To Make Up Booster Powder

[Optibloom]

Hi,
I am trying to prepare a Booster Powder with NPK 0-52-31
using the following fertlizer salts:-

Mono Potassium Phosphate
Mono Ammonium Phospahe
SuperPhosphate
Thiamnine B1
How would I calculate the amount of the salts mentioned above to use to
form the above NPK.
I believe that this will strengthen the stems and increase flowering of
Orchids.
Would appreciate the calculation formula and also the amount to use.
Thank you.

[Ray]

First, I think there is no such thing as a "booster". Plants only need a small amount of potassium, and adding more does nothing.

However, if you want to try it for yourself, you need to start by knowing the chemical formulas of your raw materials, and the weight percentages of each of the elements in them.

You'll want to avoid the ammonium phosphate, as that contains nitrogen, and you don't want any of that, apparently.

In fertilizer formulas, P is expressed as P2O5, which is 44% P by weight. Therefore, your raw materials must contribute 52 x 44% = 22.88 g of P for each 100 g total.

Likewise, potassium is expressed as K2O, so you have to do a similar gravimetric adjustment for it.

[Optibloom]

Hello Ray,
I received your suggestion and will work on it to find out what happens and if makes any good results.
I will keep you informed.
Thanks once again and best wishes.

Mike Jacob.

[Optibloom]

Hi Ray,
I tried calculating as per your suggestion but I still cannot work the amount of each chemical salt to make up I kg product to achieve NPK 1 - 52 - 31.
from Mono Potassium Phosphate,Super Phosphate,Mono Ammonium Phosphate.
Could you kindly assist me here please.
Thank you
Mike Jacob.

[orchidsamore]

I would consider 0-52-11 to be a disaster for orchids.

It is way to much phosphorus, which will kill the microbes in the medium. With that much phosphorus the plant will not be able to absorb any nutrients from the medium.

Phosphorus is the chemical runoff that is polluting the Everglades in Florida. It was banned from laundry detergents because it is so bad for the environment.

If you are trying to make it to increase flowering, be advised it also does not 'boost' flowering and I believe it makes the plants weaker and weak plants flower poorly.

Most commercial growers like myself either use balance formulas like 13-13-13 or slightly higher Nitrogeon like 17-3-7

[Ray]

Jerry, while I agree that such a material used alone at full strength would be detrimental to the plants, a small amount as an additive is likely to not hurt anything. (It won't help blooming either, but experimentation never hurts).

You are dead on as to the phosphorus runoff issue. Here in PA, the DEP is even looking at runoff from cattle manure related to supplements.

[Ray]

Mike (Sorry I haven't responded - forgot to look here), let's take a look at the monoammonium phosphate from the simple angle:

Chemically, it is NH4.H2PO4, and it is labeled as 11-52-0. If you wanted a 1%N final product therefore, you could use at a maximum, 9% of it by weight in your formula (you cannot use it at all if you're shooting for 0% N). At that rate, it is contributing 0.99% N and 4.68% P2O5.

Monopotassium phosphate is 0-52-34 (pretty close to your non-nitrogen target, all by itself), so if you mixed 91% of it with the 9% of the monoammonium phosphate, your resulting formula would be 1-52-31.

You can also do this using the weight percentages of the elements in your raw materials, but that would be more useful in more complex formulations, like a complete fertilizer.

[luckygrower]

this makes my head hurt