Grow Tips
Foliar Fertilizer vs Soil Fertilizer?
Aug
Are you a grower torn between soil and foliar feeding? The truth is that many hydroponic gardeners and growers are using the foliar feeding technique because the leaves are able to absorb the nutrients and solution just as the soil does. But which type of feeding is best for your plants? Continue to read this article on the different feeding techniques to find out the benefits and flaws of both soil and foliar feeding.
What is foliar feeding?
The foliar feeding technique is when plants absorb the nutrient solution provided through the pores on a leaf that act both as an entrance for moisture and exchanging gases that the plants need. Foliar feeding great way to improve the speed of the plant’s growing process along with the yield. The foliar feeding technique works best when used on plants in the early stages of growth. It is also a great way to heal your ill looking plants because you can simply provide it with nutrients via the leaves.
One big disadvantage
One of the main reasons than most farmers and growers don’t use the foliar feeding system is because during the later stages of the plant’s growth, the plant food that is sprayed directly onto the plant can be found on the vegetation before and after harvesting.
In order to counter this disadvantage, make sure that the plants are cleaned with water every so often and also stop foliar feeding a few weeks or a month before harvesting. Switching to the soil feeding technique as your crops begin to flower can and should avoid any problems caused with by foliar feeding technique in the later stages.
Soil – easy to use & it works!
Using soil to feed plants is definitely the easiest and most common way to do so. Soil that is being used grow plants can contain some of the nutrients that the plant uses and if not, you can add organic nutrients to the soil simply by adding the food to your plant’s water supply. Using soil from the beginning of the plant is a lot easier than using foliar feeding then switching to soil at a later stage.
Unfortunately, using soil to feed your plants also has its disadvantages, one of them being that plants can easily become overfed and unhealthy. This is because it’s harder to manage nutrient intake when using soil. The plants can also run the risk of having a nutrient lockout, this happens when it absorbs too many nutrients. The hydroponic foliar feeding technique can counter these issues because nutrients are applied directly as stated above.
There is no best technique when it comes to using soil or hydroponic foliar feeding, otherwise every grower would be doing the same thing. It is up to you to research which feeding technique works best with your growing style. Try different methods and ask your fellow growers because you could find a way that would improve your crops overall quality and yield.
