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Liquid Organic Fertilizers
Excerpt from Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
Use liquid fertilizers to give your plants a light nutrient boost or snack every month or even every two weeks during the growing season. Simply mix a tankful of foliar spray, and spray all your plants at the same time.
Plants can absorb liquid fertilizers through both their roots and through leaf pores. Foliar feeding can supply nutrients when they are lacking or unavailable in the soil, or when roots are stressed. It is especially effective for giving fast growing plants like vegetables an extra boost during the growing season. Compost tea and seaweed extract are two common examples of organic foliar fertilizers.
Some foliar fertilizers such as kelp are rich in micronutrients and growth hormones. These foliar sprays also appear to act as catalysts, increasing nutrient uptake by plants. You can make your own liquid fertilizer by brewing up compost or manure in water.
Applying liquid fertilizers: With flowering and fruiting plants, foliar sprays are most useful during critical periods (such as after transplanting or during fruit set) or periods of drought or extreme temperatures. For leaf crops, some suppliers recommend biweekly spraying.
When using liquid fertilizers, always follow label instructions for proper dilution and application methods. You can use a surfactant, such as coconut oil or a mild soap (1/4 tsp. per gallon of spray), to ensure better coverage of the leaves. Otherwise the spray may bead up on the foliage and you won't get maximum benefit. Measure the surfactant carefully; if you use too much, it may damage plants. A slightly acid spray mixture is most effective, so check your spray's pH. Use small amounts of vinegar to lower pH and baking soda to raise it. Aim for a pH of 6.0 - 6.5.
Any sprayer or mister will work, from hand-trigger units to knapsack sprayers. Set your sprayer to emit as fine a spray as possible. Never use a sprayer that has been used to apply herbicides.
The best times to spray are early morning and early evening, when the liquids will be absorbed most quickly and won't burn foliage. Choose a day when no rain is forecast and temperatures aren't extreme.
Spray until the liquid drips off the leaves. Be sure to concentrate the spray on leaf undersides, where leaf pores are more likely to be open. You can also water in liquid fertilizers around the root zone. A drip irrigation system can carry liquid fertilizers to your plants. Kelp is a better product for this use, as fish emulsion can clog the irrigation emitters.
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