maple leaves in the Fall, Neptunes Harvest (2-3-1) at low doses foliar once a week. Then yesterday I added small amount (less than 1/4 recommended amount) SulPoMag to top of soil, because I haven't found an answer to this question yet. I see that Tom Privitera's recommendations on extremepumpkinstore say something like TKO Phosphite and 3-18-18 once a week. And Holland's Giants says something like 0-52-34 once a week. I want to make sure what I add doesn't fight the biotics (compost tea) I use - I think I might have screwed up on the SulPoMag in that case. I also don't want to add salts if possible. I have some 0-10-10 but I'm not using it right now because I think it uses muriate of potash which can cause some burning.

7/23/2010 6:22:18 PM

Soldiers Grove, WI

0-0-1 liquid seaweed/ spray early and spray often!

7/23/2010 6:22:43 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

By fertilization we only help nature. The plants growth phases will happen no matter what we do we mearly help them along with fertilizers. Don't over do it. we tend to think more is better thats not really the case. You could add a cup full of Potash once a week. Not to much then as the season comes to an end you could add the recomendations of a better seasoned grower that know a whole lot better. be careful and keep up the good work. By doing and asking question, you learn a whole lotta info!

7/23/2010 7:11:20 PM

Fresno, CA

Thanks Kenny and Caleb

7/23/2010 7:34:20 PM

SE Minnesota

I throw some potash on the stump area later in the season...too early here but may be ok for you...I think the potash does "mature" the fruit so be careful

good luck
Jim

7/23/2010 11:57:54 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I made the mistake last year of using to much potash. I believe I locked the soil up and i ended up with a pumpkin that was a good grower but stopped growing a month out.

7/24/2010 8:25:52 AM

Ohio

Id be really careful using potash at this point in the season, although your plant does need it right now just dont over do it and add to much, espically if you haven't had a soil test to see what you already in your soil. Just a handful of 0-0-50 is a big amount believe it or not, espically if your just putting that amount around the stump.
Ron Wallace and Pap have been using0-0-50 for many years and Im sure learned on trial and error over the years untill they got it down pat. Im not to sure they add any 0-0-50 at all this time of the season, but I could be wrong,(maybe pap will chime in). I always thought they went by there spring soil test results and adjusted it at that time of the season if at all possable..
if your not sure about it, just dont add it because you ''think'' the plant needs it, cause you could end up blowing the fruit to kingdom come or bloat your leaves to smithereens (hey! that kinda rymes!!,ha!).

I would use the least as I could like Caleb has said if you decide to use it, 0-0-1 if your going to use any at all. But just my opinion though.

7/24/2010 10:06:51 PM

Honesdale Pa USA

Slow and steady wins the race.

7/24/2010 11:00:42 PM

Honesdale Pa USA

Slow and steady wins the race.

7/24/2010 11:00:42 PM

Fresno, CA

Thanks for all the advice! I definitely don't want to mature the fruit early, I'm worried enough about that with the way my fruits have matured in the past.

7/25/2010 12:49:56 AM

Ohio

best of luck with it Trail, keep 'em growing big!

7/25/2010 4:46:59 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Sorry for the rookie question, but would the 0-0-50 be 50x stronger than the 0-0-1? I might be misunderstanding the formula. Sorry I am new and currently use the 0-0-1, but in moderation since my fruit is already maturing.

7/26/2010 9:26:34 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

The plant and fruit both need potassium at this point of the growing season, how much depends on your individual soil, weather and plants.
There is so much Potassium phobia out there that it has gotten crazy...lol
Potassium isnt the killer, growers that dump tons of 0-0-50 or 0-0-60 on their patch without knowing if they need it or not is the killer.
If you have ever looked at a soil test from the spring and then a test from the same patch after growing a few monsters in the fall, you would be very surprised to see just how much potassium and calcium these plants/fruit go through.
The key is to supplement what is already in the soil, the resources do get leeched from heavy watering and rains, the resources get exhausted from the plants taking everything they need.
Stay away from 0-0-60 (muriate of potash), go easy on the 0-0-50, I prefer a 0-0-25 Liquid for foliar and or drenches or through the irrigation. It is mild enough that unless you have a heavy hand, you wont split a fruit, but you have to have common sense, if your fruit is gaining 30+ lbs a day consistantly, no need to juice them with anything.

7/27/2010 12:27:03 AM

Western PA

Tom, great explanation, especially the last half of the last sentence!!! That is what I needed to hear.
Thanks,
Lee

7/27/2010 10:47:54 AM

Navarre,OH

0-0-60 is all i have and I know for a fact my garden is wayyyyy low on potassium. :(
I added a half cup full probably about 3-4 weeks ago and had no problems. I worked it into the dirt around the stump area and watered good. It actually "woke" up the entire plant and I now have marrows that are setting. We had TONS and TONS of rain early in the growing season so it probably washed everything away. I know I'm not growing a pumpkin but marrows are still in the same family :P

7/27/2010 2:47:07 PM

Sacramento, Ca

What about charcoal ashes, will they work? Say a few cup fulls a month?

8/8/2010 4:38:48 PM