POTASH

What is it?

Potash is the word used to describe the fertilizer form of potassium (K). The term stems from the old method of leaching wood ashes and evaporating the solution in pots for use as a fertilizer.

Potash is the 7th most common element in the earth's crust and is one of the most important nutrients for plants alongside nitrogen and phosphorous. Worldwide potash production is more than 30 million tonnes per year.

Fertilizer potash mainly comes from minerals in seas that dried up millions of years ago and just needs separating from the salt and other minerals.

What does it do?

Potash improves disease resistance, water retention, nutrient level and the colour of plants. It provides a positive contribution to the environment by balancing other nutrients to ensure they are taken up and used by plants in an efficient way. Also, as a fertilizer, potash forms part of a long-term, natural and sustainable global cycle of potassium.

Other uses for potash

Whilst 95% of the world's potash is used in fertilizers, its other main uses are for livestock feed supplements and industrial processes. It is also used for snow and ice melting, steel heat-treating and to produce such things as oil-well drilling fluid, to name but a few.