Benefits And Drawbacks Of Foliar Feeding
Foliar feeding is a method of fertilizing plants directly. It involves directly spraying nutrients onto the plants leaves and stem where they are absorbed and used. It is considered an almost immediate way to feed your plants. It is becoming very common especially among small gardeners and lawn owners. It has a number of advantages and disadvantages which include the following.
Benefits
Foliar feeding produces an almost immediate effect on the plants. For example, if used on green leafy plants like kales, they will have larger and fleshier leaves within a shorter period of time compared when other fertilizing methods are used. The reason for this is that the nutrients provided are already in the form that the plant needs. After absorption, all the plant has to do is utilize these nutrients.
Foliar feeding is the best way to grow plants in places where there isn’t enough water. This is because the plant will absorb water through its roots. Were fertilizing through the soil is to be used, the nutrients in the soil will most likely leach resulting in a nutrient deficient plant. It is however recommended that you use it alongside other fertilizing methods to get the best results. Many of these are environmentally friendly.
Drawbacks
It can be an expensive method of fertilizing your plants in the long run. As the plants will almost immediately absorb all the nutrients applied, you will have to apply more fertilizers frequently if you want the best yields. If you want to cut down on these costs, then using this method alongside soil fertilizing will be necessary.
If you don’t apply the fertilizer appropriately, you might end up damaging the plant. There are times when you concentrate so much on one part that it ends up burnt. This is especially the case for chemical based liquid fertilizers. To avoid this, read all the instructions given with regards to use of the fertilizer and follow them.
They can only be applied during the morning and evening hours. This is because it is during these times that the plant stomata are open. If you apply them during the day, especially when its hot, then it is likely that it wont be absorbed into the plant.
Source: allpurposeplantfood.com
