# Potassium...is it too late



## Methodical (May 3, 2018)

to apply in the DC area or will I be pushing it? The grass is still growing and I am cutting twice a week.

The current soil test shows Potassium at 122ppm and suggest 2lbs of K. I plan to apply in 2 separate applications. If not too late, one now and in the spring.

Question. I applied 2 applications this year (1 lb of SOP Potash/k; 0-0-20) and according to the recent soil test, potassium has not moved since the soil test from last fall. It was hard to find 0-0-50, so I did 2 separate applications of the 0-0-20 2 months apart in the spring.

1. Does it take a long time for Potassium ppm to move or is 0-0-20 not enough to make it move?
2. Is the lawn using potassium and I will always be chasing the optimum level?

Thanks...


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Potassium leaches and it gets used by the lawn. 1lb of 0-0-50 or 1lb of 0-0-20? Remember that 0-0-50 is on 50% K02 by weight. Then you need to covert the K02 to elemental K to then calculate the ppm increased (around 9ppm). At 122ppm, you are not deficient, so dont worry too much about it. Apply more next year.

Also, do you mulch mow or bag?


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## Methodical (May 3, 2018)

Thanks G-man. Sounds good.

I do both. I mainly bag in the spring because I can't keep up with the growth rate and mulch in the summer and fall months. However, I will bag during those months when necessary if I can't mow timely.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

When you bag, you are picking up N, P and K from the soil and throwing it into the trash can.


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## Methodical (May 3, 2018)

Yeah, I know, but I have too sometimes and it's better than leaving a heavy pile of cut grass on top of the lawn.


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## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

Methodical said:


> Yeah, I know, but I have too sometimes and it's better than leaving a heavy pile of cut grass on top of the lawn.


You could always rake it into the lawn afterwards. The finer clippings will fall in between the blades of grass as you rake and whatever doesn't fall through can go in the compost pile.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

Methodical said:


> to apply in the DC area or will I be pushing it? The grass is still growing and I am cutting twice a week.
> 
> The current soil test shows Potassium at 122ppm and suggest 2lbs of K. I plan to apply in 2 separate applications. If not too late, one now and in the spring.
> 
> ...


For what it is worth, I posted similar thing about 3 weeks ago in DC metro area and decided to wait until Spring to apply my 0-0-50 SOP. In the meantime, I still had some starter fertilizer with a bit of K. I will get another soil test early spring to see what the plan is for next year but no reason to risk snow mold when we are not deficient. I also have been mulching / side discharging to allow some of it to recycle. However, I do plan on bagging at some point to get rid of some of the mulced leaves.


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## Methodical (May 3, 2018)

Deadlawn said:


> Methodical said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, I know, but I have too sometimes and it's better than leaving a heavy pile of cut grass on top of the lawn.
> ...


Late response, but better late than never. I won't ever, if I can help it, ever, rake another lawn. I only use a backpack blower now. Sometimes, if I can't cut regularly, the grass is too much and it's just easier to bag it and let the county turn it into compost. For the little bit of NPK I am loosing, it's worth it for me in time.

I did not apply any more Potassium last season and decided to wait until this season.


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