Re: sulfate of potash for meyer lemons
Moira wrote:
>Just a couple of points I'd like to make.
>Sulphate of potash is very concentrated and easily overdone. I would
>suggest 2oz per square yard for one application (so no more than about 4
>oz for one tree at one time, unless you are going to treat a very large
>surrounding area). The easiest way to distribute it evenly would be to
>dissolve it in water on a can and water it on.
Quite right, I always dissolve it and water it in, making sure that it
doesn't get splashed on any leaves.
>If you also regularly feed your tree with a mulch of compost right over
>the root zone this will encourage the soil organisms to retrieve any
>potassium already in the local soil, so the need for boosting it
>artificially should eventually disappear.
The reason I give an artificial boost in autumn is to harden up
growths which might otherwise be too soft to overwinter here without
turning to mush and setting up a fungal infection which could travel
throughout the plant. I don't like to do any pruning until late
winter/early spring because we only have to get a few mild days (early
January saw a incredible week of 10 - 12C. nights and 14 - 16C days,
followed 2 weeks later by several days when it fell to 0C, but only
rose to 2C maximum) and a mass of new growth rapidly appears that
could easily be killed outright. With few exceptions, I prefer winter
dormancy to continue until mid February. I also grow about 20 species
of palms and these benefit greatly from increased potash during our
winters since many Butia, Brahea, Syagurus etc.continue to grow
slowly. I balance this with a couple of applications of Magnesium
sulphate (Epsom Salts) in spring to prevent the characteristic leaf
yellowing that can occur on acidic soils.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY UK
http://www.ilsham.demon.co.uk/gardenviews.html
