Foliar Feeding

[Anau Jiram]

Having access to worm tea someone could decide to use this as a supplemental plant nutrient applied through foliar feeding. From what I have read there does not seem to be a consensus on the growth periods that it should be applied. I have read that using foliar spraying into the bloom/bud stages can result in reduced plant temperature which causes less resin production; hot/dry plants secrete resin as a natural insulator from the elements. Also, undesirable foliar spray residue could remain on the plant's floral clusters even after drying.

There seems to be pros and cons to foliar feeding. What is your experience with the technique?

[Anau Jiram]

If anyone has used foliar spraying successfully what did they use as a wetting agent?

[galt]

I have been using worm tea. I can't say what it does for cannabis though. No stable reference. But it kill most bugs and keeps spider mites at bay. Reason enough to use it. I can say that my basil and kale love this stuff. I am getting biggest basil leaves I have ever seen.

[Anau Jiram]

galt,

i have a worm bin that generates the lovely tea juice. What is your concentration level/dilution for foliar application and do you find a need for a wetting agent?

[jimmi420]

A few drops of washing up liquid per litre, but why foliar feed unless you got a problem , it can do more harm than good in many ways, slower root development is one.

[Anau Jiram]

@jimmi

I have read somewhere that using dish washing liquid regularly can actually clog up the stomata. It is OK to use it in a pinch but not regularly. I have not heard about the correlation between foliar spraying and reduced root development. What causes the root development to slow if the plant is intaking nutrients through the leaf wall? I have seen photos of tomato plants that were tested in a controlled environment and there was a definite growth increase in those that received foliar supplements. Maybe 5-10% increased growth rate.

[jimmi420]

You maybe right on too much washing up liquid blocking stomata, but if i foliar spray for any reason, which i do once in a while, i use a few drops, but don`t spay regular only if i have a problem, so if doing it on a regular basis well it`s your call m8 that one, on slow root development no science behind it just summink i read in a thread so not 100% tbh m8.

[Distiller]

it does not take much detergent to break surface tension...even a drop is more than you need in a liter... a touch smeared on a stirrer then stirred into the spray bottle contents, I find enough to stop drops forming and to act as a wetting agent.
"D"