connoisseurde420
Well-Known Member
^^ thats what im talking about 
foliar feeding done well...
foliar feeding done well...
The Lost Art of Foliar Feeding
- Thread starter spl1
- Start date
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
What results? I see no finished colas.
budman111
Well-Known Member
connoisseurde420
Well-Known Member
negative vibration
PeyoteReligion
Well-Known Member
Your shit is disgusting uncle Ben, I hope you don't pollute the cannabis world with it and just keep it to yourself. I never insulted you in any way, yet you felt the need to call me shit for brains. You are clearly a moron with sensitivity issues.
Hope you learn to grow some good genetics soon. Or just stick to your shitty looking product and insulting people that make observations about it after you put it on a PUBLIC FORUM.
Hope you learn to grow some good genetics soon. Or just stick to your shitty looking product and insulting people that make observations about it after you put it on a PUBLIC FORUM.
grandaddypurped
Active Member
Hi Uncle Ben & budman, thx for your sarcastic inputs....the reason you see no 'finished' colas is because they are not 'finished'...that is day 30 flower. I simply wanted to show that I foliar feed regulary and that all that bushy, lush, healthy growth were my results from foliar feeding.
budman111
Well-Known Member
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
You just earned the title of Double Shit-fer-Brains by having launched your daggers and then denying it, Post #371.
Double Shit-fer-Brains said:
Recommendation - quit while you can or I'll kick your ignorant ass from here to China.
UB
connoisseurde420
Well-Known Member
what happend to the lost art of communtication for information to help the people?
Senseimilla
Well-Known Member
Classic grow argument. "My method's better than yours therefore you suck!!" For me, I don't really how you grow if you get good results you're happy with. What does it matter to me? There are many ways to kill a cat, and many ways to grow cannabis. You guys might as well be arguing over hydro vs. soil.
One person mentioned foliar feeding making up for soil borne deficiencies -- well to throw my two cents in, if you're growing in a well done supersoil environment, there are no 'soil borne deficiencies.' I think this was the point one person was trying to make in response without explicitly saying so. Foliar feeding may help if your plant is deficient -- is it going to help if your plant is already growing optimally? Not sure on that one personally I don't really see how gentle foliar feeding through earlier flowering could hurt though (keyword being gentle).
I can't even comment on the line someone said about using Miracle Gro to foliar. As an organic gardener, that just gives me shivers. To throw my own 'my grow method is better than yours' comment in to fan the flames, why would you want to pump even MORE chemical fertilizers into your plant. Yuck. That's just my opinion though
Here's a question for late flowering -- anyone ever try to foliar just the remaining large fan leaves without hitting buds?
For me, I don't really how you grow if you get good results you're happy with. What does it matter to me? There are many ways to kill a cat, and many ways to grow cannabis. You guys might as well be arguing over hydro vs. soil.One person mentioned foliar feeding making up for soil borne deficiencies -- well to throw my two cents in, if you're growing in a well done supersoil environment, there are no 'soil borne deficiencies.' I think this was the point one person was trying to make in response without explicitly saying so. Foliar feeding may help if your plant is deficient -- is it going to help if your plant is already growing optimally? Not sure on that one personally
I don't really see how gentle foliar feeding through earlier flowering could hurt though (keyword being gentle). I can't even comment on the line someone said about using Miracle Gro to foliar. As an organic gardener, that just gives me shivers. To throw my own 'my grow method is better than yours' comment in to fan the flames, why would you want to pump even MORE chemical fertilizers into your plant. Yuck. That's just my opinion though
Here's a question for late flowering -- anyone ever try to foliar just the remaining large fan leaves without hitting buds?
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
Classic grow argument. "My method's better than yours therefore you suck!!"
One person mentioned foliar feeding making up for soil borne deficiencies -- well to throw my two cents in, if you're growing in a well done supersoil environment, there are no 'soil borne deficiencies.' I think this was the point one person was trying to make in response without explicitly saying so. Foliar feeding may help if your plant is deficient -- is it going to help if your plant is already growing optimally? Not sure on that one personally
I can't even comment on the line someone said about using Miracle Gro to foliar. As an organic gardener, that just gives me shivers. To throw my own 'my grow method is better than yours' comment in to fan the flames, why would you want to pump even MORE chemical fertilizers into your plant. Yuck. That's just my opinion though
Here's a question for late flowering -- anyone ever try to foliar just the remaining large fan leaves without hitting buds?
Sorry, but "chemical" is not a dirty word, unless you're a greenie idealogue. What in the hell do you think makes "organics" work? That's right, chemicals. If organics weren't composed of inorganic minerals aka chemicals, they would be useless to the plant.
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
"Results" implies, well, results as in finale, finished. No sarcasm intended.
KUShSOurSMOKEr
Well-Known Member
Uncle ben ur bare truth seems to piss alot off..i learned alot from u and really appreciate it
foilar feeding wowwww i have found this to be very very very effective!!!!! Way frostier buds and lush growth ! Will never stop.
foilar feeding wowwww i have found this to be very very very effective!!!!! Way frostier buds and lush growth ! Will never stop.
Tebin
Member
Oh my it would seem I misspelled one word,I guess it ruined my post! Thanks for taking the time to point that out though and at least I wasn't a prick about it fucktard.
Lucius Vorenus
Well-Known Member
What's the deal with Calcarb? Worth it?
budman111
Well-Known Member
Guys, here is an interesting piece on foliar feeding by a guy called Eyal Ronen who is the Regional Manager South America for Haifa Chemicals.
FOLIAR FEEDING
Another Successful Way of Feeding Plants.
Foliar feeding is a reliable method of feeding plants when soil feeding is inefficient. In this article, the author highlights when foliar feeding should be considered, how nutrients actually penetrate plant tissue, and some technical limitations to this method of plant feeding.
Plant nutritionist have traditionally considered the obvious way to feed plants is through the soil, where plant roots are meant to uptake water and nutrients, but in recent years foliar feeding has been developed to supply plants with their nutritional needs.
The development of pressurised irrigation equipment such as drip irrigation has promoted the need for water-soluble fertilisers, as clean and purified as possible in order to diminish the possibility of emitters clogging. It is not really clear when foliar feeding started, but after the development of water-soluble and liquid fertilisers farmers have begun to use these fertilisers with sprayers, the same as it is used with applications of pesticides. At the beginning, this technique of spraying nutrients was used for correcting deficiencies of minor elements. However, fast curing has shown that plants can absorb some elements through their tissue. As a result, foliar feeding has gone through further development.
These days foliar feeding is considered among the major techniques used for plant nutrition, supplementing the ground application. In this article I will review the whole concept of foliar application - when it should be considered, how nutrients actually penetrate plant tissue, and some technical limitations of this method of plant feeding.
The case for foliar feeding
Foliar feeding is a ‘by-pass’ approach, overtaking conventional ground fertiliser applications whenever it does not perform well enough. Foliar application overcomes soil fertilisation limitations like leaching, insoluble fertiliser precipitation, antagonism between certain nutrients, heterogenic soils unsuitable for low dosages, and fixation/absorption reactions like in the case of phosphorus and potassium. Foliar feeding can also be used to overcome root problems when they are suffering from limited activity due to low/high temperatures (<100, >400C), lack of oxygen in flooded fields, nematode attack damaging the vascular system, and a decrease in root activity during the reproductive stages where more of the photosynthetic creation is transferred for reproduction with less for root respiration (Trobisch and Schilling, 1970. Foliar feeding has proved to be the fastest way of curing nutrient deficiencies and boosting plant performances at specific physiological stages. With plants competing with weeds, foliar spraying focuses the nutrient application on the target plants. Fertilisers have also been found to be chemically compatible with pesticides, thus saving labour costs. Certain types of fertilisers can even slow down
the hydrolysis rate of pesticides/growth hormones (GA3) owing to lowered pH of the solution and this may improve performance or cut costs.
Fertilisers applied through the plant leaf canopy have to face several structural barriers, unlike pesticides which are mainly oil-based and don’t face difficulties to penetrate the leaf tissue. Nutrients, which are salt based (cations/anions) may face some problems penetrating the inner plant tissue cells. General leaf structure is based on several cellular and non-cellular layers. The different layers support protection against desiccation, UV radiation and various kinds of physical, chemical and (micro) biological agents.
The different layers are characterised by electrical negative charge, which influences the way and rate of penetration of different ions. Some layers are hydrophobic and therefore repulse water-based spray.
The first layer from outside is a wax layer, which is extremely hydrophobic. The epidermal cells synthesize the wax and it crystallises in an intricate pattern of rods, tubes or plates. The wax layer can change during the plant growth cycle.
Cuticle proper
Pectin & Cuticle layer
Primary wall
Secondary wall
Plasma membrane
Cytoplasm
The second layer, referred to as the ‘cuticle proper’, is a non-cellular protective layer surrounded by wax to the upper side and the bottom one as well and made mainly from ‘cutin’ (macromolecule polymer consisting of long-chain fatty acids creating a semi-hydrophilic character).
The following layer is ‘pectin’, negatively charged and made of Polysaccharides that form sugar-acid based gel-like tissue (cellulose and pectic materials).
Next is the outer side of the cells starting with the primary wall. The cuticle has negative charge density as well due to the pectin and cutin (Franke, 1967; Marschner, 1986).
How do nutrients penetrate plant tissue?
When we refer to penetration of nutrients we can define two movements – into the tissue from outside, which is referred to as absorption, and movement from the point of penetration to other parts of the plant that is referred to as translocation.
Penetration/absorption can be done through several organ elements that exist in the tissue. Main penetration is done directly through the cuticle. The penetration is done passively. First to penetrate are the cations as they are attracted to the negative charge of the tissue, and they move passively in accordance to the gradient – high concentration outside and low one inside. After a certain period the cations that have moved inside change the electrical balance in the tissue causing it to be less negative and more positive. From this point on the anions start to penetrate the tissue in the same manner as described for the cations
Since the penetration is a passive one, the rate of diffusion across the membrane is proportional to the concentration gradient, therefore achieving a high concentration without scorching the tissue - may dramatically improve the penetration.
Figure 3
Penetration also occurs through the stomata, which are aperture controlled for gas exchange and transpiration. It is known that these apertures differ between different plant species, their distribution, occurrence, size and shape. In broadleaf crops and trees, most of the stomata are on the lower leaf surface, while grass species have the same number on both surfaces.
Size may differ, for example, sorghum stomata are four times larger than bean stomata. High penetration is estimated to be due to high cuticle pore density in cell walls between guard cells and subsidiary cells (Maier-Maercker). In addition, the pores near the stomata guard cells seem to have different permeability characteristics (Schonherr and Bukovac, 1973 An opposite opinion exists, claiming that penetration through open stomata does not play a major role since a cuticle layer also covers the surface of the guard cells in stomata cavities and because ion uptake rates are usually higher at night when the stomata are relatively closed.
Another path that nutrients can penetrate is through hair-like organs known as ‘trichomes’, which are epidermal outgrowths of various kinds. The importance of this pathway depends on the trichomes rate and position, dependent on leaf age and its origin (Hull et al., 1975; Haynes and Goh, 1977).
Translocation
After the ions have penetrated, transportation to different parts of the plant starts and this is referred to as translocation. Translocation is done through two mechanisms: cell-to-cell transport is referred to as ‘Apoplast movement’, and transport through the vascular channels is referred to as ‘Symplast movement’.
The Apoplast movement describes the ion movement from one cell to another. This is done by three mechanisms
• Passive transport involves diffusion according to the gradient and mass flow through the water/fluid movement between cells.
• Absorption by cytoplasm membrane surface via plasmodesmata, which are microscopic channels connecting one cell wall to another, enabling transport and communication between them.
• Active transport (ATP) against the gradient, enabled due to energy investment of ATP molecules.
The Symplast movement describes the ion discharge into the vascular system. This is done through two systems.
• Phloem – translocation is energy dependent and more suitable to the divalent cations (C2+); anions are very limited since the cell wall is negatively charged (Van Steveninck and Chenoweth, 1972). Phloem transport is important for distribution from mature leaves to growing regions in the roots and shoots. Phloem movement regularly follows the ‘sink-source’ relationship, from locations where carbohydrates are created (source) to places where they are consumed (sink).
Active transport (ATP)
Plasmodesmata
Diffusion/Mass flow
• Xylem – translocation is flux regulated and driven by water potential differences between soil, leaf and atmosphere.
Translocation differs between different ions, thus, nutrients are divided into three groups (Bukovac and Wittwer, 1957) – mobile, partially mobile and not mobile.
FOLIAR FEEDING
Another Successful Way of Feeding Plants.
Foliar feeding is a reliable method of feeding plants when soil feeding is inefficient. In this article, the author highlights when foliar feeding should be considered, how nutrients actually penetrate plant tissue, and some technical limitations to this method of plant feeding.
Plant nutritionist have traditionally considered the obvious way to feed plants is through the soil, where plant roots are meant to uptake water and nutrients, but in recent years foliar feeding has been developed to supply plants with their nutritional needs.
The development of pressurised irrigation equipment such as drip irrigation has promoted the need for water-soluble fertilisers, as clean and purified as possible in order to diminish the possibility of emitters clogging. It is not really clear when foliar feeding started, but after the development of water-soluble and liquid fertilisers farmers have begun to use these fertilisers with sprayers, the same as it is used with applications of pesticides. At the beginning, this technique of spraying nutrients was used for correcting deficiencies of minor elements. However, fast curing has shown that plants can absorb some elements through their tissue. As a result, foliar feeding has gone through further development.
These days foliar feeding is considered among the major techniques used for plant nutrition, supplementing the ground application. In this article I will review the whole concept of foliar application - when it should be considered, how nutrients actually penetrate plant tissue, and some technical limitations of this method of plant feeding.
The case for foliar feeding
Foliar feeding is a ‘by-pass’ approach, overtaking conventional ground fertiliser applications whenever it does not perform well enough. Foliar application overcomes soil fertilisation limitations like leaching, insoluble fertiliser precipitation, antagonism between certain nutrients, heterogenic soils unsuitable for low dosages, and fixation/absorption reactions like in the case of phosphorus and potassium. Foliar feeding can also be used to overcome root problems when they are suffering from limited activity due to low/high temperatures (<100, >400C), lack of oxygen in flooded fields, nematode attack damaging the vascular system, and a decrease in root activity during the reproductive stages where more of the photosynthetic creation is transferred for reproduction with less for root respiration (Trobisch and Schilling, 1970. Foliar feeding has proved to be the fastest way of curing nutrient deficiencies and boosting plant performances at specific physiological stages. With plants competing with weeds, foliar spraying focuses the nutrient application on the target plants. Fertilisers have also been found to be chemically compatible with pesticides, thus saving labour costs. Certain types of fertilisers can even slow down
the hydrolysis rate of pesticides/growth hormones (GA3) owing to lowered pH of the solution and this may improve performance or cut costs.
Fertilisers applied through the plant leaf canopy have to face several structural barriers, unlike pesticides which are mainly oil-based and don’t face difficulties to penetrate the leaf tissue. Nutrients, which are salt based (cations/anions) may face some problems penetrating the inner plant tissue cells. General leaf structure is based on several cellular and non-cellular layers. The different layers support protection against desiccation, UV radiation and various kinds of physical, chemical and (micro) biological agents.
The different layers are characterised by electrical negative charge, which influences the way and rate of penetration of different ions. Some layers are hydrophobic and therefore repulse water-based spray.
The first layer from outside is a wax layer, which is extremely hydrophobic. The epidermal cells synthesize the wax and it crystallises in an intricate pattern of rods, tubes or plates. The wax layer can change during the plant growth cycle.
Cuticle proper
Pectin & Cuticle layer
Primary wall
Secondary wall
Plasma membrane
Cytoplasm
The second layer, referred to as the ‘cuticle proper’, is a non-cellular protective layer surrounded by wax to the upper side and the bottom one as well and made mainly from ‘cutin’ (macromolecule polymer consisting of long-chain fatty acids creating a semi-hydrophilic character).
The following layer is ‘pectin’, negatively charged and made of Polysaccharides that form sugar-acid based gel-like tissue (cellulose and pectic materials).
Next is the outer side of the cells starting with the primary wall. The cuticle has negative charge density as well due to the pectin and cutin (Franke, 1967; Marschner, 1986).
How do nutrients penetrate plant tissue?
When we refer to penetration of nutrients we can define two movements – into the tissue from outside, which is referred to as absorption, and movement from the point of penetration to other parts of the plant that is referred to as translocation.
Penetration/absorption can be done through several organ elements that exist in the tissue. Main penetration is done directly through the cuticle. The penetration is done passively. First to penetrate are the cations as they are attracted to the negative charge of the tissue, and they move passively in accordance to the gradient – high concentration outside and low one inside. After a certain period the cations that have moved inside change the electrical balance in the tissue causing it to be less negative and more positive. From this point on the anions start to penetrate the tissue in the same manner as described for the cations
Since the penetration is a passive one, the rate of diffusion across the membrane is proportional to the concentration gradient, therefore achieving a high concentration without scorching the tissue - may dramatically improve the penetration.
Figure 3
Penetration also occurs through the stomata, which are aperture controlled for gas exchange and transpiration. It is known that these apertures differ between different plant species, their distribution, occurrence, size and shape. In broadleaf crops and trees, most of the stomata are on the lower leaf surface, while grass species have the same number on both surfaces.
Size may differ, for example, sorghum stomata are four times larger than bean stomata. High penetration is estimated to be due to high cuticle pore density in cell walls between guard cells and subsidiary cells (Maier-Maercker). In addition, the pores near the stomata guard cells seem to have different permeability characteristics (Schonherr and Bukovac, 1973 An opposite opinion exists, claiming that penetration through open stomata does not play a major role since a cuticle layer also covers the surface of the guard cells in stomata cavities and because ion uptake rates are usually higher at night when the stomata are relatively closed.
Another path that nutrients can penetrate is through hair-like organs known as ‘trichomes’, which are epidermal outgrowths of various kinds. The importance of this pathway depends on the trichomes rate and position, dependent on leaf age and its origin (Hull et al., 1975; Haynes and Goh, 1977).
Translocation
After the ions have penetrated, transportation to different parts of the plant starts and this is referred to as translocation. Translocation is done through two mechanisms: cell-to-cell transport is referred to as ‘Apoplast movement’, and transport through the vascular channels is referred to as ‘Symplast movement’.
The Apoplast movement describes the ion movement from one cell to another. This is done by three mechanisms
• Passive transport involves diffusion according to the gradient and mass flow through the water/fluid movement between cells.
• Absorption by cytoplasm membrane surface via plasmodesmata, which are microscopic channels connecting one cell wall to another, enabling transport and communication between them.
• Active transport (ATP) against the gradient, enabled due to energy investment of ATP molecules.
The Symplast movement describes the ion discharge into the vascular system. This is done through two systems.
• Phloem – translocation is energy dependent and more suitable to the divalent cations (C2+); anions are very limited since the cell wall is negatively charged (Van Steveninck and Chenoweth, 1972). Phloem transport is important for distribution from mature leaves to growing regions in the roots and shoots. Phloem movement regularly follows the ‘sink-source’ relationship, from locations where carbohydrates are created (source) to places where they are consumed (sink).
Active transport (ATP)
Plasmodesmata
Diffusion/Mass flow
• Xylem – translocation is flux regulated and driven by water potential differences between soil, leaf and atmosphere.
Translocation differs between different ions, thus, nutrients are divided into three groups (Bukovac and Wittwer, 1957) – mobile, partially mobile and not mobile.
gardeningduderob
Member
Have you tried liquid seaweed? I like it because it's all natural, so I can use it on buds and leaves without fear of fucking things up. If you look it up online, you'll find lots of actual scientific reports on it as opposed to marketing bullshit. The two I've used is Neptunes Harvest and Grandpa Joe's Seaweed Secret. I"ve had better luck with Grandpa Joe's so that's the one I use regulary instead of MG and lots of other shit I've tried.
budman111
Well-Known Member
The Secrets of Foliar Spraying
Foliar Fertilization
We all have had the basic course in fertilization: plants need NPK – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. This is like saying humans need carbohydrates, fats and protein. It tells us the basics but certainly does not say how to eat well. We need a balanced diet with nourishing foods -- and plants are similar. They prefer nutrients in which the complex chemicals are bound organically. Rather than a dose of chemical nitrates, plants thrive best on organic products that provide not only the NPK but also a range of trace elements.
Vegetation evolved in the oceans, bathed in a solution containing every imaginable mineral. Seaweed takes food directly from seawater. Land plants, like their marine ancestors, can take in nourishment through the pores or stomata on their leaf surfaces. Stomata are tiny mouths that breathe in CO2 and exhale water and oxygen. They also transport nutrients up to ten times more efficiently that root systems. Foliar feeding bolsters the nutrients available to each plant, like a regular dose of vitamins and supplements.
Most vegetation requires a minimum of 16, but probably more like 50 essential minerals and trace elements. Is it just coincidence that some of the best providers of these elements come from the ocean? Fish products are high in organic nitrogen; kelp is a wonderful source of minerals, particularly potassium, while algae has a range of trace elements and hormones beneficial for cellular development.
Research suggests that natural sea salt contains a vast range of trace elements. When sprayed in a very diluted form, sea minerals provide most elements needed to prevent deficiencies.
Foliar fertilization is fast becoming an essential addition to standard cultivation techniques. For many growers who have grown up with chemicals, it is a small step to organic fertilization – the NPK is just packaged differently. However, there is another, less well-known aspect to plant cultivation based on biology rather than chemistry -- the realm of the microbes.
Spraying with Compost Tea
When plants evolved on land, they formed an alliance with the microbial life in the soil and air. Certain species of bacteria and fungi became the chefs that prepared the plant’s food, the medics that helped them fight disease. Plants like to dine on biologically predigested nutrients; it is easier for them to assimilate. Healthy plants have a strong immune system that includes a ‘bio-film’ of microbial life on the roots, stems and leaves. To make use of these biological principles to feed and protect our plants, we can spray with compost tea.
Compost tea is “brewed” by aerating a mixture of water, compost (sometimes humus or worm castings), and organic nutrients such as molasses, kelp, fish emulsion, and yucca. This produces a nutrient-rich solution containing vast colonies of beneficial bacteria and fungi. The microbes digest the nutrients into organic compounds that can be easily taken in by the plant. These same microbes colonize the surface of the leaves to help fight off disease.
When you spray with compost tea, you envelope the plant with living organisms -- and you enhance the web of life of which the plant is a part. The results can be astounding: large, mineral rich vegetation with clear glossy leaves, decreased disease, and even lessened insect attacks. Plants treated with foliar fertilization and especially compost tea have higher “Brix” levels – a measure of the carbohydrates and mineral density in the sap. High Brix is said to make the plants less attractive to pests and more resilient to stress. If they are vegetables, they even taste better!
Compost tea, unlike mineral sprays and foliar fertilization, cannot be over-applied and does not burn leaves. The microbe-rich droplets drip off the leaves to improve soil and growing solutions. Those same microbes can clean up toxic chemicals and turn them into nutrients. For growers who regularly use compost tea, there is nothing better. The main drawback is that brewed compost tea is not always available and, being alive, has a limited shelf life. If you brew your own compost tea, it needs to have the best ingredients and proven test results.
Whether you apply a mineral solution to deficient plants, have a regular foliar fertilization program or go the distance with compost tea, foliar spraying benefits your plant quickly and profoundly. Find that old spray bottle; hook up your hose-end sprayer; invest in a commercial spray pack. Once you see the results, you will never neglect this method of plant care again.
Tips on Spraying
Below are guidelines for foliar spraying:
Foliar Fertilization
We all have had the basic course in fertilization: plants need NPK – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. This is like saying humans need carbohydrates, fats and protein. It tells us the basics but certainly does not say how to eat well. We need a balanced diet with nourishing foods -- and plants are similar. They prefer nutrients in which the complex chemicals are bound organically. Rather than a dose of chemical nitrates, plants thrive best on organic products that provide not only the NPK but also a range of trace elements.
Vegetation evolved in the oceans, bathed in a solution containing every imaginable mineral. Seaweed takes food directly from seawater. Land plants, like their marine ancestors, can take in nourishment through the pores or stomata on their leaf surfaces. Stomata are tiny mouths that breathe in CO2 and exhale water and oxygen. They also transport nutrients up to ten times more efficiently that root systems. Foliar feeding bolsters the nutrients available to each plant, like a regular dose of vitamins and supplements.
Most vegetation requires a minimum of 16, but probably more like 50 essential minerals and trace elements. Is it just coincidence that some of the best providers of these elements come from the ocean? Fish products are high in organic nitrogen; kelp is a wonderful source of minerals, particularly potassium, while algae has a range of trace elements and hormones beneficial for cellular development.
Research suggests that natural sea salt contains a vast range of trace elements. When sprayed in a very diluted form, sea minerals provide most elements needed to prevent deficiencies.
Foliar fertilization is fast becoming an essential addition to standard cultivation techniques. For many growers who have grown up with chemicals, it is a small step to organic fertilization – the NPK is just packaged differently. However, there is another, less well-known aspect to plant cultivation based on biology rather than chemistry -- the realm of the microbes.
Spraying with Compost Tea
When plants evolved on land, they formed an alliance with the microbial life in the soil and air. Certain species of bacteria and fungi became the chefs that prepared the plant’s food, the medics that helped them fight disease. Plants like to dine on biologically predigested nutrients; it is easier for them to assimilate. Healthy plants have a strong immune system that includes a ‘bio-film’ of microbial life on the roots, stems and leaves. To make use of these biological principles to feed and protect our plants, we can spray with compost tea.
Compost tea is “brewed” by aerating a mixture of water, compost (sometimes humus or worm castings), and organic nutrients such as molasses, kelp, fish emulsion, and yucca. This produces a nutrient-rich solution containing vast colonies of beneficial bacteria and fungi. The microbes digest the nutrients into organic compounds that can be easily taken in by the plant. These same microbes colonize the surface of the leaves to help fight off disease.
When you spray with compost tea, you envelope the plant with living organisms -- and you enhance the web of life of which the plant is a part. The results can be astounding: large, mineral rich vegetation with clear glossy leaves, decreased disease, and even lessened insect attacks. Plants treated with foliar fertilization and especially compost tea have higher “Brix” levels – a measure of the carbohydrates and mineral density in the sap. High Brix is said to make the plants less attractive to pests and more resilient to stress. If they are vegetables, they even taste better!
Compost tea, unlike mineral sprays and foliar fertilization, cannot be over-applied and does not burn leaves. The microbe-rich droplets drip off the leaves to improve soil and growing solutions. Those same microbes can clean up toxic chemicals and turn them into nutrients. For growers who regularly use compost tea, there is nothing better. The main drawback is that brewed compost tea is not always available and, being alive, has a limited shelf life. If you brew your own compost tea, it needs to have the best ingredients and proven test results.
Whether you apply a mineral solution to deficient plants, have a regular foliar fertilization program or go the distance with compost tea, foliar spraying benefits your plant quickly and profoundly. Find that old spray bottle; hook up your hose-end sprayer; invest in a commercial spray pack. Once you see the results, you will never neglect this method of plant care again.
Tips on Spraying
Below are guidelines for foliar spraying:
- When mixing up your formulation, whether mineral, organic fertilization or compost tea, use non-chlorinated, well oxygenated water. Bubble air through chlorinated water or leave it to off-gas overnight. You can try using seltzer in your foliar spray to give plants an added CO2 boost.
- Make sure mineral ingredients are dissolved and the solution is very dilute. Chemicals in high concentration tend to ‘burn’ foliage and leave a salt residue. Compost teas need to be diluted 10–1.
- Add a natural surfactant or wetting agent to help the solution flow over and stick to foliage. Yucca is a natural surfactant and is often a component of compost teas. Use true organic soaps such as Dr Bronners, Tom’s, or Pangea. The great majority or other soaps contain detergents that do not break down easily.
- Young transplants prefer a more alkaline solution (pH 7.0) while older growth like a somewhat more acid (pH 6.2) spray. Use baking soda to raise pH and apple cider vinegar to lower the pH of your spray.
- Spray with a fine sprayer for foliar fertilization and a coarser, low pressure sprayer for compost tea. The microbes in compost tea need large protective water droplets. Apply in the early morning or evening when the stomata are open. Do not spray if the temperature is over 80F or in the bright sun. Harsh ultraviolet rays can kill microbes in compost tea.
- Cover at least 70% of the foliage, paying particular attention to the underneath of the leaf surfaces.
SALTWATERKUSH
Member
Anyone have any experience foliar feeding with purple maxx or snow storm ultra from humboldt countys own?
budman111
Well-Known Member
What is that? never seen it here in uk.
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