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Goodwood, Ontario, Canada

When is the best time in the day to foliar feed? I've assumed 7:00am but recently heard different.

3/20/2012 7:50:02 PM

Western NY

Depends on the weather, I like to do it after sunset. As late as possible but just early enough that I can still see what I'm doing.

3/20/2012 8:02:49 PM

Minnesota

Sunset, will burn the plants if left on in the sun.

3/20/2012 8:15:26 PM

Linden, Mi.,

I spary in the AM and PM. PM, I do so, they will dry be night falls

3/20/2012 8:28:20 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

I find most mornings have condensation on the leaves so i don't see much sense in spraying at that time .If they are dry ...it's ago.

3/20/2012 8:34:48 PM

Pataskala,OH

Wouldn't it make more sense to spray after there is dew, I would think the stoma would be more open after having water on them for a few hrs.

3/20/2012 9:00:35 PM

Hinckley MN

Most of what I have read on foliar feeding, the nutrients are not absorbed through the leaves, but run down to the soil and are absorbed by the roots. Not that suplimental fertigation isn't benificial, just that "foliar" feeding is a misnomer.

3/20/2012 9:56:11 PM

Baker City Oregon

Isn't there a higher risk of powdery mildew if it is done just before dark. Seems I read somewhere that getting water on bean foliage toward evening runs the risk of PM. Just wondering if same would be true of Pumpkins. I've always avoided and foliar fed in the cool of the morning.

3/20/2012 11:14:40 PM

Joliet, IL

http://www.unitedstatesag.org/foliar_feeding.html

3/20/2012 11:15:15 PM

Joliet, IL

The above article is a good read and one of the most important thing to consider after reading it is that some forms and types of fertilizers are more readily absorbed through foliar feeding than others. Use the soil ones in the soil and the readily available foliar for the leaves and run off.

3/20/2012 11:19:23 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Dude, you get the best reading material shazzy!

3/20/2012 11:54:20 PM

Joliet, IL

Google is a playground for the curious mind So Cal. Glad you enjoyed it. Some amazing stats for sure. 95% of anything that is absorbed by the leaves can be found in every root tip within 60 minutes.....sick. Tom P. has some amazing products that are are great for foliar feeding. I personally love the 3 18 18 and 0 0 25 to suppliment at critical times before the pumpkins hit the wall and growth slows.

3/21/2012 6:13:01 AM

Hinckley MN

I don't trust info from a company trying to sell me something, unless I can verify it from independent research. University research that I read states that leaves are not capable of absorbing significant levels of nutrients. In experiments that isolated the roots from the leaves to prevent runoff reaching the soil, it was determined that most of the nutrients applied as "foliar feeding" are absorbed by the roots, not the leaves. Leaves are designed for gas exchange not nutrient uptake.

3/21/2012 8:53:26 AM

Joliet, IL

Can nutrients be absorbed through leaves with foliar feeding

3/21/2012 9:16:39 AM

President - GPC

Yup...thatZ the research I have found too ShaZMasZter....foilar feeding doeZ do itZ job...little here, little there.... Good Job

3/21/2012 9:26:27 AM

East Jordan, MI

http://soiltest.uconn.edu/factsheets/FoliarFertilization.pdf

3/21/2012 10:23:27 AM

Hinckley MN

This is one of the most persistant myths in gardening and agriculture, because there is a tiny kernal of truth to it. only very small amounts of neutrally charged molecules can penetrate the leaf surface. That limits you to urea and chelated micronutrients. You also have to look at the experimental design of the original reseach. They did not control for run off to the soil surface. The often quoted Iowa State University reseach with soybeans could not even be repeated by ISU, let alone any other other university. Supplimental fertilization through overhead irrigation can have great results, it just isn't the leaves that are absorbing the nutrients. I "foliar feed" (aka fertigate), too. I just ensure I fertigate till run-off so it actually gets to where it will do some good.

3/21/2012 10:42:20 AM

Joliet, IL

Ooops....never finished that last thought wizzy.

http://m.jxb.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/1/37.abstract

This subject has been open to debate and it is a good one too. I also thought the same thing Ben 5 years ago. I too never trust anyone study and older studies think more along the run off theory and newer studies seem to be proving that nutrients in the right form can be absorbed. Either way I am not a scientist, but i do trust the newer info and the results from foliar feeding in the marijuana growing culture and giant pumpkin growing culture has me now officially on the side of believing it does work. A smaller pot of pot grown indoors with no water touching the soil from a fine mist application and water never touching the leaves for run off and obvious visual improvements on those plants foliar fed compared to those not is proof enough for me, let alone many heavy hitters of the pumpkin world also noticing effects days after application with tissue tests done prior and after application.

We all must take everything with a grain of salt when reading and choose for ourselves what to believe in based on research and results.

3/21/2012 10:45:36 AM

Hinckley MN

I have a hard time believing pot heads are conducting research with good experimental design. ;-)

3/21/2012 11:01:10 AM

President - GPC

Tremor had lotZ of info on this....more stomata's on the underside of the leaves....thatZ why we foliar and roll the leaves to coat both sideZ....Articles I have read say leaveZ are better than rootZ for this transpiration....and that early morning is better than late at night....guess we are the scientists that have to test this forward..

3/21/2012 11:15:41 AM

tip of the day-do your own research-on your own plants send in tissue tests-see whats in plant-make adjustment if needed -then see for yourself. what you read on internet from studies are just that mixed answers.
do this for 3-4 years on 6-8 plants many times inseason

tip 2 long molecular chain, wraps around smaller chains and pulls in, seen it done it repeats on que time after time

3/21/2012 11:15:46 AM

President - GPC

Farmer Ben..The Pot heads can prove alot of stuff for us.....Notice that now all the nurseries are carrying hydro products, lights, books, all this can be applied to all plants...I wish I could grow a hydro AG....But I wouldnt discount the P GrowerZ just for what they grow...their techniques are similar....

3/21/2012 11:18:18 AM

Joliet, IL

Lol Ben....you would be surprised though. It is a huge cash crop all over the world. They have made many advances in the growing culture cuz cash is what it is all about for them. This driving force is almost as intense as our OCD pumpkin growing drive. This also means there is a lot of snake oil products too. But do not discredit them based on there choice to get high. Many growers do not even partake. If anyone has a hydroponic store near them, I would "highly" suggest you check out there store and get to know the owner. Lol. And when you go in, always talk about tomotes when asking there opinion about recent products that seem to work better than others. Wink wink. Lol. Best of luck in 2012 Ben!!!

3/21/2012 11:21:48 AM

President - GPC

Spot on ShaZZy...spot on.... What could be better for us....?

3/21/2012 11:46:53 AM

Joliet, IL

I am meeting with the store rep next week wizzy. And for those with a store close by, go talk to them about sponsorship money for the weigh off. Our store in Joliet area is now a $500 sponsor for our weigh off. They are happy as hell to uses testimonial that some of their products contributed to the illinois state record pumpkin and made a banner with the pic that we hang at our weigh off and they also hang it in the store all year round. Their motto is "Grow Bigger". Lol.

3/21/2012 11:59:50 AM

Omaha, Ne.

The only place I could find kelp meal around here was at a hydro store. Just don't come looking like a cop the sells men kept avoiding me. Now I where sunglasses and get great service.

3/21/2012 5:28:43 PM

Seattle, WA

If there's enough of you in an area, I would contact Concentrates in Portland, OR and try and get a pallet together. You won't be able to beat their prices locally. I drive down from Seattle in many cases. www.concentratesnw.com

If you want to get a taste of what "potheads" are able to come up with in regards to research, check out this forum:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/forumdisplay.php?f=65708

I source info their as well, even though I'm not a "pothead" because these guys are as dedicated to their plants as you guys are!

3/21/2012 6:23:18 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I found that foliar feeding with Neptunes Fish and Seaweed (3 varieties) really helps the plant look healthy. I can do it anytme after 1 or 2pm cause the sun doesn't shine in my patch after that depending where you're standing. lol

3/21/2012 7:08:55 PM

Piqua, Ohio

I have always been told to spray the underside of the leaves,anyone else?

3/23/2012 8:43:00 PM

Linden, Mi.,

always

3/23/2012 9:38:43 PM

East Jordan, MI

yes melons spray the underside -- I mist both sides with a gas powered sprayer until they are just damp, not dripping, works well for me.

3/24/2012 12:38:33 AM

President - GPC

More stomata's on the underside of the leaveZ so yes...roll thoZe leaves when spraying......

3/25/2012 11:38:29 AM

Ontario

Stomata are on the underside of the leaf. The Stomata is for obsorbing carbon dioxide as it comes off the soil.
When you spray nutrients on the top of the leaf the biological life living there breaks it down so the leaf can obsorb it. The plant then transfers the nutrients to the roots. If the soil is deficient the nutrients are left in the soil to feed the biological life there. If the soil has sufficient nutrients they will be transferred back to the leaf and fruit. That is why it is important to have good nutrition in the soil and good biological life on the leaf and in the soil for foliar feeding to work.

3/25/2012 7:19:13 PM

South Hero, VT

This news just in: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0325-marijuana-masters-20120325,0,3385996.story?track=lat-pick

You can forget about pot grower stereotypes. The new growers are more like scientists than dealers.

3/25/2012 8:11:03 PM

Yucca Valley, CA

For those of you who are wondering whether to feed foliar or not I thought I would add this note. I am a small hydroponics farmer in California. I feed entirely by foliar methods - the reservoirs only have water in them.
Although it might not apply to those of you wanting to grow the BIG PUMPKIN - it will work for those wanting to try it for their gardens.
If you really want to know whether its working and specifically be able to gauge how well - just take BRIX readings with a refractometer. They are cheap and it will satisfy you as to how well it works.
I am A BRIX farmer (make my own ferts). There is indeed many competent studies available to read that indicate leaves take up 85% of that foliar feed and it is found within the root tip by 60 mins.

6/12/2012 8:14:02 PM