effects of Potassium Chloride or Sodium Chloride on soil

dustoff79 · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 96 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

I have put off spraying of my Ball Moss until the winter as I have been told it is the best time to spray and kill it. (not sure if that is true, as I see it growing well with all the rain we have had lately) I still have not decided on the best spray (KCl or NaCl) I have been told both are effective, with a little Garrett Juice added. My question is which is better KCl or NaCl and what are the impact on the soil. I have lots of spraying to do, and assume I will get alot of it in the soil. What should I do to mitigate the effects if any before and after spraying?

Dirt Doctor · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Posts: 580 Location: Dallas,Tx

Glad I saw this. You don't want to use either of those salts. Potassium bicarbonate is preferred for the ball moss control and it is KHCO3.

dustoff79 · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 96 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

Thanks, Yes i agree. I was thinking bi-carbonate and writing cloride. This answers which is better but does not help on the effects on the soil, if any. Nor, mitigation necessary if any.

CaptainCompostAL · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 875 Location: Irondale,Alabama

Potassium products are definitely more healthy for plants and beneficial soil organisms than sodium or chlorine products.

However if you regularly enrich your soil with lots of humate products, (like compost or aerated compost tea recipes), over time the effects of small amounts of either potassium or sodium or chlorine products is minimum. Good sustainable soil management is all about balance and moderation.

The extra humates and aerobic microbes in mature compost products helps buffer and balance the effects of potassium, sodium, magnesium, and even aluminum in soils.

Some folks even claim the effects of small amounts of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), mixed in mature compost or aerated compost tea, even helps balance and buffer excessive amounts of Nacl or KCl salts in healthy sustainable soils.

Happy Gardening!

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2001 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

What you need is the proper salt balance in the soil. From among all the possible salts, they need to balance. So if you get too much of one, you can rebalance by adding the others. At least that's how I understood a conversation with K Chandler.

If you spray a salt and your garden goes haywire, send a soil sample to The Texas Plant and Soil Lab and tell them what you did and how it looks.