Forum home› Plants

Potash when and how to use

Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,550
in Plants

Hi all on an old thread which I can not find I was advised to put potash on my hydrangeas as flowers were poor last year.

i have a box of it ready and waiting

please advise when to use,is it too early now?

And do I sprinkle around the base of plants and dig in and water?

Also what other poor flowerers from last year would like some?

thanking you in advance for help image

Posts

  • SussexsunSussexsun Posts: 1,444

    hydrangers are acid loving plants so don't really want potash. They like a Phosphorus fertiliver like tomorite.

    To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.

  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,550

    Oh thank you Sussex sun, looks like I remembered that thread wrong image

  • SussexsunSussexsun Posts: 1,444

    You could do a soil test and if your soil is low in Phosphorus you could dig in some bone meal.

    did you give it a hard prune last year? If you did that could have effected the flowering for last year.

    tomorite will help with green growth  but don't over feed as you will get all green leaf and no flower buds.

    To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,740

    I don't want to be rude, but some of the information here is not correct.

    Potassium [ potash ] is for flowering and fruiting, Tomorite is high in potassium.

    Phosphorus is for root development.

    Potash will help your hydrangea to flower, although I would wait a while before giving it.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • SussexsunSussexsun Posts: 1,444

    Punkdoc yes phosphorus does aid root development but it also aids stock, stem and flower development as well.

    as to potash I was always taught that acid loving plants like hydrangea, rhododendrons and azelea are not to be fed potash as it changes the ph balance of the soil. I doubt one application would make a change but in the same way as you change the ph balance of the soil to turn you blue hydrangea to pink over time

    To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,740

    Tomorite NPK 4/3/8

    Growmore [ general fertiliser ] NPK 7/7/7.

    Tomorite has a lower Nitrogen and is designed for flowering / fruiting  { hence its name, originally made for getting tomatoes to fruit ]

    Growmore has higher Nitrogen  [N ] levels and will promote leafy growth.

    Potassium [K] levels are not responsible for turning blue hydrangeas pink.

    As Sussexsun says bone meal is high in Phosphorus [ P ] and is useful at planting time, to aid root development. It is not usually used later on. BFB [ blood fish and bone would be used as a general feed, or Growmore as mentioned earlier ]

    Not sure if I have explained that very well.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,550

    Punk doc and Sussex sun you both are far too technical and all over my head image

    thank you both though so much, I'll ask my clever oh to read your replies and tell me what it means in simple terms image

    thank you 

Sign In or Register to comment.