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Cole_Robbie · March 8, 2014

I was always against the concept of foliar feeding in principle, but there was a very detailed discussion on here recently about kelp's real effect being from its natural growth hormones rather than from the micronutrients. A plant should be able to get everything it needs from its roots, and the only place of foliar feeding in large-scale agriculture is the correction of micronutrient deficiencies. Spraying is just an easier way to deliver the micro to a large field.

BUT...there are legions of home gardeners who swear by foliar feeding and have great results with it. The growth hormone theory would explain everything.

March 8, 2014	#7
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I was always against the concept of foliar feeding in principle, but there was a very detailed discussion on here recently about kelp's real effect being from its natural growth hormones rather than from the micronutrients. A plant should be able to get everything it needs from its roots, and the only place of foliar feeding in large-scale agriculture is the correction of micronutrient deficiencies. Spraying is just an easier way to deliver the micro to a large field. BUT...there are legions of home gardeners who swear by foliar feeding and have great results with it. The growth hormone theory would explain everything.