Choose your nutrient by the way it is applied.

There is a huge variety of growing nutrients available, all of which have a method of application by which growers make use of them. In this section you will be able to choose the nutrients according to the way they are applied, be it irrigation, foliar or mixed.

Irrigation Nutrients

One of the most common applications of fertilizers is through irrigation water. This method consists of simply introducing the fertiliser directly into the irrigation water and proceeding to irrigate the indoor or outdoor crop. The nutrients will be present in the irrigation water, and when they come into contact with the roots, they will be released and ingested by the plant. 

When using fertilizers applied via irrigation, it is preferable to start with a moderate dose. There will always be time to increase it, but all manufacturers agree that it is preferable to opt for the minimum recommended dose before moving on to higher concentrations.

During the vegetative growth and flowering stage of the plants, it is recommended to increase the dose of the fertilisers with irrigation application until the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer is reached. In the same way, when this maximum dose is reached, it is advisable to apply irrigation with the nutrient solution for one week and another week without the fertilizer, alternately. 

Foliar application

Another way of applying fertilisers to indoor and outdoor crops is by foliar application. This process consists of spraying the leaves of the plants with some type of fertiliser product and is done in order to give the plants a better appearance, to fight against pests or as a complement to direct fertilisation in the substrate. It should be borne in mind that foliar fertilisation of plants cannot replace nutrient uptake by the root system. With one exception, i.e. seedlings.

Seedlings, as they have practically all the nutrients they need for their development up to vegetation, only require the use of rooting fertilisers and stimulnts by foliar application, as direct use in the substrate would result in over-fertilisation.

Foliar fertilization is recommended at low light intensity, in the dark period in the case of indoor crops and first thing in the morning in outdoor crops. On the other hand, it is also advisable to spray the plants when they are subjected to medium temperatures and to do so uniformly on all their leaves. 

Fertilizers for irrigation and foliar application

Complementing irrigation fertilisation with foliar fertilisation is a great way to revitalise plants from roots to leaves. Some irrigation-applied fertilisers are compatible with foliar application. There are also nutrients specially designed for both irrigation and foliar application.

In Experiencia Natural it is possible to find the best selection of fertilisers and supplements for irrigation and foliar application, from the best manufacturers and with free shipping to many destinations from 30€.