Muriate of Potash (Potassium Chloride)

[Stoney Bologna]

What do you guys think about this stuff? Will the chlorine content harm the beneficial bacteria?

Thanks

 

[Stoney Bologna]

Has any one ever used this stuff before??

 

[Guest]

it looks as though you shouldn't have to worry about it too much, as it is used a lot. i bet if you overdid it you'd hurt microbial life. but i wouldnt worry about it long as you don't overdo it

http://landresources.montana.edu/FertilizerFacts/3_Winter_Wheat_Response_To_Chloride_Fertilizers.htm

 

[Stoney Bologna]

Thanks Gelatinous, that's some great info. I was hesitant at first because the little bit of reading I did showed there's some mixed opinions about this amendment. It is extracted from natural deposits in the earth, so it can be considered an organic amendment. But people have debated whether or not the chlorine content is harmful. I am glad to read this article saying chlorine has some benefits.

Has any one ever used this amendment with success and in what proportions?

 

[Guest]

What would you use Potassium Chloride on? or in?

Chemical formula is KCl, Potassium is right by Sodium in the periodic table. KCl is "salt" potassium style.

I wouldn't inject it KCl will stop your heart INSTANTLY, and it doesn't take much. It's one of the combo of 3 drugs used for prisoner executions.

 

[Guest]

That's what most fertilizers are - salts

 

[Guest]

I should have said it better. What I meant was what was he going to you pure KCl for. How would you use it in a grow. And why use it in pure form. Unless he was referring to a commercial fertilizer made mainly of murate of potash(KCl)

 

[Stoney Bologna]

 

[Stoney Bologna]

Oblidio, I passed highschool chemistry years ago, along with a myriad of other chemistry courses at the graduate and undergraduate level at major universities, so that's enough of that. I came in here to get answers from experienced organic growers. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume you didn't mean to come off as condescending in your posts even though it seemed like you where doing some trolling.

 

[Stoney Bologna]

Oblidio, don't you have anything to add now that you know that Muriate of Postash is a commericially available fertilizer?

 

[Guest]

Chlorine is one of the micros needed by plants in very small amounts. It also kills bacterias but small amounts do minimla damage to microbial life. Such as tapwater (municipal) has Chlorine but will only set back healthy colonies not kill them. As for the Muriate of Potash, I've never used it and don't have any plans to but I don't see why not so long as Chlorine levels are safe for microbial life. Plants usually deal with Chlorine levels pretty well.

J.

 

[Guest]

I believe chlorine gets rinsed out of soils pretty quickly too, compared to other nutrients. It's a negative ion, and soil for the most part is negatively charged. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Stoney Bologna]

Pyrex, thanks for the input.

Gelatinous, great explanation. I did not know that about the charge state of soil, it's very revealing.

 

[Stoney Bologna]

I suspect that since the chlorine is not going to bond to the soil very much, any excess will evaporate in a short period of time because it's so volatile.

 

[Blackvelvet]

KCl (Potassium chloride) is a cheap source of potassium. I think miracle grow uses this. The salt index of a fertilizer decribes how salty a salt is. KCl is extremely salty. Your ec/ppms will go up drastically because of using this. Potassium nitrate or potasssium sulfate is a better source of K than this. A little KCl is okay though.

 

[Guest]

If you already purchased the Muriate, thats fine but personally I use wood ash as a source of Potash.

J.

 

[Stoney Bologna]

What type of wood do you use to create the ash? Does that even matter?

 

[Guest]

I don't think it matters just make sure it is Untreated, that will screw it up. I have a fire pit that I burn natural wood in the early Spring and Fall, I just use that. I think I use mostly Dutch Elm and Maple, that's the most locally available for me. When I want the ash, I put down a layer of gravel and burn it on that so it's easier to shovel out.

J.

 

[Guest]

Oblidio, I passed highschool chemistry years ago, along with a myriad of other chemistry courses at the graduate and undergraduate level at major universities, so that's enough of that. I came in here to get answers from experienced organic growers. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume you didn't mean to come off as condescending in your posts even though it seemed like you where doing some trolling.

Stoney:

I do owe you an apology. I weas both pretty stoned and kinda bummed out when I wrote that first response...which should be a lesson for me and anyone else posting here. Put bluntly, I was being a smart ass...or trying to. My indoor grow was not doing so hot and I have a lot invested in it. I couldn't keep my pH stable for some reason. It seems to have settled down now. I sure hope so. I just went 12/12 yesterday.

Anyway, I do apologize. I have no earthly idea why I made that post(s) I'm old and getting senile I guess. Though that is no excuse.


KCl occurs naturally as sylvanite(sp chk) crystals in places near where I currently live.

I grew up in Florida where the largest "phosphate" mines in the world were at that time. Fertilizers were big business in that area.

I hope your grow goes well!!

 

[flux]

This is the "organic" soil section? If you want to play with chems, you might as well go hydro (way faster growth too). Chem's can easily burn plants in soil if you add to much, make sure that you don't over do it. You can find KCl at the stores for way cheaper its 98% pure, probably around the same purity as the stuff you are getting. The chloride ions are generally won't affect your plant (until you add something that will oxidize it to chlorine).