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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Franklin Neave | Posted under Landscaping Gardening
Potash Fertilizer
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Here's some interesting statistics. The United Nations says that back in 1990 farmers around the world use 27 tons of potash, 37 tons of phosphoric acid, and 79 tons of nitrogen. That's a lot of fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer is the result of the synthesis of ammonia. Yara is actually the worlds leading producer of Nitrogen which is essential to life of all plants. Phosphate fertilizer comes from the phosphate rock which is found in ancient marine deposits. Each year about 150 million tons of phosphate rock is mined and it is estimated that there are billions of tons that have yet to be discovered deep in the earth. Potash fertilizer is found deep underground and so it is mined and some of those mines run over 3000 feet deep. That's pretty incredible! The KCI is then processed in plants that are above ground and the natural K fertilizer is produced as potassium sulphate and potassium magnesium sulphate. The potash name came because of the way the American settlers collected potash in the form of wood ash in large cast pots. You see the benefits of potash were recognized centuries ago. Muriate of potash is a very old name that has remained with it for centuries. Muriate comes from the Latin word Muria which means brine. Muriate of potash is potassium chloride which contains approx. 60% potash. During ancient times it was deposited in the seas and it is a natural product which today is mined from those ancient sea beds. When the chloride is applied to soil it rapidly passes and muriate of potash can be harmful to bacteria that is actually beneficial to the soil so many experts believe that sulfate of potash is a better choice. Sulfate of potash has approx. 45% potash and it is much more costly than muriate of potash but it is also less harmful to the plant roots and the good bacteria. Wood ashes is the organic source of potash fertilizer and organic gardeners value this form highly. It contains approx. 6% potash and it also has a high concentration of lime. Wood ash potash is excellent for adding to the compost heap. Potash used in fertilizer supplies the K requirements of agriculture crops and it is important for many reasons but here are just a few. 1. It increases the growth of the roots2. It improves drought resistance3. It slows the growth of crop diseases4. It maintains cell turgor5. It reduces wilting6. It reduces water loss7. It increases protein to the plants8. It assists photosynthesis9. It regulates the production of higher energy plants10. It activates more than 50 enzymes11. It produces grains that are very rich in starches12. It builds cellulose13. It reduces the development of weak stalks If you want to be certain your crops are going to produce a high yield be sure to choose a Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash fertilizer. About The Author: Franklin Neave work in fertilizer producing industry for last 10 years. He has recently developed interest in writing and have expressed his experience on his website at http://www.fertilizerworld.com about different types of fertilizer and their benefits. |
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