Photo provided by Jim Fleming
When it comes to boosting crop yields and ensuring healthy plant development, smart farmers are discovering that the secret lies not just in what they put in the soil, but what they spray on the leaves. Foliar feeding—the practice of applying liquid fertilizers directly to plant foliage—has emerged as a game-changing technique that can dramatically enhance crop performance when used strategically.
What is Foliar Feeding?
Foliar feeding bypasses the traditional root uptake system and delivers nutrients directly through the leaf surface. Plant leaves are equipped with tiny pores called stomata that primarily function for gas exchange, but can also be utilized for small particle sized nutrient absorption. Additionally, when using chelated or complexed nutrient products, those nutrients can be shuttled across the leaf cuticle surface. This direct delivery method allows plants to access essential nutrients almost immediately, making it particularly valuable during critical growth phases or when soil conditions limit root nutrient uptake.
Unlike soil applications, which must navigate complex soil biochemical processes, foliar nutrients (in available forms) enter directly into the plant’s vascular system. This means faster response times and more efficient nutrient utilization for in-season nutrient corrections, especially for micronutrients that are easily bound up in soil.
Keys to Foliar Success – When Is the Best Time to Foliar Feed
The effectiveness of foliar feeding depends heavily on proper timing and application methods. Early morning applications are ideal when stomata are open and humidity levels support nutrient absorption. Avoid spraying during peak sun hours, as this can cause leaf burn and reduce nutrient uptake efficiency. Here is a link to help further understand why this is important: https://omexcanada.com/blog/understanding-deliquescence/
Target your foliar applications during key growth stages such as early vegetative development, pre-flowering, and fruit set. These periods represent times when plants have high nutrient demands and can benefit most from the rapid nutrient delivery that foliar feeding provides. It is important to be especially mindful of product types, rates, and timing of application during flowering – so as to avoid abortion and infertility issues.
Application frequency typically ranges from weekly to bi-weekly intervals, depending on crop type, growing conditions and growth stages. Light, frequent applications generally prove more effective than heavy, infrequent ones, as they maintain consistent nutrient availability without overwhelming the plant’s absorption capacity. Sometimes this cannot be operationally possible for larger broadacre operations, but foliar nutrients can be added to herbicide, insecticide, and/or fungicide applications, so no additional passes with the sprayer may be necessary.
Maximizing Benefits Through Strategic Application of Foliar Feed
To maximize the benefits of foliar feeding, applying balanced nutrition can often be more effective than just applying a single nutrient alone. Adding particular trace micronutrients can help to improve the uptake and utilization of the macronutrients that have been soil (or foliar) applied, helping you get the most out of your fertilizer investment.
Consider environmental conditions when planning your foliar program. High humidity and moderate temperatures enhance absorption, while windy conditions can reduce application efficiency. Mornings, just before sunrise, are typically the best time of day to apply foliar nutrition.
The pH levels of your spray solution also matter—most nutrients are best absorbed when the pH ranges between 5.5 and 6.5. Your spray solutions can be critical to improving all foliar applications, nutrients and chemicals included. If your water is “hard” with too many Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), adding a water softening agent can significantly improve your foliar application too. Further to that, adding chelating agents like fulvic acid and/or amino acids to your spray solution can also significantly improve foliar nutrient uptake.
The name of the game is Efficiency.
Foliar Feed Integration with Soil Management
Foliar feeding works best as a complement to, not a replacement for, solid soil fertility programs. While foliar applications can quickly address specific deficiencies and provide rapid nutrition during critical periods, soil fertility remains the backbone of long-term plant health and productivity.
Combine foliar feeding with regular soil testing to create a comprehensive nutrition strategy. This integrated approach ensures plants receive balanced nutrition through multiple pathways, optimizing both immediate performance and long-term soil health.
Foliar feeding is a powerful tool in the modern farmer’s arsenal. When applied correctly, it offers rapid nutrient delivery and enhanced crop performance. By understanding proper timing, technique, and integration strategies, growers can unlock significant yield improvements and crop quality enhancements.
Ready to take your crop nutrition to the next level? Fabian Seed Farm Inc., offers over a decade of on-farm, boots-on-the-ground experience with foliar nutrition, backed by expert guidance, and premium nutrient dense seed varieties designed to set the stage to help maximize your foliar feeding success.
