What Does Foliar Feeding Mean?
Foliar feeding is the application of fertilizer directly on the leaves of a plant. The nutrients are rapidly absorbed into the plant’s system via microscopic openings on its leaves called stomata, so foliar feeds quickly provide a nutrient boost to the plant.
Although not considered an alternative for excellent soil and growing conditions, foliar feeding is an excellent way to supply the micronutrients of iron and zinc, which garden plants may not need much of, but isn’t always available in the soil.
Maximum Yield Explains Foliar Feeding
Foliar fertilizer for home use is generally available in a handheld spray bottle, but for commercial use is often applied through an irrigation or misting system.
Foliar feeding can be as simple as the application of a homemade compost tea, or a complex blend of commercial fertilizer in liquid form. Seaweed extract is one form of widely used foliar fertilizer.
While evidence suggests foliar feeding doesn’t do much for already healthy plants, it is helpful for a boost if your plants are under stress, suffering from a bug infestation, disease, or drought. It is commonly used to spot treat nutrient deficiencies in plants, however, its effectiveness is debated among growers. Some say it doesn't work, while others swear by the practice.
Cannabis plants benefit from foliar feeding during the vegetative stage. The nutrients should be misted on the plant during the morning when the nutrients will be the most readily absorbed by the plant’s system. Spraying first thing in the morning also prevents fungal infections. Both the tops and undersides of the marijuana plant’s foliage should be misted with the nutrients.
Foliar feeding may also be known as foliar fertilization.
