Potassium chloride is an effective mineral fertilizer. It can be used alone or combined with nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers. The composition is suitable for garden and ornamental plants. Regular use of potassium chloride helps make crops stronger, increase resistance to temperature fluctuations, form a dense crown and produce larger fruits.
Description and physico-chemical characteristics of potassium chloride
Potassium chloride is produced in the form of a crumbly mass of white or pinkish tint or in the form of granules. The fertilizer contains 60% of the active component - potassium oxide. The product mixes easily with water.
The substance is considered the main potassium preparation. It is allowed to be used in its pure form. However, there are also combined compositions with copper, bromine and other components.
Signs of deficiency or excess
A lack of potassium in the soil affects the general condition of plants. Under natural conditions, it is present in the soil only in combination with other components. Potassium deficiency in various types of crops is accompanied by the following manifestations:
- edge burn - in this case, a light border appears along the edges of the foliage, which subsequently dries out;
- compaction of greenery and change in its color;
- formation of brown spots;
- weakening of the main stem and shoots;
- growth retardation compared to average parameters;
- late flowering or complete absence of buds;
- the tendency of the crop to be damaged by fungi.
At the same time, potassium chloride often provokes overfeeding of weakened plants. In perennial crops, it manifests itself in damage to the roots and freezing of the buds in winter. In annuals, the violation is immediately noticeable. At the same time, the stems lie down and begin to rot near the roots.
To save at least part of the harvest, it is worth stopping all fertilizing and reducing watering. You should also remove some of the shoots with unripe fruits.
How to apply correctly and application rates
Not every crop requires potassium chloride. Therefore, when using a substance, it is important to follow the instructions.
Potato
Plant beds need to be fed with the mixture once. This is done in the fall.Thanks to this, the volume of the substance is normalized by spring. On loamy or clayey soil, use 100 grams of the substance per 1 square meter. It is worth adding cement dust and flour to light types of soil.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes do not like chlorine, so you need to apply fertilizer in the fall, under a shovel. 100 grams of product are used per 1 square meter.
cucumbers
With a lack of potassium, cucumbers lose their taste and volume. Before applying fertilizer, you need to conduct a test. To do this, you need to pour 500 milliliters of solution under 1 lash. After a few days, you can evaluate the reaction. If the plant begins to actively develop, you can feed the entire bed.
During the season, cucumbers are fed in greenhouses 2-3 times. When grown in open ground, it is necessary to apply fertilizer 5 times.
Grape
This shrub should not be fed with potassium chloride, as it does not tolerate chlorine. However, grapes need potassium supplements. They help increase frost resistance, improve fruit ripening and vine development. However, for grapes it is better to use potassium sulfate.
Fruit trees
All plants in this category require feeding. Fruit trees take chlorine very well. Under each fruiting trunk you need to add 150 grams of potassium chloride. If trees grow in black soil, 120 grams of fertilizer will be enough. When growing crops in light soil, the dosage is increased to 180 grams.
Flowers
It is worth applying fertilizer taking into account the variety of plants. This needs to be done several times during the season. In this case, for 10 liters of water you need to take 20 grams of product for large onion crops. Small-bulbous plants require no more than 10 grams of fertilizing. For roses, make a solution of 20 grams of the drug.
Fertilizer compatibility
The drug can be combined with lime, chalk, and dolomite flour. It can be combined with ammophos, ammonium sulfate, and diammophos. It is also permissible to use combinations with chicken droppings or manure.
Right before use, the composition can be combined with ammonium, sodium or calcium nitrate. Combinations with urea and superphosphate are also possible.
Safety precautions
The substance can be classified as a moderately hazardous element. It does not affect the integrity of the skin, but prevents the regeneration of damaged areas. The composition can also cause irritation and lead to inflammation. Therefore, when working with this fertilizer, you need to use protective agents that cover damaged areas of the skin.
When combined with air, the composition does not provoke toxic compounds that pose a danger to the body. The substance does not have flammable properties and does not cause corrosion.
Storage conditions and shelf life
The drug has high hygroscopicity parameters. Therefore, it should be kept indoors with a low level of humidity. It is important to ensure that the composition is not influenced by precipitation or groundwater. On the street, fertilizer must be kept in an airtight container or plastic bags. This must be done under a canopy.
The shelf life of potassium chloride does not exceed six months. After the specified time, the fertilizer loses its external characteristics and forms lumps. However, its chemical properties are fully preserved.
Potassium chloride is considered an effective fertilizer, which helps improve the growth and development of cultivated plants. It is important to strictly adhere to the instructions for use of the substance.This will help achieve the desired results and not harm the plants.
