Which is better for expansion: Potassium nitrate or Potassium sulfate?
If you want to understand which is better for expanding flowers between potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate, the following is an introduction for you.
Which is better for expansion: Potassium nitrate or Potassium sulfate?
Potassium has a significant impact on fruit expansion, coloring, and taste, promoting nitrogen absorption, which is beneficial for fruit expansion and coloring. Potassium nitrate can be applied at the early stage of fruit expansion, and potassium sulfate can also be used, but it is recommended to apply potassium sulfate after the fruit coloring stage. In terms of investment, potassium sulfate is cheaper than potassium nitrate. Therefore, during the fruit expansion period, I think it's better to use potassium sulfate.
Both potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate are fertilizers with high potassium content, but potassium nitrate is a binary compound fertilizer, while potassium sulfate is a major type of potassium fertilizer, containing potassium and sulfur.
Both potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate are commonly available in agricultural supply stores across different regions, and you can also purchase them online, which should not be too difficult.
Potassium has a significant impact on fruit expansion, coloring, and taste, promoting nitrogen absorption, which is beneficial for fruit expansion and coloring.
Since potassium can be recycled, plants deficient in potassium do not immediately show symptoms of potassium deficiency, but only appear to grow slower, with potassium deficiency symptoms usually becoming evident in the middle and late stages of crop growth.
Therefore, potassium fertilization is generally required early, with basal application and early topdressing being optimal.
Both potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate can be applied as topdressing during the fruit expansion period, but for fruits like apples and peaches that require coloring, I recommend applying potassium sulfate, especially during the fruit coloring stage. This is mainly because:
1. Potassium nitrate contains nitrogen, which affects coloring during the coloring stage.
Potassium nitrate is a nitrogen-potassium compound fertilizer containing about 13% nitrogen and 46% potassium. Potassium can transport nitrogen, promoting fruit expansion, but nitrogen is not conducive to fruit coloring.
Applying excessive potassium nitrate fertilizer during the fruit expansion and coloring stage can affect fruit coloring and easily cause fruit greening.
Potassium nitrate is highly water-soluble and is a fast-acting fertilizer. Since the nitrogen in potassium nitrate is nitrate nitrogen, it is easily lost with water, so potassium nitrate is generally not suitable as a basal fertilizer, especially not in paddy fields, where it is usually used as topdressing.
For fruits like apples, grapes, peaches, and cherries that require attractive fruit color as a selling point, it is best not to apply potassium nitrate fertilizer during the coloring stage. For root and tuber crops like potatoes, ginger, taros, and sweet potatoes, potassium nitrate can be applied in the middle and late stages of growth for better results.
When applying potassium nitrate, it is important to combine it with other nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers to improve fertilizer efficiency.
Potassium nitrate can also be applied foliarly, with a concentration of 0.6% to 1%, which can be applied foliarly during the fruit expansion stage, but caution is advised in the middle and late stages.
2. Potassium sulfate is the main potassium fertilizer and can be applied throughout the growth period.
Potassium sulfate is the main type of potassium fertilizer, containing 48%-52% potassium, usually 50%.
Pure potassium sulfate is white, highly water-soluble, and is a fast-acting potassium fertilizer with weak hygroscopicity and does not easily clump. The main reason is that potassium sulfate does not contain nitrogen, so it does not affect fruit coloring. Especially, it does not contain chlorine, making it more effective for chlorine-sensitive and cruciferous crops that require sulfur.
Potassium sulfate is an acidic fertilizer. Its long-term use in acidic soil may increase soil acidity, and its long-term application in alkaline soil may cause soil compaction.
Both grain crops and economic crops like fruits and vegetables can use potassium sulfate as basal fertilizer, topdressing, seedling fertilizer, and foliar fertilizer.
For crops like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and fruit trees, it is best to apply potassium sulfate deeply and集中ly in the root-intensive areas to facilitate root absorption and utilization.
Potassium sulfate can be applied at any time during the fruit expansion period, but it can be combined with an appropriate amount of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in the early stages to fully utilize the fertilizer efficiency.
In acidic soil, it can be applied with phosphate rock powder and lime to improve phosphorus utilization and prevent soil acidity increase. Potassium sulfate is not suitable for paddy fields.
3. The price of potassium nitrate is higher than that of potassium sulfate.
The price of potassium nitrate is much higher than that of potassium sulfate. Although potassium nitrate can be chosen at the early stage of fruit expansion, if the soil has sufficient nitrogen fertilizer, I think using potassium sulfate is more cost-effective and can also be applied during the coloring stage.
[Conclusion]
Potassium nitrate or potassium sulfate can be applied at the early stage of fruit expansion, but it is recommended to apply potassium sulfate after the fruit coloring stage. In terms of investment, potassium sulfate is cheaper than potassium nitrate. Therefore, during the fruit expansion period, I think it's better to use potassium sulfate.
The above is a detailed explanation of which is better for expansion between potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate, for your reference and suggestion!