I have finally gotten drawn into this thread. First, Muriate of Potash is Potassium Chloride, plus trace elements, if it is bought for agricultural use. There are numerous Google links that provide more information than most of us would ever want on the topic. Second, it is true that chloride is not good for plants at some level, but not much information on exactly what that level might be for individual species in specific cultural situations. Third - this leaves us wanting to know more about Potassium Sulphate which may not have the same problems, but there is less information. I regularly top dress bulbs in my garden with Muriate of Potash, and I have added some of it, dissolved in water along with other chemical fertilizer to potted bulbs, but not in any sort of controlled experiments. Who has specific information on Potassium Sulphate and its use? Alberto Castillo wrote: > Dear all: > > Mary Sue and Lyn raised an interesting point. Perhaps we should > abandon the concept of tomato fertilizer (in the English sense) meaning a > fertilizer low or very low in nitrogen and high in potassium. Bananas, > tomatoes, bulbs of all sorts, African violets, etc. are all plants that take > important quantities of potassium from the media or soils. Perhaps it is too > simple to mention tomato fertilizers for them. High potassium would be > better? > Chlorides are toxic to most plants. Its curious effect on tobacco > is what makes most fertilizers have potassium in some other form. > Again, muriate of potash (K2SO4) is the same as potassium > sulphate (K2SO4) and contains no chloride in any form (or it would be a > chloride instead of a sulphate!). > Sea water is toxic due to the sodium (besides the Cl). > While information from great experts like John Lonsdale or Jane > McGary are based on an enormous amount of practical experience, I must > mention that although his comments on virus manifestations related to stress > are 100% true and undisputable it is also true that a hygiene program and > the continuing production of plants from seed minimizes virus incidence to > very low rates. There exist nurseries that excel in the production of virus > free material, Dirk Wallace for instance. Another case is that Rust-en-Vrede > in South Africa, run by Dr Alan Horstmann: I have grown tenths of species > from them obtained as bulbs and corms and in over a decade NEVER EVER a > single virus case appeared in his plants. Of course there are other bulb > firms producing superb material but there are others that amply distribute > heavily virused material. As John says so well, these show up under stress > (like changing hemispheres). So, always maintain newly introduced material > in a separate spot and very carefully watch the development of new foliage: > it is most often at their tips that viruses show up, then becoming masked > and acting as dangerous carriers. > > Best > Alberto > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN Amor: busca tu ½ naranja http://latam.msn.com/amor/ > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php