Adding Fertilizer when Misting: Foliar Feeding Explained

Fertilizer misting is a quick approach to feeding your plant and addressing nutrient deficits by giving it the nutrition it needs.

When misting plants, adding fertilizer can immediately provide the nutrients needed for healthy development while preventing nutrient deficits. For the plant to effectively absorb the nutrients, foliar feeding of fertilizer should be sprayed to the top and bottom sections of the leaf throughout the morning and late evening.

Misting is a frequent method for ensuring that plants are content. In order to keep their plants hydrated and healthy, many people actually mist them every day.

We’ll go over the advantages of adding fertilizer when misting, how misting allows plants to quickly access fertilizer, and how to efficiently mist plants with fertilizer in this post.

Adding Fertilizer When Misting

Typically, a plant requires very little fertilizer. The (NPK) nutrient count on fertilizer packaging frequently ranges between 10 and 30, as in 10:10:10, 10:20:10, or 20:30:20. They actually require between 2 and 5 in actuality.

The N-P-K ratio of each bagged or bottled fertilizer is shown on the label by the three figures you see there. They stand in for the macronutrients that plants rely on for daily operations.

We will now examine soluble fertilizers and their functioning.

The fertilizer also contains micronutrients, which are additional minerals and nutrients. Despite receiving little attention, they are essential for plant growth and sustenance.

These nutrient concentrations are listed as percentages under components on the back of fertilizer packaging.

When fertilizing plants, we advise diluting or weakening the fertilizer before to application.

We frequently observe that plant owners over-fertilize their plants, which can result in leaf and root burns and eventually plant death.

Unfortunately, everyone makes mistakes now and again, but learning how to take care of plants is a process, and we are here to assist.

Depending on their requirements or nutrient shortages, different plants will need controlled doses of NPK fertilizer.

This affordable water-soluble Miracle Grow fertilizer is the best fertilizer I’ve discovered for misting. Clicking here will take you there!

What Type of Fertilizer to use When Misting?

There are two types of fertilizers: soluble and insoluble. A fertilizer must be soluble in water to fully dissolve in water in order to be used when misting.

fertilizer application when misting is done through foliar application. The fertilizer must be dissolved or diluted in water before being applied to the plant’s leaves.

With foliar feeding, a fertilizer product called foliar fertilizer is intended to be applied directly to a plant’s leaves. The plant’s leaves allow for direct nutrition absorption.

Essential elements can be absorbed by plants through their leaves. Both their stomata and their epidermis are used for the absorption. Although total absorption may be just as great through the epidermis, transport is typically faster through the stomata. Additionally, plants can take nutrients through their bark. [Wikipedia]

How to Add Fertilizer when Misting? Foliar Feeding

The ideal approach to apply foliar fertilizer to a plant is by misting it, as this method ensures that the fertilizer is easily absorbed by the plant’s leaves and provides nutrients quickly.

It is necessary to use a water-soluble fertilizer when fertilizing while misting.

In order for the fertilizer to coat the leaves as the mist is delivered, the fertilizer needs to be completely dissolved in the water.

Before adding fertilizer, the soil should be slightly wet so that any fertilizer that leaks onto the soil has a chance of reaching the plant’s roots.

1. To a gallon of water, add a 14 teaspoon of water-soluble inorganic fertilizer or the appropriate quantity of organic fertilizer.
2. Mix to completely dissolve the fertilizer.
3. Clear all residue from the sprayer/mister.
4. Fill the sprayer or mister with the dissolved solution.
5. Spread absorbent paper towels all around the plant, if desired, to stop water from getting on the floor.
6. Spray the top sides of all the leaves.
7. Apply by lifting the leaves or aiming the sprayer at their underside.
8. Let extra fertilizer trickle onto the ground.
9. Spray fertilizer gently into the soil so that roots may absorb it.

These are some of the suggested misters that we have discovered on Amazon that mist really effectively.

See our in-depth article for information on using bottom watering to apply fertilizer.

How Efficient is Adding Fertilizer when Misting: Foliar Feeding?

It has been demonstrated that fertilizer applied to plant leaves results in more effective crop and plant development, higher fruit output, and pest protection.

The advantages of foliar applied plant nutrients in treatments with half amounts of preplant N fertilization were demonstrated by the results of a test on the efficacy of foliar fertilizer application. The highest increases in marketable production from supplemental foliar fertilization were 10.8% for onions, 20.3% for cabbage, and 7.3% for cucumbers. Foliar fertilization considerably reduced the amount of downy mildew infestation on cucumber leaves. [Source]

When fertilizer is applied to a plant’s leaves, it is quickly absorbed by the leaf through its pores.

Compared to absorption through the roots, absorption occurs more quickly at the leaves. This is due to the fact that there are typically 300 stomata per square mm of leaf surface.

Both their stomata and their epidermis are used for absorption.

Water can enter through the stomata while they are open. Transpiration is the process by which water is lost via leaves. Water can enter as well as exit through the stomata. Additionally, this enables nutrients to reach the water.

Based on the leaf water potential, water flows into and out of plant leaves. The water movement increases as the difference in leaf water potential increases.

The leaf-water potential is raised when fertilizer is supplied to the leaves in a soluble form, enabling the leaves to absorb fertilizer from the surroundings.

The phloem may now carry the nutrients to the various areas of the plant where they are required.

How Much Fertilizer to Add?

Plants should only receive a very modest amount of fertilizer. For example, you should use half the suggested amount per gallon of water when using an all-purpose inorganic soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow (24-8-16).

Only a very minimal amount of fertilizer is required for plants to perform their biological tasks and develop into healthy plants.

There are many various kinds of fertilizer, and depending on the fertilizer, their NPK values can range from 0 to 30% per volume.

Because the NPK nutrient mix is typically way too high up in the (10 to 30) range (for example, 20-20-20), which may be too much for your plant to handle, you should only apply half the suggested amount of fertilizer when using inorganic fertilizer.

As I’ve previously indicated, utilizing Miracle-Gro Soluble fertilizer has yielded the best results for me. It offers excellent value for the money and is durable. Clicking here will take you there.

How Often Should You Add Fertilizer?

During the growing season, which runs from the beginning of spring until the end of fall, plants should be nourished. The type of plant in question determines how frequently to fertilize it.

Even though it may suggest to fertilize once a month or even every time you water on the packaging of some fertilizers.

Before adding fertilizer, you should constantly observe your plant’s growth cycle and, in some situations, its nutrient insufficiency.

Plants with a slow pace of growth should get fertilizer less frequently than plants with a high rate of growth.

Additionally, you shouldn’t fertilize during the dormant season or the winter months when the plants are not developing because they won’t need much of it.

Actually, salts will start to build up in the soil, which will hurt the plants.

Application of fertilizer should be seen with a grain of salt.

Plants don’t need a lot of fertilizer, yet many gardeners find themselves hurrying to add it anytime their plants start to exhibit indications of stress, like yellowing leaves.

Pro Tip

When a plant appears stressed, the first thing you should do is to get it some natural light, water it, and then keep an eye on its health before adding fertilizer. When fertilizer is administered to a stressed plant, the plant usually dies as a result.

What is the Best Time to Apply Foliar fertilizer?

Early mornings between 6am and 9am and late afternoons between 4pm and 6pm are the optimal times to sprinkle plants with fertilizer. Because the environment is chilly during these times, the fertilizer will continue to be soluble.

The temperature can be hot enough between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the day to cause the water to evaporate quickly, leaving the fertilizer as salt on the plant’s leaves.

Foliar fertilizer feeding has no longer any effect on the plants as a result.

Can you Dissolve Granular Fertilizer?

Fertilizer that comes in granules might dissolve in water. The minerals and nutrients need 24 to 48 hours to completely separate and disperse among the water molecules. To feed your plants foliarly, use the resulting solution in a manner similar to that of a soluble fertilizer.

Even if the fertilizer is not labeled as soluble, you can immediately provide your plants the nutrients they require by using this technique.

One care, though, is required. The resultant solution needs to be strained with a fine cloth or strainer to get rid of any obstinate, undissolved salts.

Salts that haven’t been dissolved can clog up the sprayer’s nozzle and make it ineffective until they are removed. Additionally, fertilizer burns can result from falling fertilizer if undissolved salts land on foliage.

Can you Make your Own Fertilizer for Misting Application?

You may create your own organic fertilizer using compost and even leftover food from the kitchen. Eggs, potatoes, rice, and coffee grounds are examples of substances that can be added to water and allowed to leach nutrients into the water. The resulting fertilizer solution can then be used to feed our plants by spraying it on their leaves.

See our in-depth post on how to water plants using rice water.

The Takeaway

Misting your plants with fertilizer is a simple and effective approach to swiftly provide them nutrients.

The amount of fertilizer a plant may require is frequently overestimated, thus in order to avoid burns and other issues, the fertilizer should be diluted or weakened before being applied to plants.

To make sure that the nutrients are effectively absorbed by the plant, fertilizer should be applied topically early in the morning and late in the evening.

Additionally, you are not only confined to using store-bought fertilizers; you can even create your own by using compost or even kitchen trash.

In order to see results quickly, the next time you consider feeding your plants with nutrients, think about foliar treatment. Your plants will appreciate it!

FAQ

Does spray fertilizer work?

Foliar feeding, also known as spraying your plants with liquid fertilizer, is the quickest way to nourish them. The growth and output of your plants can be significantly increased by giving them regular foliar feedings because plants receive moisture and nutrients through their foliage.

Can I spray complete fertilizer on plant leaves?

Avoid misting fertilizer onto indoor plant foliage. Unattractive spotting results from it. Do fertilize your indoor plants twice to three times in the winter and once a month in the spring and summer.

How long does it take for spray fertilizer to work?

Liquid fertilizers often take at least 24 hours to begin helping your plants. It can take longer if the weather and humidity are bad. You have five days at most to wait for the required chemical reactions to take place.

Can you spray liquid fertilizer directly on plants?

When employing liquid fertilizers as foliar feeding, the plant is typically sprayed with water, sprinkled with fertilizer, or both, making the nutrients nearly instantly available. Instead of from the root system, plants take up nutrients through their leaves.

How often should I spray fertilizer on my plants?

During the growing season, soluble fertilizers, for instance, are administered every two weeks. Generally, granular fertilizers are applied every six to eight weeks. One application of slow-release fertilizer is typically sufficient for an entire growth season because it lasts for months.