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Potassium deficiency (plants)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Potassium deficiency, also known as potash deficiency, is a plant disorder that is most common on light, sandy soils, as well as chalky or peaty soils with a low clay content. It is also found on heavy clays with a poor structure.
Plants require potassium ions (K+) for protein synthesis and for the opening and closing of stomata, which is regulated by proton pumps to make surrounding guard cells either turgid or flaccid. A deficiency of potassium ions can impair a plant's ability to maintain these processes.
The deficiency most commonly affects fruits and vegetables, notably potatoes, tomatoes, apples, currants, and gooseberries, and typical symptoms are brown scorching and curling of leaf tips, and yellowing of leaf veins. Purple spots may also appear on the leaf undersides.
Deficient plants may be more prone to frost damage and disease, and their symptoms can often be confused with wind scorch or drought.
Prevention and cure can be achieved in the shorter term by feeding with home-made comfrey liquid, adding seaweed meal, composted bracken or other organic potassium-rich fertilisers. In the longer term the soil structure should be improved by adding plenty of well rotted compost or manure. Wood ash has high potassium content, but should be composted first as it is in a highly soluble form.
----- Original Message -----From: Greg KelleySent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 8:54 PMSubject: Re: [Grow-Hops] Easy PH check : was Hop disease?
Ok, James and Maury...I didn't have time to get pH test strips. However, I did some testing of the leaves.I did the spider mite test as suggested. I got a couple of brown/redish bugs on the paper. Very small. But no webs. Checking underneath the leaves I find no webs.I did a Google search on Potassium deficiency for hops and found this page: http://www.freshops.com/hop- growing/hop- diseases- and-pests# nutrient The one labeled "Potassium Deficiency" fits what I see perfectly. I looked at my Miracle Grow and it is actually 20-20-20 "All Purpose Plant Food". It also lists 0.02% Boron, 0.05% Copper, 0.10% Iron, 0.05% Manganese, 0.0005% Molybdenum and 0.05% Zinc. I'm using it every other week on the hops according to directions.At the beginning of the growing season I did put some compost at the base of each hop. My Santiam is suffering the worst with only minimal damage to my Sterling, Cascade and Willamette.I will pick up pH strips tomorrow but absent of that, do you have any thoughts as far as what it is and what I can do to fix it? I had this problem last year but not as bad as this year.Thanks!-Greg
From: James Altwies <jraltwies@yahoo.com>
To: Grow-Hops@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2009 5:13:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Grow-Hops] Easy PH check : was Hop disease?
Use equal volumes of soil and water. Cap and shake and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Shake again and allow to sit for another 10 minutes. You have to extract all of the hydrogen ions (H+) from the soil particles to get an accurate idea of the total acidity...
From: Maury <Hopboy@charter.net>
To: Grow-Hops@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2009 4:13:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Grow-Hops] Easy PH check : was Hop disease?
In my experience, the distilled water to soil ratio isn't all that critical.I use would appx 8 oz's of distilled water or less to conduct the test.Maury----- Original Message -----From: Greg KelleySent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:54 PMSubject: Re: [Grow-Hops] Easy PH check : was Hop disease?
Thanks, Maury. I'm assuming you mean for me to use a regular mason jar as the soil to water ratio is probably important in determining pH?
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