Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Signs of Potassium deficiency:

- yellowing leaves between the veins (look at Ronbo's first photo)

- tissue death/burn around the edges of leaf

- older growth shows it first

- poor fruit growth

Nate recommends supplementing Pottasium with:

Kelp for slow effect (NPK 0-0-10)

Potassium Sulphate (NPK 0-0-50) for fast effect

Potassium Chloride (as a foliar spray only)


ps Stuart, it's probably a bit vain to quote myself , but this comment:



.. was primarily directed towards Ronbo, not your issue

Yeah very common but for some reason it is often a "new system" problem.

After a couple of years some people have found that they didn't need to continue to add K.

Why do you think this is though?

It does indeed seem to be the trend.

I don't know (obviously) but I suspect that the mineralisation process takes time. After a month of so a lot of nutrients seem to be released into the water and hence available to the plants. Maybe it takes longer for some of the proteins/chemicals that contain the majority of the K to break down so it is available

Oh and I can't find Nate's 4th video on potassium

Yeah I reckon you're right regarding the mineralisation process.. I look forward to learning more about this as new research emerges in future as there still is a certain element of mystery about it, without a doubt

until then I'll keep adding those mighty red tiger worms

oh and here is Nate's 4th vid where he talks about what they use to supplement potassium:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgu7uOWTbJw

This is a good problem to have.



This tom and the one next to it are almost to the wire. I know the theory is that you can then lower them but...



The tomatoes are not yet ripe and won't be for some time.

Thoughts?

Thanks for the input.

Is there a natural source for the needed potassium? Please advise as to my options and applications. I only have my plants and gold fish to be concerned with. And I plan to replace the gold fish soon anyway. Ronbo

Burry a washed banana peel in your bed, otherwise grab some EcoRose or EcoFungicide (potassium bio carbonate), these last two will also buffer your ph way up... So only require small amount.

I think I have a number of problems with my Toms.

Last week was the second of two really hot spells hence you will see many of the leaves have rolled up in response. In addition to that I've got at least two more issues.

The first is the older leaves dyeing off.

More of the same.

The second problem is a moldy growth.





So in short HELP.

Don't know plants nearly as well as I know fluid dynamics.

I found these sites scratching around researching the "Iron" supplements pretty handy as the pics are on tomato leaves covers most elements .

I believe if the plant suffers from the top down its nutrient and from the bottom up its disease / pest .

Looks like powdery on top of something else .

Have you had any corn in lately they are good indicators

http://5e.plantphys.net/article.php?id=289

http://www.hydroponicsequipment.co/solu ... eficiency/

A number of nutrients are mobile within plants. For example K and Mg can be liberated from old leaves and used to support new growth.

So your generalisation from what I've read it would seem to not be the case

Wanted to bump this because I haven't had many replies.

Mold seems to be spreading. I'd use the search engine but it seems to still not be working.