Here Are A Few Reasons Potassium Soap Is A Gardener’s Best Friend
It’s a fact that using artificial chemicals to care for plants can be harmful to people and even their pets. Luckily, there is potassium soap, also known as potash or potassium soap. It is a product capable of controlling various diseases in the garden: all without contaminating or causing health problems. In fact, it is a means accepted and used in organic farming since it has low toxicity and very high effectiveness.
What is potassium soap used for?
Potassium soap is widely used in agriculture. As already mentioned, its main function is to keep certain diseases and pests under control in order to reduce the rate of pest and insect destruction on plants.
Benefits of Potassium soap for plants
Potassium soap is an excellent organic insecticide. It is composed of vegetable oils, water, and potassium hydroxide (KOH). These components are mixed to produce a pH-neutral substance that has excellent properties as a household insecticide. As a result of this, it can be used without problems on plants since it does not affect plant tissues.
In addition, it does not attack certain insects such as bees, wasps, and bumblebees that provide its benefits. But it does keep other plant pests and diseases such as mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites under control.
Other Benefits of Potassium Soap
- It helps to eliminate the weeds that produce the “black fungus”: a kind of dust that can deform plants.
- It serves as fertilizer since when it decomposes, it releases potash carbonate, which is a favorable substance for plant roots.
- It is perfect for attacking harmful insects such as mealybugs, whiteflies, larvae, or different soft cuticle insects that affect the plants' leaves, stems, and roots.
In addition, potassium soap also helps to keep bees nearby to increase pollination. Each of its functions means that this product can be used without restrictions, unlike other phytosanitary products that are more aggressive.
Potassium soap also helps to control Aphids
Aphids are usually one of the most common pests in orchards. Fortunately, potassium soap is very effective in combating them. The composition of potash acts by contact on the cuticle of the aphid to break it down and exterminate it. But at the same time, it keeps the cellular structure of the plant intact.
However, care must be taken at the time of application. The best time to do it is in the early hours of the day or in the late afternoon, and also when it is not raining so that the product is not washed away.
In addition, it is good to use as a dose about 10 ml to 20 ml diluted in 10 liters of water. This ensures that the soap has the desired effect. It is advisable to do several treatments. It is best to apply it to the plant by spraying every 15 days. Pay special attention to the newest leaves and the back of the plant. Undoubtedly, using potassium soap is an excellent alternative to more harmful insecticides.
