sunfish

Would I save on fertilizer and get better results applying as a foliar spray.

Richard

It all comes down to total amount of nutrients delivered to the plant. You can choose to deliver them by foliar spray or soil drench. Since there is more capacity for storage and uptake in the soil, it takes many more foliar applications to deliver the same amount of nutrients as applied to the soil. Since I use a water-soluble fertilizer, I also spray some on the leaves when applying a soil drench.

The optimal time for foliar application is in the early morning when the plants pores are open to accept dew from condensation.

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jmoore

Above or below the leaves?

Richard

Bananas are a monocot, so it doesn't matter much. However, local humidity and temperature can favor the sun-ward side. I just spray the whole plant and let the run-off mix in with the soil drench -- which is abound 95% of my application anyway.

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conejov

Thank you Richard for always giving loads of information.

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Richard

A section on "Foliar or Soil Drench" has been added to Info:Fertilizer - Bananas Wiki

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hammer

just wondering someone told me to put egg shell around my banana plants for a good calcium source cruising the egg shell or putting in a container for a week and making a tea. and pour it around the banana plant.

Richard

Compost it with plant trimmings for a couple of spring or summer months and then apply it around the base of the banana plant.

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saltydad

Hey Richard- if it all comes down to total nutrients delivered and stored by the plant for utilization, what are the benefits of foliar vs. soil drench (if any)?

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Richard

The roots of a healthy plant have a greater capacity for uptake. So if you are applying monthly, a little foliar and the remainder as soil drench makes sense. If you are applying daily, then in theory it is possible to achieve your goals by foliar alone. Note that it is plant and season dependent. For example, lettuce crops planted in fertile soil need so little quantity of additional nutrients that it is applied foliar only once or twice, and that is done by airplane.

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jfern

When they do fertilizations very foliares the deficit is resolving into nutrients of the plant at the time but when these applications are in drench you are contributing nutrients to the ground and the plant takes from this ground whatever is needed and the rest is left enriching stock, therefore is better to make it the drench and it is more important when the plants are not enough .

If you want to do it foliating then is better to do it in the morning. I recommend the application of soluble Potassium Nitrate since you need the plant very much of this element for the quality of the fruit and another shows that this obeys within the plant very much like with Asesor in Musaceas.

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