Does Foliar Feeding Plants Really Work? The Science Behind Foliar Feeding & Making It At Home 🪴🌱

[@GardeningInCanada]

Who here foliar feeds their plants? Technically when you water with fertilizer in a watering can it’s foliar feeding 😂🤣. Here is a product that would work geni.us/BpdYx3i This would be considered the Cadillac foliar spray in my opinion because it has a diverse number of micronutrients geni.us/GQlE this can be used on indoor and outdoor plants.

[@NashvilleMonkey1000]

Oh, that reminds me of a garden tip: If you have a tall plant at the end of a garden bed on a main pathway, wash the leaves thoroughly, as that's the one the cats mark as historically significant to their cat culture.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh interesting!

[@onezerooneonezeroone]

Dyna grow also makes inexpensive liquid fertilizers available in the US with all the micro nutrients.

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

i have been using OPTIC foliar spray GROW

[@johnman559]

@@GardeningInCanada Just what I needed real science about foliar feeding✊ I've heard leaves absorb the nutrients within 20 minutes * if * that's the case surfactant wouldn't be needed

[@daniellebrogden]

I predict this channel is gonna take off! I'm starting to get annoyed by the mainstream plant/gardening youtubers that just remake videos they see other successful plant/gardening youtubers make - just because the topic is trending. It's usually all the same, and false information travels fast! We need more of your kind in the community! Then again, perhaps we shouldn't ruin it completely for all those suffering from *plant addiction*

[@GardeningInCanada]

Haha I don’t know I’m growing pretty slowly. But I agree we need a middle ground.

[@daniellebrogden]

@@GardeningInCanada and so did a lot of other youtubers before they became successful. But at the end of the day, people want their plants to thrive and you will definitely contribute to that a great deal. I will definitely follow you along the way, cause I'm sick of merely "show and tell". Anyways, best of luck to you!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks so much. And it’s most likely true.

[@TriCombStudio]

I foliar spray semi regularly for pests with neem oil, karanja oil, dawn dish soap, yucca, soluble kelp, aloe extract and potassium silicate. Not overly meant for foliar feeding

[@GardeningInCanada]

No that’s for pest control which works beautifully.

[@NashvilleMonkey1000]

Darn, and I just perfected a system where we pour a bucket of water on the ground under the plants and call it done~ Now I have to rework everything!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Hahahahah I love this comment.

[@freelivingtennessee]

I just saw a study about black spot on peppers and a folliar application of neem and fish emulsion. I’m dealing with black apot on my peppers bc of my low tunnel I hardened them off in getting damp

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea so foliar spray for issues like disease or bugs is definitely valuable and doesn’t follow the same rules as foliar feeding for nutrients.

[@janetmcn2069]

I live in Newfoundland, where soil is thin and acid. I started foliar feeding my pear trees last year with a tea made from rotted seaweed off the beach and comfrey leaves with some horsetail added. The smell could knock you over after two weeks. I strained this, then diluted this by 50% with well water (not chlorinated) and sprayed the leaves while they were still growing in the spring. I did the same this spring. This year fruit set is amazing, I'm thinning the pears down to one for ever 6 inches of wood. We have a lot of trouble with scab here and it's hard to get full size fruit normally. The fruit is now shiny and healthy and the scab is much less. The leaves are brighter and look more healthy. I'm feeling very hopeful about this year's harvest.

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s the perfect scenario for Foliar

[@janetmcn2069]

@@GardeningInCanada I can't get over the difference it's making. I'm also starting to use ramial wood chips to encourage mycorrhizal connections with the fugus that's in the ground and to feed the trees. Turns out everything I needed for these trees was all around me.

[@TNova-rd5ji]

I foliar feed our gardens & greenhouses constantly at low levels. Many irrigated crops in S. Alta especially coarser soils where potatoes or corn are grown, very common to foliar feed through low pressure pivots.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea that makes sense. If it’s a sandy soil then it’s considered poor soil and therefore foliar feeding will be a benefit.

[@wildedibles819]

I usually do this after a rain Then wash it off 6 to 12hrs later I use a brewed comfrey fertilizer but you need to be careful not to eat the leaves Like lettuce does not need a folal feed anyway I usually feed say squash with it but not on the fruit just the leaves If the microbes are off you can get sick eating leaves sprayed with a brew Same as compost tea im not certain about fish emulsion? I just use my fermented comfrey and weed brew...it has molasses in it and fruit usually...weeds like dandelions...i usually see improvements on plants that are fruiting and flowering that look tired....some heavy fruiting plants i give them a folar feed of emsolm salt too but very weak Using mulch i don't have to do this as much and it only shows a bit of improvement Usually when its wet ;) Having sand here im certain i have nutrition loss because of my sand but not as much now with mulch breaking down every year This brew i only use for flower and fruit/veg and also water around the plants not just folar feeding;) Great video much love xoxox

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s a good ideas

[@wildedibles819]

@@GardeningInCanada thanks much love xoxox

[@GardeningInCanada]

Xoxo ❤️

[@boksabelido1968]

Thank you very much. Now I see why my Figs ,sugar apple & tomatoes responded so well to foliar spray than my Fruiting cashew and other fruit bearing with waxy leaves. God bless your Channel from Philippines to yours 🙏.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad it helped

[@sugargraham6868]

Awesome video. Great info. Can't thank you enough!!!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad it was helpful!

[@edibleadventures]

Two video topic potentials: 1. I have a goldfish houseplant that I read is an epiphyte and therfore gets nutrients from the air...? Really? Hows that possible(mine's happy in a pot 2 ft from a west facing window)? The only reason I know the word is my orchid, and it's a very different looking root system. What gives? 2. Ants! My apartment patio is the only outdoor space I have and I recently noticed an uptick in ants around the base of one pot during a couple of days of hot sunshine (south exposure, no coverage, super hot). What's that about? What can I do?(should I do anything?)

[@GardeningInCanada]

Those are both great video ideas! I’ll put them on the list.

[@ojohnmedeiros12]

So would you recommend adding a few drops of soap per gallon if fertilizer made from fish emulsion and seaweed and foliar feeding veggies that are container grown?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea I would be if the goal is foliar feeding. Not a ton just a few drops and a good shake will be enough

[@ojohnmedeiros12]

@@GardeningInCanada thank you

[@GardeningInCanada]

Anytime!

[@asthesodturnslandscapeandd9950]

I am very impressed with your knowledge and am looking at this to the point of helping stressed trees and bushes in Calgary next year.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks an awesome application for foliar feeding

[@teac117]

The only one I keep on-hand is calmag. Calcium because sunny days, cold nights just messes up the uptake cycle. Magnesium more as a diagnostic tool since a lot of other nutrient deficiencies can be similar. A spray of foliar Mg can rectify or exclude it as a cause.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice!

[@traceedrysdale8238]

Super helpful! I just received five trees and one of them is feeling quite sorry for itself. The others have new growth. So I am going to order some things to help based on your video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I’m glad you found it so helpful!

[@lesterspicer8379]

I love your channel! Your videos are always heavy with information! I know this is a very old video, but I was wondering if you had any thoughts or info on Yucca extract as a surfactant for use in mixing foliar feeds?

[@GardeningInCanada]

I have heard this works! There are alot of plant surfactants out there

[@leafylotus]

Hi Ashley! Thanks for the vid

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed! ❤️

[@gvv1mhh]

Hi Ashley, Through research I’ve been told to spray my trees with these in the fall to get fruit next year. - molasses - Sea weed extract - Fish emulsion Is this true? Thanks

[@markoxendine9748]

Is it true that the stomata are only open early morning & late evening, also would Dr Bronners castil soap be considered a surfacant, when would you suggest the best time of day to foliar feed

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yes, correct! and its going to be when everything is opened so early morning or late evening before the heat hits.

[@ezcape49]

I just foliar Feed my plant with Alaska fish fertilizer and some Sea-90. I normally do it once a week. I also switch between Alaska fish and Neptune Harvest Tomato and Veg 2-4-2. I think it does take it since last year I burned 3 of my pepper plants. I OD them. Gave them 2 doses once in the morning and then at night. Only because I had some fertilizer leftover.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh no! That’s not good. But glad it’s working for you

[@daniellamehlhoff7852]

Thanks for this! At the end of the video, you mentioned it’s possible to do a homemade version with a soap as a surfactant. Would that be using any regular fertilizer (like a synthetic) but mixing a bit of dish soap? Could you give more info on how we could do that?

[@EmmanuelIndomitus]

Can you share your opinion or research on the impact of foliar spray of microorganisms? Particularly when it relates to suppression of pathogens.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea absolutely I didn’t touch on it here but it has its merits. The key is time and conditions for application. Some are sensitive to solar rays for example.

[@onezerooneonezeroone]

Nice and concise explaination. Thanks for the video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed! Be sure to share ❤️

[@franklombardo3]

Great info, thank you! I'm a little confused at the end. It seemed like you said inorganic is the way to go, but then said only organic will work as a foliar spray. Maybe I just haven't had enough caffeine today? 😅

[@NeonCicada]

🧑‍🌾💦🪴 _Foliar nutrients just have to be their bioavailable forms for uptake_ -- So, you would wanna go with *either* an inorganic/chemical nutrient *or* an organic fertilizer with microbial additives meant to convert base nutrients into their more bioavailable forms *+* a surfactant to facilitate proper contact with the plant's stomata!! (IN SHORT: they're both effective options when applied correctly ...just as they're both ineffective options when applied incorrectly)

[@TheDylan6908]

Ashley, does this info apply to lawn foliar feedings as well?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yes sir

[@TheDylan6908]

​@@GardeningInCanada❤🌹

[@MaryyamFatima]

I've heard some planty people mention that foliar feeding using orchid sprays helps aracea plants as well. I bought the schultz orchid liquid plant food to see if I can dilute it and spray it on plants instead of buying the foliar spray (a small bottle costs way too much for how little it has inside). I would love to find out what they of nitrogen they use. Other than calling the company, do you have any idea where I can find out the nitrogen type for fertilizers?

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s going to be really hard if they don’t have it listed on the packaging. But for the orchids they do well with foliar feeding because of the root design. Technically all the air roots will be able to capture the nutrients.

[@MaryyamFatima]

@@GardeningInCanada I might just call the company to inquire, I'm mainly thinking of using it for large leaf philos that I have.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea you definitely could. It should say in the fine print honestly. It’s odd that it does t

[@Harry-xp1uf]

I use uncle toms rose tonic I’ve had good results but I’d be curious your opinion on that product ? 😊

[@ekamarie6632]

I have a few plants that I don’t understand why they are dying. I’m pretty sure my I’m not over watering or under watering. But the leafs are losing color turning yellow and dying. Also I use the happy frog soil and add bark perlite lava rock a lil compost and coco coir if I were to guess it’s 50% frog soil 20% perlite 10% bark 5% coco coir, coconut shaving, lava rock, and compost. In my container it’s all light and fluffy and perfect. Yet once I pot it after about like a few weeks it feel hard and not so airy and fluffy. Yk what’s happening? And lastly I get a layer of white tiny dots on my soil it doesn’t look like mycelium. I was thinking salts maybe?

[@GardeningInCanada]

did you watch my soil mold video? does it look like any of those

[@ekamarie6632]

@@GardeningInCanada yea I did and no it doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen online. I can take my nail and scratch it off

[@79PoisonBreaker]

Do you think aquaponic (fish water) gardening that gives only certain nutrients could be made used together with foiler feeding instead of needing to add it in with the fish? Hope my question makes sense lol

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea no that makes sense. And it’s a good application for the foliar feeding system

[@Figs4Life]

I used Neptune liquid fish fertilizer mixed with Organic molasses on my fig fruit trees at night yesterday for the very first time. I sprayed the leaves from the bottom and on top . The next morning half of the leaves on the tree were curled upwards ( but they will still soft and green); what does that mean?

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s odd but could be caused by excessive salts.

[@tavyfavorite1149]

What time of the day did you foliar feed. Bc it must be done early in the morning . if done after 8am it will go into shock for the first time.

[@Figs4Life]

@@tavyfavorite1149 I did it at 10pm

[@Figs4Life]

@@tavyfavorite1149 Will it go in shocked if I do it again? Will it get used to it? When you say morning, what is the time frame?

[@lindam9018]

1. I am confused about which of those links are for the foliar spray you are recommending. 2. My request for future videos is how you go about 'forcing bulbs' and blooming periods for things like amaryllis and hyacinth bulbs in winter and Christmas cactus and other blooming plants. I feel like it's so complex 😟

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea that’s a great idea! And sorry I didn’t post any links yet totally forgot

[@nox1487]

For Christmas cactus and other jungle cacti, as well as orchids, the trick is the hours of darkness (10-12 depending on the season) and night time drops in temp (about 10-15 degrees). I’ve tricked some of my rhipsalis and shlumbergera into blooming off season that way!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Very cool

[@terrysingleton8141]

Would you recommend ammonia sulfate for foliar feeding

[@stefanoforero954]

So is phototoxcicity not the same thing as intensified light rays. Can you differentiate for me possibly?

[@epasuxelar4473]

Is it necessary to wipe down the undersides of leaves after foliar feeding? I foliar feed from the underside of my leaves once a week and don't want to end up hurting my plants.

[@GardeningInCanada]

No not at all

[@nox1487]

Curious to your thoughts on foliar feed for epiphytic plants, specifically for ones native to high humidity environments! I’ve read some research articles about certain root/stem structures in that group being able to capture nutrients quickly/efficiently. I’ve sprayed this on my Hoya’s specifically some “slower growing” (people just don’t know how to care for epiphytes) varieties and had great results.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea from what I’ve see on the research for epiphytic plants is that the roots themselves are particularly good at grabbing nutrient and water on the run

[@thierryreunbrouck5360]

Is Yucca a good surfactant for foliar feeding?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yucca would work!

[@hykreationsl.l.c.2204]

We actually can get the guard cells to open the stomata during foliar applications. We should chat sometime. Thanks.

[@GardeningInCanada]

interesting!

[@hendrixsinyangwe9990]

Hi kindly advise can i only use Foliar fertilizer for my maize plants even though i did not apply soil application fertilizer please help because soil application fertilizer is really expensive. Hendrix from Africa Zambia

[@ranniesibayan6454]

Good day ma'am Ashley,can I ask you what's the best foliar for my plants eggplant here in Philippines.please can you give me some of your knowledge for better caring my eggplant trees.thank you.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I would just fertilize normally and make sure it has high P & K

[@ranniesibayan6454]

@@GardeningInCanada thank you so much ma'am Ashley ..good day.

[@GardeningInCanada]

You too!

[@evelynbayna8824]

So spraying with worm tea is a waste of time and money for potted plants?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea I wouldn’t bother with it I would just place it directly into the soil.

[@evelynbayna8824]

How long do the bacteria survive in a container plant that's been watered with worm tea?

[@GardeningInCanada]

As long as the soil moisture is elevated

[@nugcraft5831]

Hello, so hypothetically if you were to dip a leaf or leaves in nutrient solution for a period of time, would that work the same as a surfactant? Thanks love you channel. Have you done video on chelators yet? Would love to see it.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I don’t I need to make one forsure! And yea if you did that method it would hypothetically work.

[@Figs4Life]

Someone told me to mix a little organic hand soap with the Neptune liquid fish and then spay it on the leaves. He said that the soap will allow the liquid fertiliser to stay longer on the leaves. Is that a good idea and will soap harm my fig fruit tree or its fruits? Thank you.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea so the soap will help the fertilizer cling to the plant leaves. The issue with organic fertilizer is that the nutrients isn’t always in a usable form. That means microbes are needed to facilitate breakdown of the compounds. That unfortunately doesn’t take place outside of the soil. Now there will be some viable nutrients in organic fertilizer but the level will depend on how degraded the nutrients source is.

[@rayfast]

So, I'm curious ... is there an example in nature of a situation where a plant that normally uptakes nutrients through its roots (say, for instance, a tomato plant) would rely on it's leaves to get it's food?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Great question! Carnivores and arguably some aquatic plants.

[@chanoone7812]

Their is carbon and nitrogen in rain drops

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

have you used or have an opinion on RECHARGE

[@GardeningInCanada]

i havent done anything on this was there anything in particular you wanted to see

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

@@GardeningInCanada a science based look at the product if its worth the price it goes for on amazon

[@addammadd]

Question: how do you feel about using xanthan gum dispersed in vegetable glycerin to promote adhesion (and to accommodate oils such as neem)?

[@scottsmith507]

Well I mostly never foliar feed, enough stuff to do in garden. I'd rather keep the leaves dry, unless it rains.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea I’m the same I never do it.

[@Copyright-di4we]

I've got artificial granular fertilizer laying around for years and I'm wondering if I can dissolve it in water and use it as foliar spray. If so, will it harm soil biology? I've got homemade soap made from potash. I plan on spraying it on a vineyard that seems like the grapes aren't growing much.

[@GardeningInCanada]

At this point it’s probably mostly salt. A lot of the nutrients has likely gases or leached off.

[@TreesAreCool206]

Excellent info

[@jeffwalthorn309]

Does, or will, using the liquid product "pH Down, by adding to water, to reduce soil pH? Specifically blueberry planted in 7.0 soil, so by adding pH down liquid to water and being the water to 5.5 or 5.7 etc?. I know the stuff is meant for hydroponic,, but will it, over time couple months etc, do the soil to enable better root uptake,,vs foliar iron on higher pH then what blueberries best fit.? ... .. .. if that all made any sense.

[@angeloflores2614]

Have you heard Fermented fruit juice(FFJ)? Ive attended a seminar and they teach this organic fertilizer im just curious if its really works and you actually feeding your plants nutrients,it only takes 7 days to make it then dilute it and you can spray it to your plants im really skeptical about this for 7 days I mean come on my compost pile takes a month before i can use it and others take year. Then i just thought wait they use molasses in the fermentation maybe we are just feeding the microbes and not really the plants in other words we just fooling ourselves take away the fruits, molasses alone will do same result

[@GardeningInCanada]

No I haven’t. But it sounds like a combo of microbes food and sugar

[@machinedragon]

Would this explain how a plant survived losing its root a month agao and it refuses to die. Of course it's kratky but loaded with algae so I know my water is loaded with nutes

[@GardeningInCanada]

yea thats very nice

[@JanetUrsel]

So I will think of foliar feeding as the plant equivalent of an IV: for therapeutic use only.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea! I LOVE that analogy Janet.

[@naomifehr669]

Hello, great content so far. Love the information in your videos! Question; I am growing cut flowers for the first time in a newly tilled plot. It's been tilled 3x in the last 6 weeks, so the grass that was there is nicely worked in. Would this be a good reason to foliar feed? I plan on planting this weekend and cropping until fall (I'm north of Saskatoon, zone 3).

[@GardeningInCanada]

No I don’t think so. For you in fresh soil your going to have lots of reserve.

[@ntokozomkhabela1501]

Love what you are doing ❤

[@dymondwillow2]

epsom?? salts and water to spray on my tomatoes....

[@GardeningInCanada]

I’m not a big epsom salt fan mostly because it’s rarely deficient in the soil.

[@nyclear]

How can foliar not work for organic if plants evolved foliar feeding with organic material?

[@cardstockcollector]

Thank You!

[@wiandryadiwasistio2062]

regular/soil feeding vs foliar feeding debate is more like pc vs mac or tekken vs street fighter (or vs guilty gear vs king of fighters etc); they both work and has their pros and cons, and it's more of personal preference and convenience in application (i prefer soil feeding even though i know foliar feeding also works. i believe in my plants' roots and it's something we, my plants and i, shall be proud of. roots are like our muscles, they keep 'em moving)

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

would GAIA GREEN WATER SULUBLE SEAWEED work

[@GardeningInCanada]

that is not likely to work

[@tolotonga69]

I do what you say won't work an it's been working realy well for years, my own organic fertiliser mix with normal water

[@Figs4Life]

Is it a good idea to spray on the leaves of a fruit fig tree a diluted mixture of hydrogen peroxide with water?

[@GardeningInCanada]

You can

[@Figs4Life]

@@GardeningInCanada Is it beneficial if I do it to a healthy tree? What exactly does it do to it?

[@GardeningInCanada]

It will just shine the leaves and kill off some bacteria issues

[@PennyPusher]

I feel like this is going to be a fun journey +1

[@gaganchandru4624]

Please tell about foliar feeding in banana

[@GardeningInCanada]

Very common for them

[@chanoone7812]

One third milk two thirds water is a great preventive/fertilizer

[@asyouwish1143]

Just recently found your channel. Love it!! Was surprised to see you didn't also touch on foliar feeding for clones/cuttings. As I would think not having any roots at all, foliar feeding would be most beneficial. Any insight would be greatly appreciated ❤

[@GardeningInCanada]

it will be so long as the molecules are small enough too pass the leaf barrier

[@asyouwish1143]

@@GardeningInCanada Thank you 😊

[@upperplaygrounds6913]

I'd disagree water droplets definitely can hurt plants , Usaully younger ones like seedlings but still I had to retest my knowledge after hearing this video I put a drop of water on one of my seedlings first true leaves ..Came back the next day and my seedlings is half yellow the leaf I put the drop on completely died just like I have seen in the past I'm not saying it magnified anything but clearly something is causing this.

[@apextroll]

I saw one video where they fermented stinging nettle leaves with brown sugar and sprayed the diluted the syrup on the plant. It was the channel Huw Richards.

[@GardeningInCanada]

They put syrup on the plant? Did they say why

[@apextroll]

@@GardeningInCanada The extract of the fermented nettle leaves. It looks like syrup but he diluted it. The video is just 6 days old. Is there any benefit to anaerobic or fermented decomposition?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Not that I know of but I could try too look through some science journals too see if there is anything documented.

[@apextroll]

@@GardeningInCanada Great. Thanx Actually in the video he said it was fermented but there was still oxygen present, ie. the difference between wine and vinegar..So technically it is not a fermentation process. If it were me, I'd just submerge leaves in water and use the "tea" to water the roots.

[@apextroll]

@@GardeningInCanada As a follow up to this anaerobic fermentation/composting comment, it seems to be coming from Korean composting and farming techniques.

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

thughts on the OPTIC line of foliage products

[@GardeningInCanada]

i have not tried it unfortunately

[@gvv1mhh]

I love this girl ❤️

[@christinamarie5141]

So would foliar feeding benefit plant cuttings I’m trying to root?!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea absolutely it would. It’s a great application of the concept.

[@jgonzz10028]

Like anything else I add Foliar feeding as a part to the regimen. I’m from Kansas and educated and employed in NYC, so my outlook is “unconventional” to say the least. Just ask any old (55+) farmer with 3 fingers on each hand, greasy salt stained Dekalb cap and a steel barn full of “vintage” farm equipment, about anything on your mind. He’ll tell you. No safe spaces or support animals required..

[@GardeningInCanada]

HAHAAH that’s awesome

[@greggf2556]

why is the guy on garden fundamentals always says that foliar feeding does not work based on scientific findings and were does he get that information as he does not back it up with that statement

[@kendravoracek3636]

💚💚

[@GardeningInCanada]

❤️❤️❤️

[@slamrock17]

👍

[@katrineelandsen6709]

:)

[@GardeningInCanada]

😌❤️

[@tonnysenioranthony4251]

The Thumpnail shows a guy applying fertiliser, but all I see in the video is a person’s mug, blabbing along

[@GardeningInCanada]

thanks you for the comment! helps with the algorithm

[@JoseGonzales-ul9sv]

Are you single?