Foliar feeding solution strength?

noham

noham

Active Member
This is a beginner question, but what should the foliar fed solution's concentration be compared to watering's?

Should it be stronger (to an extent, say 1.5x), because much less is used?

or should it be diluted because a strong solution can burn leaves on contact?


I have seen dosage recommendations on the internet and even on my own bottles, but it's not always clear which should be stronger and why,
and I bet not everybody follows them.

I am interested in your opinion and suggestions, how you do it?
 
Wavels

Wavels

Well-Known Member
noham said:
This is a beginner question, but what should the foliar fed solution's concentration be compared to watering's?

Should it be stronger (to an extent, say 1.5x), because much less is used?

or should it be diluted because a strong solution can burn leaves on contact?


I have seen dosage recommendations on the internet and even on my own bottles, but it's not always clear which should be stronger and why,
and I bet not everybody follows them.

I am interested in your opinion and suggestions, how you do it?
Click to expand...
I primarily use foliar feeding to correct perceived deficiencies in my plants.
I typically use more than I do when normally feeding thru the soil-less medium I use.
For example, if my plants are vigorous enough to ingest 1 tsp (pr gallon water) of my nutes, I will use apx 1/2 again that much (1 1/2 tsp pr gallon or more) to foliar feed, and rapidly correct the deficiency.
 
noham

noham

Active Member
Wavels said:
I primarily use foliar feeding to correct perceived deficiencies in my plants.
I typically use more than I do when normally feeding thru the soil-less medium I use.
For example, if my plants are vigorous enough to ingest 1 tsp (pr gallon water) of my nutes, I will use apx 1/2 again that much (1 1/2 tsp pr gallon or more) to foliar feed, and rapidly correct the deficiency.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your answer. Have you encountered a dosage limit that would burn the leaves?

Commander Strax said:
I think it depends on what you are putting in it.....what are you putting in it??
Click to expand...
Why answer with a question?
 
vostok

vostok

Well-Known Member
One grow I feed the plants only in foilar at lights on, half teaspoon kelp to a liter/quart spray bottle fill with warm water shake and spray 2x times per day, half a teaspoon per quart or liter seems to work well, as you can't over feed the plants at all, you may damage the leaves but they recover
 
noham

noham

Active Member
vostok said:
One grow I feed the plants only in foilar at lights on, half teaspoon kelp to a liter/quart spray bottle fill with warm water shake and spray 2x times per day, half a teaspoon per quart or liter seems to work well, as you can't over feed the plants at all, you may damage the leaves but they recover
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Interesting, nice!
I could not do it myself.:joint:
 
Wavels

Wavels

Well-Known Member
The beauty of foliar feeding is that the plants can easily tolerate much higher dosages of solution, and they enjoy very rapid absorption of needed nutrition.
 
Po boy

Po boy

Well-Known Member
i've used Jacks 20-20-20 for years and 1 TBS per gallon of water works great for me for foliar and soil. GL
 
noham

noham

Active Member
Do you mean 10% dilution? I believe that's about 25x stronger than soil fed nutes.

Is that not too strong?

I know it depends on what kind of nutrient I use, but I asked generally: is it more or less, and by how much
 
Commander Strax

Commander Strax

Well-Known Member
noham said:
Do you mean 10% dilution? I believe that's about 25x stronger than soil fed nutes.

Is that not too strong?

I know it depends on what kind of nutrient I use, but I asked generally: is it more or less, and by how much
Click to expand...
you can not give a general answer to a specific question.

If you figure out what you want to spray get back to me
 
noham

noham

Active Member
Commander Strax said:
you can not give a general answer to a specific question.

If you figure out what you want to spray get back to me
Click to expand...
I have:
a) one bottle of Mg solution for plants (6.6% MgO) saying: 1-2% for foliar, 0.1-0.5% for watering,
b) a bottle of organic nutrient solution telling: 1-3ml/L for foliar and 2-5ml/l for watering.

See how one instructs the use of a 10x stronger solution for foliar while the other tells to use half of it?
That is where my question comes from.

...or is it because one is organic? I doubt because from what I've read it's even weaker than synthetics.
 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
Foliar feeding does more harm than good.

Sure, there might be times when it's useful, like trying to confirm deficiencies, but other than that, you should feed through the roots.
 
Po boy

Po boy

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
Foliar feeding does more harm than good.

Sure, there might be times when it's useful, like trying to confirm deficiencies, but other than that, you should feed through the roots.
Click to expand...
what source of information are you going by? i've foliar fed for years and have worked commercial ornamental, vegetables and herb nurseries that do it weekly. never heard it's harmful.
 
noham

noham

Active Member
Okay, now I am even more confused.
I will wait for possibly more replies, maybe we will come to a consensus (somewhat).
 
charface

charface

Well-Known Member
To answer we need to know exactly what you are spraying though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Rollitup mobile app
 
noham

noham

Active Member
charface said:
To answer we need to know exactly what you are spraying though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Rollitup mobile app
Click to expand...
I know what the company recommends, but the HUGE difference between application rates of different type of nutrient is what confuses me. (one is 10x another is 0.5x while having ~same strength)
I use BioBizz nutrients. Fish Mix, BioBloom and Alg-a-Mic. - If any of you use them and can tell how, it would be amazing.


Thanks!
 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
What do you mean by "what source?"

Churchhaze is the source.

Foliar feeding is analogous to smoking through your asshole. Sure, it may "work", but you have a mouth for a reason. Foliar feeding can easily cause spots where the water evaporates.

Po boy said:
what source of information are you going by? i've foliar fed for years and have worked commercial ornamental, vegetables and herb nurseries that do it weekly. never heard it's harmful.
Click to expand...
 
noham

noham

Active Member
churchhaze said:
What do you mean by "what source?"

Churchhaze is the source.

Foliar feeding is analogous to smoking through your asshole. Sure, it may "work", but you have a mouth for a reason. Foliar feeding can easily cause spots where the water evaporates.
Click to expand...
It never did for me. Nor did I ever heard anyone complaining about such.
 
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