Fantastic foliar feeding formula

"Foliar (or leaf) feeding is the most efficient way to fertilize," says John Dromgoole, owner of Garden-Ville nursery in Austin, Texas, and host of the "Gardening Naturally" radio program. "When you apply fertilizer to the soil, the roots may take up as little as 10 percent of the nutrients," he explains, "but when fertilizer is applied to the leaves, 90 percent of the material is absorbed." John regularly foliar-feeds all of the nursery stock at Garden-Ville, as well as the plants in his home landscape. His formula includes fish emulsion for nitrogen and seaweed for trace minerals, growth stimulants, and plant hormones. One of John's secret ingredients is blackstrap molasses, which contains iron and sulfur as well as simple sugars that nourish the plants.

Ingredients and Supplies

2 tablespoons fish emulsion

1 tablespoon liquid seaweed

1 teaspoon blackstrap or horticultural grade molasses

1 tablespoon Medina or other biostimu-

lant (if available)

1 gallon water (rainwater, if possible)

Pump spray bottle

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients well.

2. Pour the mixture into a pump sprayer and spray on plants, especially the undersides of the leaves, until the liquid drips off.

Yield: About 1 gallon of liquid fertilizer Note: You can use this solution on annuals, perennials, roses, vegetables, and fruit trees. Start weekly applications as seedlings develop their first set of true leaves and continue until blooming begins. For vegetables, make one final application when your plants set fruit. Apply to fruit trees as blossoms drop and leaves begin developing. To use as a transplant starter, mix the solution at half strength and apply as a soil drench.

Money saving tip

Instead of using liquid seaweed, buy seaweed powder and mix it with water at home to make your own concentrate. Not only can you mix small amounts as needed, you'll also save up to 30 percent of the cost.