Fruit or flowers just not looking their best? Seeing signs of a common potassium deficiency? Yates Liquid Potash gives struggling plants an instant potassium kick to encourage larger and more abundant flowers and fruit, all in one easy-to-apply liquid formula for either watering in or spraying on during growing season. This is for one 500 ml bottle with built-in measuring cup included. Directions for use below. Makes up to 50 litres.   

Which plants is it for?

Formulated for roses, tomatoes, citrus and other flowering and fruiting plants.

What does Yates Liquid Potash do?

Provides a concentrated source of potassium (also called potash, which has the symbol K), a relatively common deficiency (check common symptoms below). Helps correct deficiencies and support flowering and fruiting. Potash helps plants use water, resist drought, and enhances fruits, flowers and vegetables.

What are the signs your plants need potassium?

A potassium deficiency can stunt growth, cause weak stems, reduce fruit size and cause leaves to roll, however one of the first symptoms to watch for is pale green or yellowing leaves, especially between the veins. Symptoms present differently in different plants (some common crops listed below). Potassium deficiency also makes plants more prone to disease and less able to resist temperature extremes, including increased susceptibility to frost damage. 

A potassium deficiency is more common in lighter, free-draining soils because potassium ions are highly soluble, so can easily leach from soils.  Chalky or peaty soils with a low clay content, and heavy soils with poor structure, are also more prone to potassium deficiency.

TOMATOES: Woodier stems with slower growth. Blue tinge to leaf colour. Pale grey fading between leaf veins. Yellow or orange patches on leaves, sometimes with a bronze appearance. Uneven ripening of fruit, sometimes with green patches at stalk end.

ROSES: First symptom often seen is scorched or burned leaf margins (the outside edges of leaves). Can also cause blind shoots (new stems with no flowers). Young leaves may show reddish-brown splotches, often combined with dry or brittle leaf edges, whereas older leaves may show both yellowing and browning along leaf margins. 

POTATOES: Reduced tuber size, lower yield, dull leaves with a bluish tinge, yellowing between leaf veins, and leaves with small, dark brown spots on the underside, sometimes with a bronzed appearance on the upper surface.

BRASSICAS such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower: Blue tinge to leaf colour, sometimes with light yellowing between veins on leaves. Scorching (brown, dry patches), along leaf margins and tougher leaves that grow slower.

APPLES: Scorched leaf edges, often with yellowing between veins on leaves. Slightly acidic or woody taste to fruit.

BERRIES such as raspberries and strawberries: Dieback of shoots and branches. Production of blossoms may not be impacted at early stages however fruit yield is reduced and berry quality is poor.

  

How do you apply Yates Liquid Potash?

FOLIAR SPRAY: Spray lightly to wet leaves just before run-off. A fine-mist setting is recommended for better coverage. Mix 15mls per 1 litre water and apply with a garden sprayer, or fine-mist hand-held mister for smaller areas and container plants.

SOIL DRENCH: Mix 10 to 20mls per 5 litres water. Water thoroughly into soil using watering can, until evenly moist around plant/s. 

When do you apply Yates Liquid Potash?

FOLIAR SPRAY: Apply every 2 to 4 weeks one to two times before flowering, then reapply from fruit set up up to 1 week before harvest. When deficient in potassium, best applied fortnightly to monthly from early in the growing season.

SOIL DRENCH: Apply when first flower buds appear. Reapply every 2 to 4 weeks during flowering and fruiting. To fix a potassium deficiency, start early in the growing season.

Read before use

When using Liquid Potash to fix a deficiency, reassess symptoms before each application, or consider a soil test to check if further applications are required. For best results start as soon as symptoms are visible, or if there is a known potassium deficiency in your soil, treat from early in the growing season. For ongoing treatment 'little and often' is recommended (eg: half the dose, fortnightly). Multiple smaller doses are more effective than less frequent, higher doses.

When applying as a foliar spray, stop before run-off. Best applied early morning or late afternoon when evaporation is less. When applying as a soil drench, apply to already moist soil, not to dry soil.

Do not apply on hot days, when the maximum temperature is expected to reach above 25 degrees. If a plant is suffering moisture stress, water with plain water instead to correct moisture stress first, and wait to apply liquid potash to correct a deficiency next time you water. 

Store in a cool, dry place, indoors, out of direct sunlight.

The safety data sheet can be downloaded by following that link to the Yates NZ website.