What it is
WS-K is natural potassium leached out of dried tobacco stems by soaking them in water. Potassium is the mineral that moves sugars into fruit, activates starch-building enzymes, and drives proper color development in ripening crops. In water-soluble form it is quickly absorbed by the plant.
On the Nutritive Cycle: WS-K is a reproductive-stage input. Potassium is translocated heavily to the fruit during enlargement, so this is the mineral that fills, sweetens, and colors the harvest.
When to use it
- Fruit enlargement and ripening — dilute 0.7 L crude liquid : 20 L water and use alone.
- Best applied for color and finish once fruit has set — deficiency shows first on older leaves (yellow-brown edges).
- WS-K reduces lodging, increases yield, and improves crop quality.
Do NOT apply WS-K with nitrogen in hot, humid weather or on a rainy day — the synergy pushes nitrogen uptake and causes overgrowth.
Materials
- Dried tobacco stems — 1 kg
- Water — 5 L
- Clay jar or mud pot, hemp/cotton cloth bag, porous paper, rubber band
How to make it
- Dry and cut. Dry the tobacco stems and cut them into pieces — keep them coarse, never ground to powder.
- Bag 1 kg. Pack 1 kg of stems into a cloth bag.
- Soak in 5 L. Dip the bag in 5 L of water to dissolve the potassium into a crude liquid.
- Wait 7 days. About 7 days leaches the natural potassium out.
- Draw off the liquid. The crude potassium liquid is ready to dilute and use.
Signs it worked / troubleshooting
- ✅ Good: amber crude liquid after ~7 days of soaking.
- ⚠️ Magnesium deficiency in the middle of leaves = potassium applied too strong → ease back the dose.
- 🚫 Overgrowth after spraying = WS-K was combined with nitrogen in heat/rain → stop and dilute future applications.
How to store
Cool, shaded jar with no direct sunlight, ideally 23–25 °C. Cover with porous paper and a rubber band so it can breathe.