Foliar Feeding with Bonsai

[James H]

I have been talking with some of the local bonsai guys and they were talking about foliar feeding with their bonsai. I was wondering if this is a common practice for most people with bonsai. I was wondering what people use when feeding their trees this way. I look forward to reading everyone's' replies.

 

[sorce]

I have been talking with some of the local bonsai guys and they were talking about foliar feeding with their bonsai. I was wondering if this is a common practice for most people with bonsai. I was wondering what people use when feeding their trees this way. I look forward to reading everyone's' replies.

I'm not a believer. To me, Its like smashing a banana in your eye.

Healthy trees, healthy roots, healthy nutrient intake.

Sorce

 

[Potawatomi13]

I do this regularly especially to encourage trees after repotting or if there has been a needle die off from winter weather or other reason. Generally I get pretty good results. I believe I read a post by Walter Pall that he does this a lot and uses stronger fertilizer solution than I ever have. As far as I know the idea was originally advocated by pro bonsai teachers and a lot of us have adopted it.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I feed my trees with a stout concentration of Neptune's Harvest or Alaska once or twice a week and always drench the foliage and soil. I've heard both sides of the argument, but after 10 years of feeding this way, it's hard to argue with the healthy trees.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I'm not a believer. To me, Its like smashing a banana in your eye.

Healthy trees, healthy roots, healthy nutrient intake.

Sorce

...but do you drink eye drops?

 

[Maros]

Check this article, there is section on foliar feeding
http://ofbonsai.org/the-last-page/editorials/debunking-the-myths-of-bonsai

I personally think it is not necessary on healthy tree. Could have some sense on tree which has some root problems, after collecting or similar rough manipulation.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Check this article, there is section on foliar feeding
http://ofbonsai.org/the-last-page/editorials/debunking-the-myths-of-bonsai

I personally think it is not necessary on healthy tree. Could have some sense on tree which has some root problems, after collecting or similar rough manipulation.

That article was written by Will Heath. I have never seen a tree attributed to his hands that would lead me to change my practices. He quoted one researcher who gave a generalized opinion that leaves aren't as efficient at absorbing nutrients, then contradicts herself about when it might be effective; similar to your examples of when you might foliar-feed.

 

[James H]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It sounded very interesting to me as many of my trees did not like the move from texas to colorado. I was thinking of using a half strength miracle grow to just mist them down with twice a week to just try to help them along.

 

[jk_lewis]

The biology of leaves -- especially the leaves of trees and shrubs -- was not designed by Ma Nature to ABSORB anything other than gases. The holes in leaves (stomata) are there to let excess water OUT of a leaf and thereby pull nutrients up into the plant from the roots. They don't thereafter suck water in. Tree and shrub leaves have hard cuticles (epidermis/skin) for a reason -- to KEEP CONTAMINANTS OUT of the plant. (In dry climates, they have far fewer stoma and the cuticle is even thicker so as to keep water IN the leaf.)

Any benefit the tree gets from spraying the leaves and branches with NPK is purely from what drips (or later, washes) onto the soil and thereby into the roots. Roots are the only organism in a tree/shrub designed to absorb nutrients into the system.

Now, all that said, plants like the leafy vegetables have very thin cuticles and experiments seem to show that they can absorb some nutrient through the leaf; whether it is enough to make a difference, the jury may still be out. But, if you grow bonsai lettuce . . .

In short, don't waste fertilizer -- and money.

 

[leatherback]

I do not use it.

However, research has extensively shown that foliar fertilizer has a strong effect on many plant species, although not walays affecting growth. Some cuts from abstracts & the URL where the work may be found:

In respect of the above review it can be concluded and suggested that the foliar plant mineral nutrients
improves the vegetative and yield components of wheat in comparison with the soil applied nutrients. It is also very
beneficial when roots are unable to absorb the nutrients from soil due to the interference of various edaphic factors
such as; low soil temperature , lack of soil moisture and loss of nutrients due to leaching. So, foliar application can
be considered as the beneficial practice for the production of wheat. (http://rroij.com/open-access/foliar...mineral-nutrients-on-wheat-a-review-19-22.pdf, Foliar Application of Plant Mineral Nutrients on Wheat: A Review)

Foliar Fe fertilization was effective in re-greening treated leaf areas both in peach trees and sugar beet plants. Results indicate that the effects of foliar Fe-sulfate fertilization in Fe-deficient, chlorotic leaves were minor outside the leaf surface treated, indicating that Fe mobility within the leaf is a major constraint for full fertilizer effectiveness in crops where Fe-deficiency is established and leaf chlorosis occurs. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3895801/)

The nutrient residue levels had non-significantly statistical differences at P < 0.05 level between pairs of zero applied plots and the FF1, FF2 and SF applied plots respectively. It was concluded that the foliar fertilizers increased the TP content in tested tea samples and the nutrients analyzed were all within the dietary reference intake (DRI) levels for SF, FF1 and FF2. Overall, the foliar fertilizer increased the quality of the tested tea samples. (http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/78021)

The results revealed that foliar application of nutrients increased the overall performance of apple cultivars with respect to qualitative characters. Hence the combined application of macronutrients (Ca and Mg) and micronutrients (Zn, Mn and B) along with the soil application of NPK is recommended for the better performance of apple cultivars. (http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20143382205.html;jsessionid=7CA96A59A93F57081D98433891B97328)

Four foliar treatments (water [control], ash suspended in water, nitrogen fertilizer solution, and ash suspended in nitrogen fertilizer solution) were evaluated. Several nutrients in the fly ash were absorbed by hybrid aspen both in the greenhouse and in the field; however, this absorption did not significantly affect tree growth in either setting.(http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01904167.2014.936615)

 

[sikadelic]

The biology of leaves -- especially the leaves of trees and shrubs -- was not designed by Ma Nature to ABSORB anything other than gases. The holes in leaves (stomata) are there to let excess water OUT of a leaf and thereby pull nutrients up into the plant from the roots. They don't thereafter suck water in. Tree and shrub leaves have hard cuticles (epidermis/skin) for a reason -- to KEEP CONTAMINANTS OUT of the plant. (In dry climates, they have far fewer stoma and the cuticle is even thicker so as to keep water IN the leaf.)

I am prefacing this with respect to all of you folks who know botany very well (which I do not). No disrespect here jkl...I am generally curious:

What are we doing then when we mist our collected trees, cuttings, etc.? If it doesn't take anything in, how does the misting help?

 

[M. Frary]

What are we doing then when we mist our collected trees, cuttings, etc.? If it doesn't take anything in, how does the misting help?

Just going to ask the same question. Also I do foliar herbicide spraying at work. They take that stuff in just fine.

 

[rockm]

Misting can help (if done properly in a correct environment) SOME collected material by relieve the stress of transpiration on the foliage. The foliage of a recently collected plant is vulnerable because the supporting root mass has been substantially reduced. Same for cuttings. The plants AREN'T absorbing water with misting. The mist eases transpiration from the plant by slowing evaporation from the leaves/etc.

 

[sikadelic]

Thanks Rock...that makes a lot of sense.

 

[0soyoung]

I think foliar feeding can be of temporary benefit and, in itself, does not cause harm. However, it cannot be the only means of 'feeding'. Cytokinins are synthesized in the roots from nitrogen compounds. Cytokinins release buds.

 

[GrimLore]

I did it for a few seasons and have not for a few seasons - I see no difference here.

Grimmy

 

[jk_lewis]

What are we doing then when we mist our collected trees, cuttings, etc.?

Not much. We may be cooling them (or the soil) on a hot day. Drips from the mist are watering the tree. We are washing any dist or dirt off the leaves.

BUT we may be promoting fungal growth, too. Or, contributing to overwatering.

 

[jk_lewis]

Also I do foliar herbicide spraying at work.

Of course. But the herbicide chemicals damage and break down the cuticle and the leaf's functions totally degrade.

 

[Maros]

That article was written by Will Heath. I have never seen a tree attributed to his hands that would lead me to change my practices. He quoted one researcher who gave a generalized opinion that leaves aren't as efficient at absorbing nutrients, then contradicts herself about when it might be effective; similar to your examples of when you might foliar-feed.

Brian, I know who is the author of article. True is I do not know any of his trees. But, I did not used foliar feeding on my trees and they seems to be healthy and grow vigorously. So I'm just saying what works for me.
Probably it is not hurting trees, so if anyone is happy with using foliar feed, it is Ok.

 

[jquast]

True is I do not know any of his trees.

Most of us who have been around here for awhile could say the same thing.