Use Moss Control Product to Add Potash to My Lawn?

[Jay Chan]

My lawn is significantly lack of potash according to soil test result from local county extension office. But the soil also has too much phosphate. I am looking for a way to add potash without raising phosphate level in my soil, and do this cheaply. I cannot use regular fertilizer that tends to always have not so small amount of phosphate. I have a message thread about this called "How to Add Enough Potash to Lawn in a Year?" not so long ago.

I find that there is a moss control product in Home Depot that has a large amount of potash, and has no phosphate. This sounds great. But I am wondering if it may hurt my lawn; afterall, I don't have moss problem in my lawn.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

[Steveo]

You can use muriate of potash but the delivery rate is pretty fast, so there's a burn potential. The moss control is a burn off product soI'd beware of that too.

I'd go with the muriate, in small doses and only with cool temps and irrigation.

[Jay Chan]

Thanks for the warning.

Seem like there is risk of burning the grass whichever way I choose. Can I simply choose whichever product is available and apply either one in cool temperature?

Are you referring to "muriatic acid" (hydrochloric acid)? I haven't heard this name before.

Jay Chan

[Eurocat]

Muriate of potash (a dry fertilizer concentrate) is NOT muriatic acid (a liquid ).

[Steveo]

True. Either one will smoke plant material tho. (if you over muriate)

[Steveo]

Hey Jay, you're only taking an aspirin for the pain with that moss away product. You'll need to address drainage, airflow, and lack of sunshine, topsoil, and irrigation, if you really want to grow turf-grass there.

Sometimes ground covers are better.

[William W. Plummer]

It's been a half century since I had a chemistry class. But, as I recall, "muriatic acid" is an old, obsolete name for hydrochloric acid (HCl). And, I believe "muriatic acid" is not pure HCl, but is purposely adulterated to prevent it from being used in a production line because it is cheaper than pure HCl.

"Potash" is some sort of potassium (K), probably KNO3. So HCl and KNO3 will probably react to form KCl, potassium chloride ("muriate of potash"?)you want for your soil, and HNO3 which will evaporate. I'm way out on a limb here and hope I got it all right and didn't mislead anyone.

Frankly, I wouldn't mess with muriatic acid or muriate of potash. Just buy standard garden fertilizers which have the N-P-K numbers that suit your needs.

[Bonnie Jean]

This whole thread is funny---------I am trying to figure out ways to kill the grass in large areas of my lawn, and allow the moss to thrive. I am going to increase the acidity and see if that doesn't kill the grass over time. I LOVE moss and would be thrilled to have a lawn entirely of only moss. Green, soft, and requires no mowing. It is somewhat delicate though and I couldn't have is in the backyard where the dogs play.

[Jay Chan]

Thanks for the explanation. I will search for it using that key word.

Jay Chan

[Jay Chan]

Thanks for the explanation.

The problem is that my soil is already loaded with excessive amount of phosphate, and most commonly available fertilizers always have some amount of phosphate. I am afraid that if I use regular fertilizer to increase the level of potash (like 10-10-10 or 21-5-11), I will end up getting too much phosphate. This is the reason why I want to find a way to add potash to the soil without also adding phosphate.

Jay Chan

[Jay Chan]

I have a feeling that I might not have explained clearly in my original post.

I don't have moss problem in my lawn and I am not against having moss either. I am trying to use the moss control product not to control moss, but to use its large quantity of potash (16%) to add potash into the soil (if this is OK to do so). The good thing is that the moss control product has large quantity of potash, but without any phosphate (I have too much phosphate in my soil). It seems to be perfect for me. However, I don't know if there is any downside of using it in my lawn.

Jay Chan