Excessive Potassium and Phosphorus

My soil test says I have excessive levels of phosphorous and potassium. Will this hurt my plants? How can I lower the amount of phosphorus in the soil?

Melinda:

High levels of phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) are common in urban and highly cultivated soils. Labs across teh country are finding that years of adding 10-10-10 or other complete fertilizers to our landscapes has resulted in excess levels of P and K, which can interfere with plants' uptake of other nutrients.

You can't remove P and K from the soil, but you can avoid adding to the problem. Use ammonium sulfate, urea and other nitrogen fertilizers that do not contain phosphorous and potassium. Or select other synthetic or organic fertilizers that have little or no amounts of these nutrients. Your soil test should tell you how much or what type of fertilizer to use. Follow these recommendations for best results.