Potassium (K) plays a critical role in maintaining healthy, consistent almond yields from year to year. But the value of your potassium fertilizer also depends on proper application rates, methods and placement to ensure the optimal uptake of nutrients that trees need to reach their full potential. Use the following best practices as a guide to help you get the most out of your potassium application.
Almond trees can remove as much as 55 pounds of potassium from the soil per 1,000 pounds of nuts produced1—making it essential to replenish critical potassium lost every year at harvest. Leaf sampling in July should be used to provide an accurate indication of K levels, with the goal of attaining and maintaining optimum leaf concentrations of potassium.
Typical potash application rates range from 150 to 250 K2O pounds per acre, just to replace the potassium removed at harvest.
Potassium fertilizer can be applied in granular form through banding or directed broadcasting in the sprinkler-wetted area. It can also be applied in liquid form through an irrigation system.
A granular application of Protassium+® premium sulfate of potash (SOP) in the fall is ideal for recharging potassium-depleted soils and making the nutrients readily available for the growing season. Dry application also helps to maintain valuable soil reserves that liquid-only applications may not preserve.
In some cases, a liquid potassium application can be used to supplement deficient soils throughout the growing season. However, it’s important to note that some liquid sources of potassium come at a premium price, and they can even lead to plant toxicity and reduced yields if over-applied. When supplemental potassium is needed, consider an in-season application of dry Protassium+ SOP, which is usually less expensive and safer than most liquid forms of potassium.
When applying granular Protassium+ potassium fertilizer, correct placement is one of the most important factors in assuring the product's effectiveness.
Position the dry fertilizer as close as possible to the water source and the trees' root systems to promote the optimal uptake of nutrients necessary for high-quality, high-yielding nuts. Proper application of Protassium+ should be determined based on your irrigation practices.
1 E.J. Reidel, P.H. Brown, R.A. Duncan, S.A. Weinbaum, Almond Productivity as Related to Tissue Potassium. Better Crops/Vol. 85, 2001, No. 3 Adapted from Edstrom et al., 2008
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