Foliar fertilization – When to use it and how to do it?

Foliar feeding is one way to ensure that the plants in your garden and garden receive the nutrients they need to stay healthy.

Don’t you know what foliar fertilization is, much less when to use it and how to do it? Keep reading and check this information here!

What is foliar fertilization?

It is a technique of fertilization and vegetable nutrition. It consists of the application of fertilizer via foliar, therefore, sprayed on the leaves and not on the ground as is done traditionally.

This technique is extremely effective, since the leaves have a good capacity to absorb the nutrients from the compost or fertilizer, just like the roots of the plant. The difference is that foliar fertilization is more practical and ensures a quick response from the plants, as well as helping to increase productivity.

Micronutrients such as copper, iron and zinc, for example, are quickly absorbed in this type of fertilizer, contributing to the health and development of the plant.

When to use foliar fertilizer?

Its use is recommended when the plant has a lack of nutrients or in phases in which it consumes a greater amount of micro and macronutrients.

There is also the possibility of using this technique in a preventive, corrective and complementary way, ensuring that the plants in your garden or orchard have all the essential nutrients to develop healthily.

Preventive foliar fertilization is always done in advance, to prevent any nutritional deficiency in the plant. The corrective, in turn, aims to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

In the case of complementary foliar fertilization, the proposal is to give the plant nutrients that the soil does not have. In general, foliar fertilization is usually combined with soil fertilization.

In all cases, it is recommended that you carry out a foliar analysis, therefore, of the leaves of the plant, to identify if it really needs fertilizer.

Generally, characteristics such as the absence of flowering and fruits, yellow or brownish leaves, among others, indicate the need for nutrients.

How to apply foliar fertilizer?

Are you interested in applying foliar fertilization to the plants in your garden, but don’t know how to proceed? Below is a step by step guide to help you:

1. Choose the most suitable foliar fertilizer for the type of plant. For example, succulents require a different fertilizer than roses. When considering the type of plant, it is possible to have better results;
2. Consider the phenological phase of the plant, to achieve better results. For example, if you use a fertilizer for flowering in the growth and development phase of the plant, you will not have the expected result;
3. Carry out the application following the recommendations of the product manufacturer. Each has a specific dosage, dilution, and mode of application. In general, the product is diluted in water and applied by spraying on the leaves of the plant.

To increase the chances of success, it is recommended to pay attention to the quality of the water. Give preference to minerals, for example. Also consider the timing of the application to ensure that the water does not evaporate too quickly.

Another care that must be taken is with the sprinkler nozzle, which must be of good quality and guarantee a wide coverage of the plant. In this way, the possibility of covering all the leaves with compost or fertilizer is increased, preventing only a part of the plant from receiving the nutrients.

Does foliar fertilization replace soil fertilization?

Some people think that foliar fertilization replaces soil fertilization, but this is not true! Both are complementary and satisfy different demands of the plant.

However, it is important to stress that foliar fertilizer should not be applied directly to the soil and vice versa. You must follow the guidelines of the manufacturers of the product to have a better result.

Advantages of foliar fertilization

The main advantage is the rapid response of the plants, which manage to generate the expected results in the short term. In addition, this type of fertilization has a more uniform application.

As a result, nutrients are evenly distributed and absorbed by the plant, especially when compared to fertilizer applied directly to the soil. As a result, the plant improves as a whole and not just in part.

Foliar fertilization also has the advantage of ensuring that the plant receives the nutrients even if the soil does not have the right conditions, such as in times of drought or soggy soils.