POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY IN PLANTS: Symptoms & Treatment

Potassium deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in vegetable plants. It is often confused with under watering or a disease. Being able to identify, diagnose and treat the symptom is critical in producing a healthy plant and a nutrient dense crop. Plants like cucumbers are heavy potassium users so be on the watch for tell-tell signs.
POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: The three most common symptoms are 1. white spots on the leaves, 2. yellowing on the edges of the leaves and 3. dried or scorched leaf edges. If you see these symptoms and you have ruled out other causes like wind, lack of watering, salinity due to over fertilizing, etc. then treat immediately with 1/2 oz of potassium per linear foot if growing in rows. Apply that between two rows of plants and water in. If you do not treat promptly your fruit and harvest will be affected. For example your cucumbers will curl, have a bell end and be bitter.
In acidic soils use Potassium Choride or Muriate of Potash amzn.to/2aCl3SM which is typically available as 0-0-60 or 0-0-63. In alkaline soils use Potassium Sulfate 0-0-50 amzn.to/2aCkIiU.
To learn more about identifying symptoms and the proper treatment depending on the kind of plant I recommend the following resources available at MittleiderGarde...
Mittleider Gardening Course book
Mittleider Garden Doctor 3 book series
Mittleider Gardening Library CD
LDS Prepper PREMIUM Micro-Nutrient Mix: • DIY Ultimate Plant Foo...
LDSPrepperStor...
LDS Prepper Premium Plant Micro Nutrients
Mittleider Gardening Course Book
Heirloom Garden Seeds
Berkey Water Filters
Off-Grid Portable Solar Generator

[@judya.2528]

This is a brilliant idea! I will always recognize this deficiency in my plants now. Looking forward to more of these kind of videos, thanks.

[@ptrain9020]

That was very informative and I can't wait to see more videos on deficiencies in plants like pumpkins etc.

[@yvonnehaylock59]

Patrick Pittman

[@biologist2wildlife]

His enthusiasm and dramatic style as he introduces the subject reminds me of Huell Howser and is well done; he draws in the audience. Excellent delivery of useful information every Gardner needs to know.. Thanks! I hope he has videos on other nutrient deficiencies and problems.

[@eireannsg]

I found it stupid and boring. Do it once or twice but not a full TWO minutes long

[@naplescajun]

Great information! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I always wondered what the problem was on my cucumbers.

[@eireannsg]

confused info.

[@Deacon_M]

Great job explaining this deficiency! Went out and treated my cucumbers right after watching. Thanks! Would love to see more videos like this.

[@davejennings6280]

If you're one to burn a wood fire somewhat regularly, you can periodically sew the ash into your soil. It's a great way to both purpose the ash, and maintain your garden's potassium.

[@tblbaby]

If your soil is close to alkaline that can push it over. Great if it's too acid.

[@tblbaby]

That's good, if your soil is acidic, if not, it can stunt of even kill plants by pushing the PH up.

[@ilikeguavaalot111]

Finally someone explains k deficiency in humans language

[@RGJ109]

Thanks for the helpful examples and science behind the solution.

[@daichimax]

Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge!

[@grasshopperz23]

Excellent , I have this problem currently.

[@biologist2wildlife]

BEAUTIFUL GARDEN! Almost doesn't look real, it's so lush and happy.

[@colbys1257]

Wow. That was really detailed and answered heaps of questions for me. Thanks.

[@theghettogardener6985]

Thanks for the info. Cucumbers are one of my biggest crops, and I wouldn't have know anything about this.

[@PharmSilver]

Love your garden. I may be buying these books. Looks handy for identifying issues.

[@angelaj2771]

Thank you for being willing to "stress" a few of your plants for our benefit. I am a visual learner so this helps bring home the lessons in the books. Also do you know if your geothermal green house will be added to the books at a later date?

[@LDSPrepper]

I don't expect the geo-air technology will be added to any Mittleider books. I am working on editing all the construction videos and making them available on DVD.

[@angelaj2771]

+LDSPrepper that's wonderful, thank you for sharing all you efforts.

[@saronaalesana684]

thank you so much this is exactly what i needed to know about my unhappy tomatoes

[@sumo479]

Hi there, you have some very nice plants. A calcium deficiency in cucumbers can also present with similar symptoms like dry leaf edges, necrosis/dead spots in the leaf tissue though you typically get of a cupping of the leaf and the fruit malformed at the blossom end rather than the stem. I'm sure you probably knew that but it may help other viewers.

[@LDSPrepper]

Thank you for sharing. I'll be doing a calcium deficiency video too.

[@atomizer2665]

Increasing potassium (K) stimulates the need for more manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe). Potassium is antagonistic towards boron (B) and magnesium (Mg). using excessive levels of potassium will make boron and magnesium less available to the plant. Symptoms will show up as B and Mg deficiencies which cant be fixed by adding B and Mg because it is caused by excess K.

[@stevew1851]

Great format, great information. More, more.

[@storyvoiceJP]

Thank you for sharing. Have a nice day

[@doublearanchallen7543]

great information. Thank you. Wish you were still down here in the Houston area.

[@bmw2733]

Thank you for this video. I now know what to do with my plants! For years i have lost crop after crop over potassium!! I have my Mittleider book but cant read fast enough this first year. Every year going forward, will be better and better. Thank you again

[@scorp10fl53]

Thanx! Very professional video. I think I just heard my garden sigh with relief! Will be sure to check out your other vids. Fred Simcoe county, Ontario Canada

[@LissaAus]

Very useful info, thank you. Yes - you did go on too long at the beginning showing leaf after leaf but then the pace picked up.

[@auntiepam5649]

Thank you very informative.

[@philxray666]

Exactly the same thing is happening to my choko plant leaves. I hope a dose of potash will help!

[@duypham76]

This explains why my cucumber plant died! I thought it was insects killing it! Thanks, I'll try again next year.

[@dabantofiq510]

very very thanks man for your humanity.

[@susanandrews5014]

Thank you for the info I came across it just in time because my cucumbers plants started looking terrible and I could not understand why and so you told me so thanks a million iambic going to order the book

[@chrischandler3041]

When will you post a video on the tomato deficiency?

[@suzanadancks]

great info. thank you so much

[@pamrakes474]

Thanks David I enjoyed it.

[@coveviewaccommodation8973]

Thankyou you have solved my cucumber problem

[@MattsShop]

5:45 That's Potassium Chloride not Potassium Nitrate. It says Muriate of Potassium which is Potassium Chloride. If it was the Nitrate form the first number wouldn't be 0 it would be 13. Like 13-0-46. Just a slight clarification. Good vid though!

[@christophergruenwald5054]

Matt's Shop close, it says muriate of potash. Which you are right, is KCl

[@jossietrinidad4770]

I have a pepper plant. There is a black color on the top of the branch. How will you treat this problem?

[@name-ub5dt]

Thanks my cucumbers look just like the ones in your video..my cucumbers are growning in A Aquaponic system...and I have strawberry in a N.F.T.system that are showing signs of potassium deficiency they are full of new growth but the leafs are very yellow with dark green veins...you video was every helpful...thanks for sharing...

[@sitindogmas]

excellent information and explanation 💚

[@ronalddiaz9441]

Welcome back LDS, We missed these kind of videos :)

[@bang2subekti]

Thank you for this awesom info, I would like to ask you what is the proper fertilizer on the konjac plant or elephant food plan, both in vegetative and generative phase thank you...

[@larryadams458]

Hi LDSPrepper, well you've already helped me once this season with my garden, and with this video it looks like you will be able to help me again. Based on your description, it looks like I, or, more accurately, my cucumber plants, have potassium deficiency and I plan to try and rectify that this evening. The one difference, however, is that while you had many cucumbers growing, even if some where misshapen, I only have one fruit that I can see. Lots of leafs, but little fruit. Also, should I prune the damaged leafs, especially those at the bottom of the plants? Oh, one other thing, one of my squash plants have blossom end rot. I've added calcium, which has helped, but do you think potassium would be helpful? Thanks for everything. I'm going to order the books so that I'm prepared for fall garden, and next year's growing season.

[@larryadams458]

Forgive my poor grammar. That is what happens when I take a quick break from work to feed my gardening fixation.

[@reginaleathers3718]

Love the video. Question: Can you crush up Potassium pills (add to water) and use them to feed to your plants? Thanks

[@LDSPrepper]

I imagine you could. It would be very expensive compared to just buying a bag of potassium.

[@melissajennings8999]

Thanks so very much for the advice! I tried it & hope it works! If nothing else at least I'm prepared for next year! Also though, I would like to thank you for providing the link to get the Mittleider series of books. I looked on Amazon & was shocked & dismayed to find that book 1 in the series was selling for $500!!! Thanks to you, I was able to order all 3 for about the price of one much less the $500 for a used Volume 1! You rock in my world for sure!! Next year I will be doing things differently and will be better armed against the problems that have plagued my garden this year! Keep up the great work, I for one will keep watching, liking & sharing!

[@williamwalter8554]

Thanks for the great video David. So after the diagnosis and and solution is applied, would you remove damaged leaves so the plant can focus on new growth and fruit/vegetable production. Cheers, Bill

[@LDSPrepper]

Yes, absolutely. I always remove leaves that remove resources from the plant while not providing any to it.

[@gljay]

+LDSPrepper if ye are dependant on outside sources to keep your garden up ye are not prepared. Ye need to study the back to eden film and back to eden garden full tour videos here on youtube. He does NOT fertilize his garden. Find out why.

[@gljay]

+LDSPrepper if ye are dependant on outside sources to keep your garden up ye are not prepared. Ye need to study the back to eden film and back to eden garden full tour videos here on youtube. He does NOT fertilize his garden. Find out why.

[@seecanon5840]

Why are my cukes bitter tasting? I have to take potassium every day for cramps in my legs and chest. Miss you in Texas.

[@LDSPrepper]

I could be the variety of cucs. More likely it is a lack of nutrients. It could be one or many nutrients that it needs. If you want sweet taking veggies make sure you feed them what they need, how much they need, when they need it. I'd recommend using the Mittleider weekly feed to simplify the process, lower the cost, increase yields, improve plant health and make sweet produce. You can go to MittleiderGardening.com to get more information and the micro nutrients to make your feed.

[@jamese5921]

thanks for the info

[@MrRentcor]

if you are using the mittlieder amendments, why is there a K deficiency?

[@nereidapr1]

Geat video.

[@kane9260]

great video and looking foward to the next! my toms have a mottled yellowing between the veins...im guessing its a mg deficiency but as it my first year growing im abit reluctant to foliar with some epsom :p

[@cathywickholm3326]

I see you say to use 1/2 oz K per linear foot. (I have 0-0-50) How many ounces per gallon of water for my sprayer?

[@wobblybob7029]

i'm confused if you are using a weekly feed that contains a 16-16-16 N P K why is there a POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY ?

[@sgtjenko]

Not enough needs and extra boost

[@christophergruenwald5054]

He said he purposely didn’t feed those plants

[@zeffur7]

What exactly is your application rate?? Is it 1/2 oz of K fertilizer per linear foot or 1/2 oz of nutrient (K) per linear foot?? Without knowing your plant's K requirements or knowing how much K is in your soil, exactly how do you think you are going to optimally add K to your growing medium??

[@izzzzzz6]

Your in a greenhouse so how does local rainfall effect your soil? Is this due to winter weather as when the greenhouse is dismantled? I can see why different parts of the country have different fertiliser available due to this. Could you mention over fertilisation as i know that this can also damage the plants. Also yellowing could be due to lack of pruning and the plant becoming overwhelmed by surrounding leaves from it's own canopy or from those of neighbouring plants. I just heard you mention rust fungus, we have a lemongrass in our greenhouse and it has many rust spots along some of it's leaves. Is this a lemongrass specific thing or is it just more sensitive?

[@sweetcipollino4092]

potassium NITRATE 0-0-44 ? You just made my day ))

[@ManifoldSky]

Exactly! Potassium Nitrate by itself has an NPK value of 13-0-44. Science died a little.

[@nickangelovski4358]

Hi just wondering where I could find the tomato deficiency video you briefly mentioned at the end?

[@angeld6243]

is he gonna tell what it caused or is he continue to say uh oh.. wow.. holy cow.. grrrr

[@angeld6243]

KiKi Renee lol yeah I didn't bother to watch the video.. Too much Ohhhh ahhhh uh oh and saintly cows running around.. 😂..

[@MrHistoryfreak]

to fix my potassium i dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of salt substitute(KCl) into 5 gallon water and leave it in the sun for two days and then pour more water in the solution then use it as needed. they sell it in the store in the salt area under nosalt or morton salt substitute cause i know pure gardening potassium is a little expensive.

[@albanymountainhomestead]

interesting

[@eatmaipoop]

thank you kindly for giving me this wisdom to gain better plant life for my garden. i could have done this on my own but your aid in learning from you is just the same. i appreciate your service.

[@LDSPrepper]

I have learned and continue to learn much from others and I too am very grateful. That is one reason I try to give back. If we all give we all receive.

[@ciprianionel4247]

Do you think you could use Potassium Chloride Pellets,, like the ones used in water softeners (Nature's Own sold at H Depot, #40 bag). Can't find Muriate of Potash locally. I figured potassium chloride is potassium chloride, I'd just have to crush it a bit, or dissolve it in water first....

[@severinatejada1165]

What time do i need to spray My jome made fungicide?

[@grayeagleswolves]

Hi LDS Preper I have a Question can you grow in can you grow what you need to eat if you are in an Rv Prk. in a container for storing things if you put down hey and then top soil and then the seed ?

[@LDSPrepper]

I'm thinking you may have been very tired when you wrote you question. I'm not sure what you are asking. Please repost so I can help.

[@grayeagleswolves]

Hi LDS Preper I have a Question can you grow in can you grow what you need to eat if you are in an Rv Prk. in a container for storing things if you put down hey and then top soil and then the seed ?

[@priayief]

I'm guessing that if you need to add bio-available potassium, you can add a synthetic fertilizer but wouldn't an application of good home-made compost work?

[@eireannsg]

1) Skip the first 2 minutes of whining 2) Did you say potassium fixation or Calcium fixation. For Calcium fixation ...that exists because there are many Calcium salts that are poorly soluble But there is no potassium fixation. Maybe you heard something wrongly. All Potassium salts are easily soluble. Potassium rather gets rinsed out than being fixated. I dont think any of those poorly soluble potassium salts form...:potassium tetraphenylborate, potassium hexachloroplatinate and potassium cobaltinitrite

[@justtryingtogrowsomefood8074]

i saw a mittleider micro mix on amazon is it the real thing it dont look the same as the onces i have seen u use

[@MrRentcor]

if you are using the mittlieder method with amendments, why is there a K deficiency?

[@wickedpissahgarden4450]

You have better luck at growing cukes than I do.

[@LDSPrepper]

Thank you. The thing I have learned about gardening is you don't have to have luck, just knowledge applied properly. That is why I encourage people to use the Mittleider gardening method. That is where I have gotten all my knowledge. I've only been doing this for 4 years. I just bought the $20 Mittleider Gardening course book, studied it and applied what I learned. No luck needed. Anyone can do this. www.MittleiderGardening.com

[@echosquest]

groundup banana peel and banana mashed up in the compost?

[@VladTheImpalerTepesIII]

LDSPrepper isn't into methods that take a lot of time. He's all about buying something and applying it. Buy, Apply, Forget.

[@dancelessonsorlando7231]

Great idea! Now I understand why my plants improve. Here's what I do: I dig a small hole next to the sickly plant, and bury three or for banana peels. Grinding them up sounds like you are a good and caring gardener. Your plants are lucky to have you. Me, I'm lazy. Near the end of the video he says he is LDS - they like chemicals. No trying to convince them.

[@tblbaby]

LDS like chemicals? like it's part of the religion? lol. When I see one religion going to any lengths of stupidity to bash & defame another, I know they're assholes and to stay away. That's not good in Christianity. Try Islam probably.

[@askaxis]

Dance Lessons Orlando m

[@karinsaurage-bob6298]

...and then you just bashed and defamed by implicating Islam...hmmmmm!?

[@BullNBarbell]

I am in The Woodlands and all I see here is 13-13-13. Where did you find 16-16-16?

[@LDSPrepper]

Walker's feed store. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWSod5ZqbNCjipY

[@poepflater]

Curly cucumbers is also a symptom of incomplete pollination.

[@VenusFlyTrapBuddy]

Is the mittleider system organic?

[@Amanda-cn3pk]

I use bannana/egg shell water on my plants and they thrive

[@lavonhall-mershon2049]

How do you you these ingredients for your cucs?

[@rwiiiw7335]

You run on so much, it annoys me while I am waiting for you to get to the point.

[@sunwarz]

What I do is go to my local market, and ask for any rotten bananas, that they may have that cant be sold or reduced in price, and bring them home and throw them into my compost pile to degrade with everything else! Sometimes I score big, I came home with 50 pounds a few times!

[@LDSPrepper]

Free potassium is great. So, if you see your plants have a potassium deficiency how to you treat them so they get the nutrient they need immediately? And how do you know you are given them enough, not too much and not too little?

[@sunwarz]

My garden seems to do very well, I mix all my weeds, chicken poop, kitchen scraps,egg shells, and paper, and wood ash from the fire pit in my composter and spread threw my garden every year! I don't, test my soil, or use anything but my own compost tea! I use diatomaceous earth and soapy water for pests! Its not an exact science, but I do it every year and its never let me down! I have had 4 lb tomatoes, celery and cabbage and broccoli and Brussel sprouts, and cucumber squash, lettuce,asparagus, beets, swiss chard, carrots,peas, beans, varieties of pepper plants, strawberries blueberries and raspberries, grapes and my herbs, all do very well, all in the same mix! Totally organic, I rotto till every two years, my crops go right into the ground, no raised beds, just hills! Why change when it works for me? I started with a rock hard plot of clay, added some sand, lots of horse manure and ooddles of peat moss when I first broke the soil! Its never seen pesticides or store bought fertilizer! I have spread some left over oyster shell from the chickens around a few times ,but not enough really to make a difference! Some things I rotate ,some things I don't! If my leaves turn a dry yellow, I water them more or add some compost tea, some time Ill cover them with a light white material for a few days to protect them from the sun, not the whole garden ,just the effected plants! If they are yellow and the leaves fall off easy then its too much moisture!

[@RevolutionGardens]

Ldsprepper- do you know the symptoms of Downy Mildew? I live in the Houston area, and i always have the same signs as your leaves. I use a balanced fertilizer, so i never considered it a deficiency of K . Ive always thought it to be Downy Mildew because of all the rain.

[@LDSPrepper]

If you have mildew you'll have a white or gray fuzzy growth on your leaves. First thing is prune, prune, prune. Always keep your plants pruned allowing lots of air and light through the plant. Mildew grows because of moisture. That is what I did in Houston and it really helped.

[@donnaz1961]

Potassium drives the health of the plant 👍

[@mamasaidsew4843]

weekly feed won't prevent this?

[@LDSPrepper]

Some plant want or need more of s certain nutrient than other plants. You may recall in my video I showed you all the other plants in my garden and none of them had a potassium deficiency, just the cucumbers. I figure if they need more K I'll give it to them. Then they will give me nutrient dense fruit. A great exchange.

[@yamahawins]

couldn't you have just said "you'll have these issue's" then went into solutions, etc

[@LDSPrepper]

Yes, I could have.

[@DennisTotman]

What's the variety of cuke?

[@LDSPrepper]

We grow three varieties: Boston pickling, Straight 8 and suyo long cucumbers.

[@jccuchvjvj]

I got white spots after epson salt spray. Might be burning

[@karlaname9902]

Thank you ! Love your videos!

[@theylaughatmynickname4860]

muriate of potash is potassium chloride and potassium nitrate isnt 0-0-44

[@masoodalikahi8651]

hi.i live in iran and we cant buy those books .i wanna know if you could e-mail me pdf of those books .it means the worlds to me cause have 4000 meters cucumber green house and i need those information.thank you

[@David..832]

Muriate of potash works

[@LDSPrepper]

Yes, that is the same thing.

[@David..832]

@@LDSPrepper I had the same problem and didn't know why. Most organic fertilizer doesn't have enough K for my squash, lemon cucumbers etc. and I couldn't wait for my banana water to sit. It took a while to figure it out at first but such is garden life.

[@LDSPrepper]

@@David..832 I agree, organic fertilizers or teas have such low amounts of nutrients that it is hard to feed enough to the plants to help them recover. This way, side dressing, with nutrients has proven to help the plants within 24-48 hours.

[@David..832]

@@LDSPrepper Yes sir👍

[@kurtwauters6159]

Potassium nitrate is 13-0-46

[@nickangelovski4358]

👍

[@MichaelMantion]

skip to 4:14 for treatment, Your welcome. LDSPrepper you should work to make shorter videos, 5 minute videos are most popular.

[@taffy7404]

Bert & Ernie

[@jameskeys783]

calium is low

[@wolfeden343]

:)

[@scorp10fl53]

Thanx! Very professional video. I think I just heard my garden sigh with relief! Will be sure to check out your other vids. Fred Simcoe county, Ontario Canada