Message Board - BigPumpkins.com

what are the natural sorces of potash?

9/1/2003 7:44:15 PM

Not many. Just one as far as I'm concerned.

http://www.gslminerals.com/index.htm

Great Salt Lake Minerals produces sulphate of potash from brine shrimp that are farmed in floating lagoons. It's all I use as a granular amendment. Since it is processed this might not meet your definition of natural though.

I also see a lot of yahoos out there touting "Langbenite" as a so called "organic" source of potash. MY BUTT IT IS!

Langbenite is mined all over the world. A lot comes from Mexico. When it is reacted with sulfuric acid it yields synthetic sulfate of potash. When reacted with Muriatic acid it yield Muriate of Potash. Niether *should* meet the definition of organic. Yet I see companies marketing stuff as organic all the time that contain either of these 2 ingredients. Think of "Rock Phosphate" here.

Wood ashes sound organic or natural. But they're not really. Though they do contain potassium you have to watch their impact on soil pH.

Greensand is maybe like 1-3%K.

Sea Kelp is awesome. Can run 5-15%K. Probably the best sorce of all as far as meeting the definition "natural".

Spent Tobacco stems. I don't know the analysis.

Cotton Seed Meal has 1.5%K. But it also has like 4 or 6% N which could be a problem depending on the goals.

There are probably other spent crop reidues that would yield fair amounts of Potash too.

That's what comes to mind. But I'm probably forgetting something.

Steve

9/1/2003 8:57:31 PM

Engel's Great Pumpkins and Carvings

tobacco huh??? they grow lots near the patch.

9/1/2003 10:05:23 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Three words for tobacco...Tobacco Mosiac Virus...Not Good.

9/1/2003 11:13:33 PM

ok ty

9/2/2003 1:37:47 AM

I'm not going to suggest anyone use Tobacco stems. But I would mention that most plant pathogens are host specific. I have been in the company of many a good horticulturalist & plantsman while we debate the subject of "crossover". We're talking highly acreditted people who make strong arguments both for & against avoiding contact with Tobacco when cultivating Virus prone plants. This is a subject worthy of more research.

9/2/2003 5:52:24 AM

can a plant be subjected to heat enough to kill the virus,etc.,,,,boiled?
but not cook out the goodies? ie ,,k.

9/2/2003 10:05:23 AM

Uh huh. Or irradiated.

9/2/2003 7:50:49 PM

i was thinking commercial microwave peat dryer.
got a friend,,,,

9/2/2003 9:09:57 PM

Microwaves? Work on contained moisture. As long as the crop residue is still wet enough it should also get hot enough. But dred residue won't get very hot. Will it? Check with the guy first.

9/3/2003 5:46:17 AM