As a fertiliser, potassium is sometimes called “potash,” a term that comes from an early production technique where potassium was leached from wood ashes and concentrated by evaporating the leachate in large iron pots (“pot-ash”). This practice is no longer practical and is not environmentally sustainable. In food production, potassium is removed from the soil in harvested crops and must be replaced in order to maintain future crop. We make ours by allowing our Biochar proceed to burn through to ash by not quenching it.
Potassium widely found in nature
Fertilizers such as potassium chloride and potassium sulfate are widely found in nature. Fortunately, there are huge reserves of potash in the earth that can meet our need for this nutrient for many centuries to come. This fertilizer is not an artificial or manufactured chemical, since it comes directly from the earth and is recycled through very long geological processes.
Potassium is an important mineral required for human health. Since potassium is not stored in the body, it is necessary to continually replace this nutrient on a regular basis with potassium-rich foods. Diets high in potassium and low in sodium have been shown to be beneficial for avoiding high blood pressure.
Essential for plant health, potassium must be in adequate supply in the soil to maintain good growth. When the potassium supply is limited, plants have reduced yields, poor quality, utilize water less efficiently, and are more susceptible to pest and disease damage.
In many parts of the world, agricultural soils are gradually becoming depleted of potash. Some soils were high in potassium when they were first cultivated long ago. However, after many years of intensive cropping and repeated nutrient removal during harvest, many fields now require regular inputs of potash to maintain their productivity.