Unlock the Power of Foliar Feeding

Traditionally in hydroponics, nutrients are fed to plants via roots. You know the drill. Fill up your reservoir, add nutrients, and adjust your additives. Many growers aren’t aware of foliar feeding as an alternative to this, which means they miss out on the benefits afforded by giving your plants a shortcut to nutrient absorption. 

Let’s start with the what. 

Foliar feeding involves directly applying a nutrient or additive to a plant’s foliage instead of adding it to grow media. There are a few key benefits to using this approach in your garden and use cases where the technique is extra effective. 

The first key advantage to foliar feeding is quicker nutrient absorption. The science behind this is simple – you’re cutting out the middleman. Your plant’s root system doesn’t need to distribute your nutrient to its vascular system because you have applied it there directly. 

This is especially advantageous in a few choice situations. For example, if you identify one of your tomato plants has developed Blossom End Rot, you could apply a calcium-rich foliar feed to ensure developing fruits remain healthy. The effects of this foliar feed will begin to reverse this deficiency faster than if you add those nutrients to a reservoir, significantly reducing impacted fruit. 

Another significant benefit is that you can foliar feed one plant instead of multiple. 

Imagine you have a single system growing chilli, lavender and strawberries. You notice your strawberries have been affected by powdery mildew, but your lavender and chilli remain untouched. 

You treat the powdery mildew but want to give your strawberries a helping hand as they bounce back. You could add something like Boost Juice directly to your reservoir, but this increases the chances of nutrient toxicity and is an inefficient use of expensive nutrient.  

Compare this to a foliar feed, which treats your strawberries without wasting a drop of nutrient on your healthy crops and without any risk of toxicity. It’s no contest. 

While foliar feeding can be a great way to treat plants for common pests and diseases, there are a few cases where it can do more harm than good. Because of this, it’s essential to implement proper techniques should you decide to adopt regular foliar feeding in your garden. 

First, never use a foliar spray when grow lights are on or when you know your plants will sit under intense heat/sun.

The reason for this is two-fold: 

Nutrient absorption, even through a foliar spray, takes time. The excess liquid sitting on foliage after a foliar spray is going to act as a lens, amplifying heat and burning your crop; 

When a plant gets too hot, it will open its stomata to release heat, gas and water, cooling itself down. If foliage is covered in liquid, it will begin to choke. 

Another common mistake beginner growers make is applying a foliar feed that is too concentrated. Never use a foliar feed in the same ratio as your regular nutrient regime. 

If you’re going to foliar feed, read the directions on the back of your nutrient or additive bottle and follow them carefully. 

There is an excellent range of nutrients and additives on the market that can be used to tackle any garden problem, from nutrient deficiency to increasing yields. If you’re interested in incorporating a foliar feed into your gardening routine, come in-store and ask us which option will best suit your needs, or call 1800 640 222. 

We hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter; until next time, happy growing!