Foliar Sprays

[Carey Ma]

Foliar Sprays

Originally written for Condrad’s discussion: “Azomite Folar Spray”

As to your question: I'm not familiar with that product but I would wonder how dissolvable it might be, ground up raw mineral and all. I think it would be a great additive in the grow beds if it takes a while to dissolve. Never mind what I just said if it dissolves easily. Anyway,

There are many advantages of using a foliar spray or drench. Foliage sprays are good quick fixes as well as for regular maintenance and as long as you know what you are doing and preferably know why. Although more forgiving most of the time, you could just as easily “overdose” your plant/s as well as injure them in other ways. Remember, too much of anything becomes waste and never spray at noon or when its bright out.

The purpose of foliar sprays is to feed the stomata, an opening in leaves that lets water vapor and oxygen (respiration) out while absorbing water (dew) and free flowing elements like carbon dioxide. These stomata usually open largest during sun up and sundown. Since I mostly use bottom fed wick supplied by my AP sys. I usually top-feed (organic drench/ heavy spray but not heavy like can watering to soak soil) my veggies, flowers and fruit trees in succession, at around 4-5am every four days or so mainly to give the top layer of mulch/compost (10 cm) and shallow roots (rhizosphere) some moisture and microbes to help it break down.

I make special “tea” formulas and use different teas each time I spray depending what the garden or specific set of plants seem to need (but overall I think I do it more out of habit from years of top watering than any real need), (most of the time). In between, I still mist all my ladies most every morning just to get in tune with how things are going, take note of priorities and let them know I care. Actually that’s my favorite part of the day; watering and the first smoke, picking, eating all those delectably different jewels of nature in the cool of each dawn, then petting all those loving animals scampering around ones legs begging for attention; puts one in a good mood for a hearty breakfast at 8-9am.

Sorry, back to FSs. I liken foliar spraying to frosting on a cake - I never ate a piece of cake that was all frosting and no cake, but I have eaten cakes without any frosting. I must admit cakes with frosting taste a lot better! A good foliar spray program is like frosting on the cake. It must be applied on top of the foundation of a solid soil program (in your case a well stocked, mature and balanced AP system).

Cheers

[TCLynx]

I like the frosting and cake thing.  And one must be careful with the frosting as if you make it too rich or too sweet it can be overpowering.  If you spray too strong a solution or spray at a bad time you can burn the plants.

[Carey Ma]

I'm sure you have things covered but just in case; would you like to swap formulas?

[TCLynx]

I'm usually too lazy to be spraying.  My formulas have all been really basic like using iron sulfate when plants are showing signs of iron deficiency when I didn't have any chelated iron to add to the system.  Far too much of the year here is too hot or humid to be spraying the plants and I don't get up before dawn to be out spraying.  I've occasionally used seaweed extract in a spray but I mostly just use it in the system water.  I suppose I could make worm casting tea but I haven't and I usually just use the castings in my seed starting and potting mixes.

 

Sorry I like Aquaponics because it tends to allow a lazy gardener to be successful too.

[Carey Ma]

Ah yes, that makes sense. My life is just too complicated. I forgot you live a "simpler life", hehe. Lucky you.

[TCLynx]

Well I try, the really challenging part is managing the aquaponics when I can't be here every day or often every week, I have to design so that it will keep running even without daily supervision.

[Carey Ma]

Management 101 Delegate.

How automated is your system and have you found an apprentice?

[TCLynx]

I have a neighbor who will fill feeders and collect eggs for me.  Making sure pumps are running and scooping out dead fish is about all I can expect on the Aquaponics system.

 

I suppose if I had the space for a spare room we might take on a woofer but that isn't really an option in our current situation.

[Werner Kraeutler]

Hi all,

 

concerning foliar spray: If you do so, the particles must be electrical "charged". The more the better. Charged particles enter the leaves through the stomata if their diameter is less then 10 microns. Azomite is indeed very good stuff. Usually to use it for soilimprovement. The question is if there is Azomite availabel in an average particle size of below 10 microns.

I am using tribomechanical activated Calcium made in Germany for foliar spray in my backyard system with success. The product is called SUPERGREEN and - I admit it - I am trading this product in Thailand. Consisting of dolomite, the activated particles enter the leaves and split there chemically into CaO and CO2. So, the photosyntesis is activated due to the big quantity of CO2 as well as CaO strengthen the cell walls.

My product is approved in the US by the Washington State Department for Agriculture (WSDA) for use in organic farming. It is harmelss for humans, fish and animals.

Please see the attached file.

If any questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email.

Cheers

Werner

[Pices]

Who markets SUPERGREEN in the US?

 

Werner Kraeutler said:

Hi all,

 

concerning foliar spray: If you do so, the particles must be electrical "charged". The more the better. Charged particles enter the leaves through the stomata if their diameter is less then 10 microns. Azomite is indeed very good stuff. Usually to use it for soilimprovement. The question is if there is Azomite availabel in an average particle size of below 10 microns.

I am using tribomechanical activated Calcium made in Germany for foliar spray in my backyard system with success. The product is called SUPERGREEN and - I admit it - I am trading this product in Thailand. Consisting of dolomite, the activated particles enter the leaves and split there chemically into CaO and CO2. So, the photosyntesis is activated due to the big quantity of CO2 as well as CaO strengthen the cell walls.

My product is approved in the US by the Washington State Department for Agriculture (WSDA) for use in organic farming. It is harmelss for humans, fish and animals.

Please see the attached file.

If any questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email.

Cheers

Werner

[Werner Kraeutler]

In the US the same product is sold under the label Lithovit. Pls visit www.usalithovit.com

Br Werner

 

[Conrad Chin-Yee]

TC

I have two IBC fish tanks and need to find two cheap dry pellet food automatic feeders, or devise a way of buying one feeder and split the food output to the fish into two streams. Any suggestions?

TCLynx said:

I have a neighbor who will fill feeders and collect eggs for me.  Making sure pumps are running and scooping out dead fish is about all I can expect on the Aquaponics system.

 

I suppose if I had the space for a spare room we might take on a woofer but that isn't really an option in our current situation.

[Kobus Jooste]

Any chance of it finding its way to South Africa?

Werner Kraeutler said:

In the US the same product is sold under the label Lithovit. Pls visit www.usalithovit.com

Br Werner