Foliar feeding weed plants involves using a spray bottle to mist the leaves with a mild nutrient solution. The leaves absorb water and essential trace elements through their stomata and epidermis, providing them with an immediate boost of plant food.
Studies have found that supplementing a traditional soil watering regimen with foliar feeding results in healthier plants, increased terpene production, and bigger overall yields. The droplets also provide the added benefit of cleaning your leaf surface of any dust that could be hindering their ability to take in light. Misting clones and seedlings with diluted liquid plant food also helps increase relative humidity and eases the burden on young roots and cuttings.
When done properly, you’ll see positive results almost immediately but care must be taken to avoid mistakes. Indoor growers need to protect their light source prior to foliar feeding to avoid getting water on their bulbs. Outdoor farmers should only spray early in the morning to keep from burning their plants. Stop foliar feeding altogether once the flowering stage has begun to avoid issues with mold, powdery mildew and budrot.
Purchase a spray bottle suitable to your needs – a 16-ounce handheld unit is fine for a small tent or closet grow but you’ll need a pressure sprayer for larger applications.
There are many options of foliar feeds to choose from. Any water-soluble liquid or powdered fertilizer can be diluted into a mild solution but avoid anything thick or viscous as it will clog the sprayer. Aerated compost tea and liquid kelp are popular for foliar feeding but whatever you choose, be sure to dilute it to 1/4 or less of the recommended dosage. Mix in a drop or two of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil as a surfactant to aid in absorption. When foliar feeding weed plants, be sure to spray both the tops and the undersides of leaves for full effect.
