Foliar Fertilizer Information
After soil balance, then we turn to the foliar fertilizer programs. The easiest way to explain what we look at is to refer to a “Mulder’s Chart”. What it helps us with is to understand that if you apply or over apply one nutrient, what did it do to impact other nutrients? If you look at the Mulders chart (see image to the right), you will notice that if you apply Nitrogen, it impacts Copper, Boron, and Potassium. So if you do apply nitrogen, you should think about the other nutrients as well. What we are attempting to do, is maintain an intricate balance of nutrients in the plant.
We think that using only a foliar fertilizer program that is a “one size fits all” approach is like putting the square peg in the round hole. It might work sometimes, but it sure takes a lot of effort or doesn’t work at all. Yes, we do have foliar “programs” for crops. We will “hit the mark” most of the time, but not always. The best approach is the BALANCED approach!
When applying foliar nutrients, it is important to keep a few things in mind. One of the first is to consider the pH of the spray solution. It should be kept on the “acid” side to be more plant available. Another item would be the size of the molecule of the product you are applying. The smaller and more active the molecule, the better it will work. That is why we developed the CultivAce line of foliar products. They are lower pH products and the acetates are very small and therefore very active and move thru the plant leaves and stems very easily.
There are a couple of ways to quantify if the foliar application you have made is working. One is to use a refractometer to measure the “brix” of the plant sap. If the plant sap of the treated area is 2 or more brix higher than the untreated a few hours after application, the foliar application is working. Another tool is to look at the pH of the plant sap. It should be as close to 6.4 as possible. This is the same pH as the soil should have when balanced.
Our first and greatest goal is to provide information and products to the grower that gives him the greatest return on his investment. We understand that it is the last pounds or bushels per acre that is harvested, that represents the profit to the grower. If the grower buys a product that doesn’t work, I don’t care how “cheap” it was, he can’t afford it!
We think that using only a foliar fertilizer program that is a “one size fits all” approach is like putting the square peg in the round hole. It might work sometimes, but it sure takes a lot of effort or doesn’t work at all. Yes, we do have foliar “programs” for crops. We will “hit the mark” most of the time, but not always. The best approach is the BALANCED approach!
When applying foliar nutrients, it is important to keep a few things in mind. One of the first is to consider the pH of the spray solution. It should be kept on the “acid” side to be more plant available. Another item would be the size of the molecule of the product you are applying. The smaller and more active the molecule, the better it will work. That is why we developed the CultivAce line of foliar products. They are lower pH products and the acetates are very small and therefore very active and move thru the plant leaves and stems very easily.
There are a couple of ways to quantify if the foliar application you have made is working. One is to use a refractometer to measure the “brix” of the plant sap. If the plant sap of the treated area is 2 or more brix higher than the untreated a few hours after application, the foliar application is working. Another tool is to look at the pH of the plant sap. It should be as close to 6.4 as possible. This is the same pH as the soil should have when balanced.
Our first and greatest goal is to provide information and products to the grower that gives him the greatest return on his investment. We understand that it is the last pounds or bushels per acre that is harvested, that represents the profit to the grower. If the grower buys a product that doesn’t work, I don’t care how “cheap” it was, he can’t afford it!
