Foliar top dressing is the main way to deliver nutrients to plants. The application of mineral fertilizers and organics is carried out when preparing the soil for planting or directly under the root in the form of nutrient solutions.
But in this way, it is not always possible to fill the plant's need for nutrients:
- the root system may not work efficiently enough;
- fertilizers due to heavy rains can be washed out of the soil.
Here in such cases, foliar top dressing will be very necessary.
What is foliar top dressing?
Without exception, all plants absorb nutrients not only from the roots, but also through the crown (leaves, stems, and even the stem). If the solution is sprayed on the surface, then it, like through the roots, will enter the power system.
Conditions and technology of foliar feeding
In order for foliar top dressing of plants to be carried out successfully, it is recommended to observe some conditions:
- Spray in cloudy weather (preferably in high humidity) or in the evening. You need to understand that the longer the composition is on the surface of the leaves, the more nutrients will get to their destination. In hot or sunny weather, the solution dries instantly, and besides, there is a danger of leaf burns, because drops focus the sun's rays like a lens.
- To apply the nutrient solution, you need to use high-quality sprayers, since the finer and finer the atomization, the more intensive the absorption of nutrients from the solution.
- Spray the solution so that it evenly covers the leaves on both sides. The lower part of the sheet absorbs even more intensively than the upper.
- For spraying, it is better to use soft water (rain will work well). Or you can let the water just settle down so that the plants absorb the solution better.
- Fertilizers that are used for feeding should be well soluble in water. Today, in specialized stores there is a fairly large selection of such tools.
Fertilizer doses
For high-quality spraying, you must correctly select the dose of fertilizer that dissolves. Be sure to focus on the instructions.
It is better to make the solution less concentrated so as not to harm the plant. Excess concentration can cause burns.
Foliar top dressing is fast enough. But it should be understood that a one-time carrying out of it will not be enough. In order to get a good result, at least 2-3 events are required for a month. And for your care, the plants will respond with a magnificent appearance, abundant flowering and the formation of many fruits.
Do not wait for the lack of nutrients to appear externally on plants. Feeding regularly.
When is foliar top dressing extremely necessary?
There are situations when you can’t do without foliar dressing. With a disease of the plant and poor work of its roots, pouring nutrient solutions under it is useless. This can even aggravate this situation. It is foliar dressing that can save the situation, since its main advantage is the speed of assimilation of fertilizer seedlings.
During cooling or drought, the metabolism of plants slows down significantly, therefore, to maintain them, the above procedure should also be carried out.
And further. On saline and cold soils, the root system of plants works quite poorly, so under such conditions foliar feeding is very important.
Spraying plants with nutrient solutions always gives excellent results. The magnificent development of the plant and a significant increase in productivity will more than pay for all efforts and costs.
Spray solutions
- Liquid mineral fertilizer with trace elements "Uniflor bud" diluted with water at the rate of: 4 tsp. on 10 l of water. Spray plants with the composition (it is best to do this in the evening or in cloudy, but not rainy weather).
- Make foliar top dressing from ash: pour 2 cups of ash with hot water, boil for 15 minutes. Insist the solution and then strain. Spray plants with this infusion.
- Foliar feeding of seedlings and adult plants can be carried out by infusion of superphosphate. Double superphosphate pour hot water (100 g per 1 liter). Insist the solution for 3-4 hours, strain and dilute in 10 liters of water. Before spraying, add 20 g of potassium nitrate to it. Leaves should be sprayed until completely wetted.
Urea top dressing
Today, our chemical industry produces many different nitrogen fertilizers. The most common of these are ammonium nitrate (34% nitrogen) and ammonium sulfate (21% nitrogen). But for foliar nutrition, the use of synthetic urea (46% nitrogen) is more appropriate. Its advantage over other nitrogen fertilizers is that it contains much more basic active ingredient. Urea is fuller and much faster penetrates through the bark of branches and leaves into the plant tissue. Also, it acts on the plant not only as a source of nitrogen, but also as a tool that has a great effect on metabolism, development and growth of buds and shoots.
Foliar strawberry top dressing
Strawberry is the most delicious and beloved berry of all, but it can not be called unpretentious. Culture requires proper care and considerable costs. For a better crop, you need to timely and correctly feed the bushes. The first year of fertilizing is not required, since during planting seedlings, the plant has already been fertilized. Simply mulch the soil.
The introduction of organic matter and mineral fertilizers is necessary for 2 and 4 years. For this, spring dressing of strawberries is carried out. As fertilizers used 1 tbsp. l ammonium sulfate and 0.5 liters of mullein. All this is bred in 10 liters of water. For each bush, you need to make 1 liter of the resulting solution.
The second top dressing is performed before mass flowering. For this, nitrophosk (2 tbsp.) And potassium sulfate (1 tsp.) Are diluted in 10 l of water. Under each bush, you need to make 500 grams of solution.
Foliar feeding of strawberries is carried out in 3 stages:
- Spraying on young leaves.
- In the flowering period.
- During the ovary berries.
Bait is carried out by wetting strawberry leaves, through which useful substances are absorbed from fertilizers. Solutions can be sprayed with a manual sprayer or just leaflets watered on top. You need to wash them on both sides, until completely wet.
Foliar top dressing of strawberries contributes to an increase in yield, the quality of berries improves, in which there is more sugar and vitamin C.