Foliar sprays for environmental stress

[Uncle Dunkel]

With the deluge of rain ongoing in the East and relentless heat in the West. It would be a great time to supplement your plants with a foliar spray. Plants absorb nutrients through there leaves and stems, using stomata little openings similar to pores of our skin. Plants absorb foliar sprays 20 times faster than soil applied nutrients. Foliars help plants compensate for soil deficiencies durning the growing season. Foliars fortify plants facing other type of stress as well, such as drought, wet, heat, cold or insect damage or the onset of disease-susceptible periods. Foliar feeding can also be timed to encourage and or enhance critical points in the plants growth cycle, such as rapid growth phases or flowering, fruiting and seed formation. Foliar feeding is fast, easy, and relatively inexpensive and can be very effective.

Tim

[NarnianGarden]

WHat sort of spray do you recommend? Self-prepared (i.e. nettle tea) or ready-bought?

The foliage in my plants have definitely been suffering die to the relentless heat. Enough water, no witling problems, but the nutrients do not get absorbed - the violet/lilac colour stems and spots tell me that phosphorus (and possibly something else) cannot be properly utilized..

[RobinB]

I wanted to try doing some foliar spraying this year. Is there a time of day that is best? I've read that these "pores" are not open in the middle of the day. Is this true?

[Uncle Dunkel]

Best time to apply foliar sprays will be late afternoon after the sun goes down. But early enough for the leaves to dry before dark. How a stoma works click on the link.


http://uwstudentweb.uwyo.edu/d/dbrouss1/stomate.htm

[tlintx]

I was wondering if foliar feeding would help with heat stress, but given how soggy the ground is, I was concerned about adding more water.

[Uncle Dunkel]

Foliar feeding will help with environmental stress. Foliar sprays are sprayed on the tops and bottoms of the leaves until the point of drip. This would add very little if any moisture to the soil. Be sure to wait untill the sun goes down before applying.

[NarnianGarden]

Got some foliar 'emergency feed' that can be either sprayed or watered normally. Made some spraying solution and gave a dose to nutrient-deficient patients.. Quick results promised, even to half-dead leaves, so I am really curious..!
The dilution instructions state max. 1 % ... I hope I did not make my solution too strong for the poor plants...

[tlintx]

I did some research on foliar sprays, and I'm seeing lots of claims by people selling them but not much scientific evidence that seems applicable to a home grower with thirty or so plants.

Foliar feeds are almost certainly not the panacea they're touted as by the people selling them, but are possibly useful to treat specific issues? Say, a trace nutrient deficiency?

Does anyone have any experience with foliar sprays specifically for heat stress? If so, what formula/ingredients?


Tl

[Uncle Dunkel]

I am sure a healthy well nourished plant will withstand lots more stress than a puny sick one. Whether it is from insect damage, to much water or to much heat. As far as being a panacea I am sure it is not. A supplement to a good soil fertility program. Sure.

[Sodak]

I ave also read to apply in the early AM so absorption will occur prior to the stomata (pores) closing when the temperature goes up in mid to late morning.

[Smithma]

I also have read AM spraying is best to catch the pores open, sprayed worm tea yesterday AM. Trying follair spray to beat the heat wave due this week and keep the plants producing.

[Barbee]

I use foliar sprays on my plants. I use them at night here because my tomato garden is in full sun and I'd have to spray very early before the sun comes up.

[b54red]

I have used foliar feeding for nutrient deficiencies with some success. I would not however use them right now because of the high humidity and very wet conditions. I need my leaves to dry out so the diseases can be brought under some control after nearly a month of daily rain. The only foliar sprays they are getting now is fungicides and diluted bleach sprays.

Bill

[dipchip2000]

Bill

Last night I sprayed with heavy concentration of bleach. I used 10 oz in 1 1/2 gallon of water. I have so much disease that I really had nothing to lose. This morning the plants look much better and have suffered no ill effects from the heavier concentration. I know I am not out of the woods yet and will spray again tomorrow night. I had sprayed before with the recommended dose and couldn't get ahead of disease. Maybe this will work and probably will spray Daconil Tuesday or Wednesday. We have not had any rain just heat and high humidity. My new Big Beef plants look great and inspire me to maybe salvage my season.

ron

[NarnianGarden]

I tried the new foliar spray last night - from a German brand called Neudorff. It only says 'animal derivated protein', so I don't really know what's in it... Supposedly it gives a quick boost of amino acids to the suffered leaves.
I might see some improvement, but nothing dramatic. perhaps I did not spray generously enough - the biggest change is in the leaves that got the largest dose...