Folair feeding - to use or not to use

[garybo]

If your outdoor plants are fed on a regular feeding schedule, which is based on a maximum ppm intake, and the ppm discharge is within acceptable numbers, is there any harm to the plants if folair feeding is added to the schedule?

Thanks and looking forward to your opinion.

 

[BudBogart]

You’re in soil? Unless you are already overloading your soil and plants with too much, you can foliage feed the leaves with success. I don’t spray once they are in flower.

 

[garybo]

You’re in soil? Unless you are already overloading your soil and plants with too much, you can foliage feed the leaves with success. I don’t spray once they are in flower.

Hey BudBogart, thankx for the reply.
I failed to mention that I grow in soil, 10 gal buckets. Anyway, I was out in the herb garden couple days ago checking out my babies (now 48 days old) and was wondering "what if".
What if I were to feed the girls through their leaves as well as through the roots. Would it increase their production, or worse yet, would it hurt their livelihood.
I root feed and flush weekly, trying to keep the discharge between 300 - 500 ppm, which tells me if i'm over or under feeding. I was wondering if I leaf feed, could I still rely on the discharge water readings that I have religiously relied on in the past.
Consequently, I went to my pc and asked the above question. And thankx again for your reply.

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey BudBogart, thankx for the reply.
I failed to mention that I grow in soil, 10 gal buckets. Anyway, I was out in the herb garden couple days ago checking out my babies (now 48 days old) and was wondering "what if".
What if I were to feed the girls through their leaves as well as through the roots. Would it increase their production, or worse yet, would it hurt their livelihood.
I root feed and flush weekly, trying to keep the discharge between 300 - 500 ppm, which tells me if i'm over or under feeding. I was wondering if I leaf feed, could I still rely on the discharge water readings that I have religiously relied on in the past.
Consequently, I went to my pc and asked the above question. And thankx again for your reply.

No..just no. The only thing your going to accomplish is over feeding them and cause toxicity. More food does not equal more growth. If they are healthy with your feeding regiment you will only do more harm.

If you want bigger yields or faster growth then you need number 1 more light, more CO2 or and I don't recommend it, PGRs.

 

[the rrock]

I foliar feed and never had problems,just results. Especially on sick plants to revive them,done a few side by side comparisons and the foliars always are beefier and lush. I only use certain nutes(vitamins) and dont spray on flowers, GL bro

 

[garybo]

No..just no. The only thing your going to accomplish is over feeding them and cause toxicity. More food does not equal more growth. If they are healthy with your feeding regiment you will only do more harm.

If you want bigger yields or faster growth then you need number 1 more light, more CO2 or and I don't recommend it, PGRs.

That is sort of what I was thinking, though it makes me feel better hearing this advise from a fellow grower.
Thankx Aqua Man

 

[garybo]

I foliar feed and never had problems,just results. Especially on sick plants to revive them,done a few side by side comparisons and the foliars always are beefier and lush. I only use certain nutes(vitamins) and dont spray on flowers, GL bro

rrock, you got me thinking about what you just said. I have a couple plants that are healthy looking, but their growth is stunted for some reason. In lieu of giving up on them, I'm going to mix up a foliar mixture and use these plants as a side by side comparison to their "big" sisters.
Thankx for the idea.

 

[Aqua Man]

That is sort of what I was thinking, though it makes me feel better hearing this advise from a fellow grower.
Thankx Aqua Man

Glad to help... Believe me if there was a way to double feed and get more growth I would be right beside ya with a sprayer strapped to my back bro

 

[Aqua Man]

I foliar feed and never had problems,just results. Especially on sick plants to revive them,done a few side by side comparisons and the foliars always are beefier and lush. I only use certain nutes(vitamins) and dont spray on flowers, GL bro

I agree its great for treating deficiencies and sick plants. It's a faster form of getting nutrients to the plant but if foliar feeding regularly you will have to compensate how much you are root feeding. If they are getting enough from the roots and your foliar feed on top of that... It's not likely going to end well.

 

[garybo]

Glad to help... Believe me if there was a way to double feed and get more growth I would be right beside ya with a sprayer strapped to my back bro

I hear that!

 

[garybo]

i want to thank everyone who has participated in perhaps a foolish question that started this thread. It's this kind of advice that makes this chat page my #1 place to go to. None of us (at least speaking for myself) knows it all, but we have experimented there and there and whether the results were good or bad, at least we have some firsthand knowledge to pass on.

Spark up

 

[Aqua Man]

i want to thank everyone who has participated in perhaps a foolish question that started this thread. It's this kind of advice that makes this chat page my #1 place to go to. None of us (at least speaking for myself) knows it all, but we have experimented there and there and whether the results were good or bad, at least we have some firsthand knowledge to pass on.

Spark up

Not foolish at all it's crossed my mind before