what is the best way to store your pre-mixed foliar spray? i mixed up a couple liters of a tea made with guano mix + AN B-52, as per directions on the bottle. i keep the jug in the fridge, but when i fill my spray bottle, it gets a little funky smellin after a day or two. the plants arent big enough to use up much water yet. should i just fill up what i need? or does the funky smell not affect the plants..? i figure mildewy water can't be good for anything, but i could be wrong
i usually leave it in a spray bottle and keep it at room temp, i just shake before i spray... organic dont store well, i do believe, and they smell......id mix enuf for your spray bottle and just refill IT as needed....... but fridge would be best bet....
Personally I found that its best to mix what you need and throw way the rest if you're not going to spray wihin 48 hours. Better sfe than sorry specially with organic materials.
Ok, I got a question. Whats the general consensus on foliar feeding now? I'm so confused by this. When I started growing I was told not to because the plant doesn't absorb enough nutrients that way, and that it's more problematic than beneficial. But now I'm seeing products in hydro shops that are sold straight up as foliar spray for different things, like cloning and what not. And are these products really meant to be used during flower? Wouldn't that leave residue all over the buds? What about mold? It seems a lot more people are foing foliar sprays and feeds these day than a few years ago, is there something I'm just missing?
Foliar feeding is a good way of fertilizing your plants without building up excessive salts in the soil. Foliar feeding with almost any fertilizer is recommended as long as the concentrations don't exceed package instructions. Any time your not sure whether to fertilize or not, foliar feed for safety. Dilute your fertilizer according to package instructions. It is good to use a surfactant or wetting agent with the fertilizer, (Dutchmasters Penetrator, Agri-2 or Wet Betty all work good) and spray the top and undersides of the leaves. The next day,spray both surfaces of all leaves with ph'd plain water to dissolve unabsorbed nutients. Foliar spraying also helps correct nutient deficiencies, since the plant absorbs them directly. This can circumvent any problems with nutrient lock-out or other soil related problems. When using an organic foliar spray, I agree that you should just mix enough to treat, then discard the rest. Refigeration helps, but it is better to be safe than to rain disease upon your plants.
I've always been taught misting was the devil... How often do you guys mist the girls? Not every day right?
I used to spray different supplements/additives on a regular basis, but to be honest, I rarely spray anymore. After going to the DWC method and using the Lucas Formula, the results I am getting are better than I have ever got doing soil grows, and it is so simple and forgiving, I don't need to spray. I guess the best advice is to use foliar applications as a tool you can use for specific needs such as treating nutrient deficiencies, hormone treatments on clones, or pest control. I don't believe plants need to be sprayed on a daily basis.
great info chunkdaddyo i dont spray daily, my routine is more like spraying all day for 1 or 2 days a week. the products i mix in my spray say that it is best to spray during flowering, and to stop for the last 2 or 3 weeks, to give the plant a chance to flush all the ferts out of the buds/flowers. also, i really like the idea of spraying with plain balanced water, but that leads me to another question. when i am doing a foliar spray or even just watering with plain water, do i still balance to 6.5? or should it go to 7.0 when the plant isn't actually "feeding"
plain and simple..... organics foliar sprays....use what you need and toss the rest, it don't keep well. hydro foliar sprays i mix enough for my spray bottle...and my only hydro foliar is VHO by AN. and i dont spray ANYTHING on my plants during FLOWERING...... But don't get me wrong, foliar sprays are beneficial of nutes diffiencies/ nute lock-out in soil.... dont go over board, i usually mist clones and seedlings *ocassionally*with a very WEAK foliarspray of superthrive or jumpstart...but for novice growers, foliars will set you back, only because you will love your plants to death will spraying too often or too concentrated a solution..... use at your own risk..
Best way to store your foliar spray is: Place all your spray bottles in a Hefty bag then put it in the trash can. Stop spraying your plants.