Foliar Sprays

[steelyeyes]

Do you folks use foliar sprays during veg or flower as a regular part of growing (not fighting pests) and if so what do you use and why?

If you do spray what do you do about the lights and any potential leaf burn?

It seems like at least plain water might be helpfull. In the real world the leaves do get wet from rain once in a while.

 

[Seamaiden]

I do use foliar feeding regularly, both indoors and out (not as regularly indoors as I would OD).

I use a combination of things, I keep the expensive stuff to foliar-feeding only. I don't worry too much about leaf burn except on the girls outside, they get sprayed either first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

As for what I use, it's entirely dependent on what they're telling me they want. It pretty much always includes a kelp extract, though, and never includes any sugars (molasses, barley extract, panela). Also, I no longer foliar feed anything that came from meats because the hornets up here are BAD and stuff like fish emulsion brings them onto me in droves.

Plain water doesn't really do much of anything 'for' the plants in my experience. Unless they're very dusty/dirty, and they need to be hosed off, I just don't.

 

[Snowrally]

I've heard of carbonated water for indoor gardens. In theory it helps them breathe better (CO2). To be honest I've never tried it. I PH'd my bottle carbonated water and it was low, I tried to add PH up and the thing erupted. I ended up spraying the bottle everywhere thus not getting a chance to try it. The whole thing seemed weird and I have great results with out so I figured why bother. I would love to hear if others have tried it though.

 

[DazedNconfussed]

I foiler feed with just cal-mag and GH micro, 300ppm ph'd at 5.6......seems to work great....and never had leaf burn and I'm veg'in with a 1000w HPS 2' above plant.

 

[Luke Harrison]

I use Humboldt Nutrients Foiliar spray called Sticky the girls just love it but only in veg if they look a little light on nutes and right when the go into flower it helps them flip better.

 

[l0g1c4l]

I spray my girls witlh a lil b12 and water regularly, a few times a week i'd say. And every three of four sprays, I switch it up with a lil neem oil. Keeps them super green and bug free!

 

[IGKali]

I like to alternate between a little fulvic acid, b52 and spray n' grow on one day, then with my last lonely pint of VHO on others.

 

[squarepusher]

according to this, Nitrates (nitrogen) are dangerous to smoke, so if you do foliar maybe we should skip on a "N" blend

 

[sedate]

Everytime I try a foliar, I end up with PM.

If I was going to do one however, I'd use Botanicare's Liquid Karma.

 

[Tex]

Do you folks use foliar sprays during veg or flower as a regular part of growing (not fighting pests) and if so what do you use and why?

If you do spray what do you do about the lights and any potential leaf burn?

It seems like at least plain water might be helpfull. In the real world the leaves do get wet from rain once in a while.

Plain water is great for cleaning w a few drops of neem and an occasional shower here & there.. After too much can lead to reverse foliar feeding.

I only foliar during veg. and early flower before flowers begin. After that no bueno.. I use Nitrozyme, Superthrive, and Penetrator/deliver agent. IME Nitrozyme is the best Kelp out there and it's like a steroid, it builds large stems, branches, roots, leaves, etc. for large growth. I have no leaf burn at all, I like to foliar right before the lights go on or right when they go on. Regardless its all fine.

 

[Apache69]

When is the ideal time to spray?

 

[squarepusher]

anytime you can spray, nutrient uptake is 24/7, but be careful not to spray your hot lights or they may shatter. Also, I'd guess while the lights are on nutrients may be accelerated.

Also, plants absorb nutrients from the underside of their leaves, so make sure to spray to get the bottoms of their leaves.

 

[steelyeyes]

I had a little...well devestating really...thrip problem. I couldn't see the buggers and thought it was a nute burn for a while so they got out of hand. I bombed the room and haven't seen one since. I put the bomb on top of my light reflector (after it was off and cool) and left the room closed up with no intake air for 8 hours. I had a fan recirculating the air so the mist could get everywhere.

Now the plants have some stress. They've got what looks like calcium deficiency in the leaves even though I was running a low dose of cal-mag in my tank. The ppms are steady and my pH is dropping fast so I'm suspecting some bad root burn too. I think the thrips and the treatment for them put my girls in a tailspin.

I've got superthrive and some green stay. I was thinking of adding the superthrive to the tank and spraying with the green stay. Hopefully I can pull them out of the death spiral. I have a good month plus of veg time on them and they were going well before the bugs showed up.

 

[Giddeon]

This is my first round using a foliar spray, feeding them every third day and plants seem to be loving the results I am using Jacks week 1 foliar regimen (Wet Betty, Sea fuel, Sea Minerals)

 

[Jalisco Kid]

according to this, Nitrates (nitrogen) are dangerous to smoke, so if you do foliar maybe we should skip on a "N" blend

Do you believe that the roots do something to the N to make it safe? JK

 

[420haze]

I use Botanicare's liquid karma at 2.5ml/ 1.5 litre, the girls seem to soak it right up and love it. I do it on the off days when I don't feed or water.

 

[420king-MASSES]

ive just recently been converted to foliar feeding thanks to seamaiden and i use an earth juice recipe almost once a week thr recipe is able to be adjusted to what ever week your in and ive noticed tremendous results

 

[haole]

I wonder if I could foliar with some algen extract or magic green, and add some pesticide at the same time.... say monterey garden.

This would save some trouble as pest treatment is necessary while the other foliar is only optional.

If not... what is the minimum window?

Thanks!!

 

[CelticEBE]

I use Colossal Bud Blast with a surfactant. I just picked up some of RTI's CalCarb and checking it out as well. I always spray right as the lights are going out. Temperature has to be within a certain range otherwise the stomata closes and at that point a foliar is pointless. I foliar til week 2 of flower.

 

[Seamaiden]

I wonder if I could foliar with some algen extract or magic green, and add some pesticide at the same time.... say monterey garden.

This would save some trouble as pest treatment is necessary while the other foliar is only optional.

If not... what is the minimum window?

Thanks!!

I do that all the time. If I'm going to be spraying for pests, may as well at least throw some kelp/seaweed product in there for good measure, give 'em nutrition along with their medicine.