Is Foliar Feeding beneficial to Junipers?

[Vance Wood]

In many agricultural studies it has been shown that foliage can indeed take up nutrients, through a fairly complex pathway. Considering how it works for a range of cropping plants, it would seem logical that the results achieved by people growing bonsai are not just mere placebo effects, but are indeed real. In fact, I have a yew that is struggling. Asking a local Yew expert his response was: Start foliar feed every two weeks and mist. Stop watering the soil unless near desiccated. All indicating that also coniferous plants have an uptake mechanism.

For me personally it is hard to accept because as a biology student a few decades ago, my plant fysiology classes teachings were clear: Leaves have an impermeable barrier to the outside world.

Define impermiable?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I do it Cuz BVF does it. Not here. Lol! In another thread!
Sorce

I still do it...now here too.?

 

[Vance Wood]

I think the original question was about foliar feeding and Junipers, Consider: The reputable bonsaists currently active and referenced by many, almost revered, say that the roots of a Juniper are not so much important as the foliage to a Juniper. Think about it ------?? If the roots are not so important as an abundance of foliage to the health and function of a Juniper, how is it possible that a Juniper does not function through foliar feeding? There is undoubtedly something wrong about all of this, people making policy on two sides of a contrary discussions.

Again this enforces, or at least makes a place for, continuing to examine those things we have to date accepted as graven in stone, or authored by the finger of a god. Chief among them are the concepts of foliar feeding, repotting in spring, summer, and fall, and the ever dreadful and maligned concept of pinching.

 

[A. Gorilla]

Doesn't fertilizer on foliage drip to the soil surface? How is this possibly controlled for? I must be missing something....?

 

[TN_Jim]

glyphosate tracked via fluorescent markers have been found to permeate leaves and enter the chloroplast etc.

not sure if similar markers could be applied to a foliar fertilizer and tracked but it seems reasonable

 

[TN_Jim]

there could also be a staining series that can detect micro/macro nutrient abundance in leaves

if so, your control could just be say 28 non-foliar fed individuals against 28 fed

-> microtome leaves -> scope/quantify abundances -> kaboom

perhaps a skirt of sorts at base of tree...

 

[tmjudd1]

I read 'somewhere' (?) that most leaves tend to have a porous surface on the underside. By day, those pores close to retain moisture, but open up, again, when the sun sets, or during low light conditions. The article said to spray the porous 'undersides' of the leaves, during these low light conditions, for maximum absorption and benefit. Perhaps it was an A&M article. Wish I could remember where I read that...

 

[TN_Jim]

I read 'somewhere' (?) that most leaves tend to have a porous surface on the underside. By day, those pores close to retain moisture, but open up, again, when the sun sets, or during low light conditions. The article said to spray the porous 'undersides' of the leaves, during these low light conditions, for maximum absorption and benefit. Perhaps it was an A&M article. Wish I could remember where I read that...

I think the pores you are referring to are the stomata, which open and close allowing for gas exchange.

There are three main types of photosynthesis or carbon fixation in plants:
C3= Juniperus, elms, etc...will open stomata as needed,even during the day
C4: corn..
CAM: succulent plants, jade, Crassulaceae...will only open stomata at night

Do nutrients other than CO2 enter through the stomata? Yes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3728483/#!po=0.675676

 

[Ohmy222]

Pretty sure I red that redwoods and sequoias extract water from the fog that is frequent in the region and that is how they can survive in the dry climates despite needing copious amounts of water

 

[tmjudd1]

Doesn't fertilizer on foliage drip to the soil surface? How is this possibly controlled for? I must be missing something....?

No dripping into the soil, not much, anyways. I mix a weak solution of fertilizer, in a spray bottle, and 'spray' the foliage via a mist.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I drench them heavily overhead from a Haws watering can, with a stiff dose of fish emulsion, every few days except in winter. You bet it gets into the soil.

 

[tmjudd1]

I drench them heavily overhead from a Haws watering can, with a stiff dose of fish emulsion, every few days except in winter. You bet it gets into the soil.

I've been foliar feeding, via a very weak solution, on a daily basis. I've also been feeding the roots every two weeks, with a normal solution (except for when the soil is still a bit moist via weather, humidity, etc.). Should I mix a stronger solution, for my daily foliar feedings? I've kept my foliar mixes very weak for fear that a stronger solution might prove to be harmful...???

 

[Vance Wood]

I drench them heavily overhead from a Haws watering can, with a stiff dose of fish emulsion, every few days except in winter. You bet it gets into the soil.

Hooray for drenching! I agree.

 

[amatbrewer]

Since I know nothing about this I did what I normally do, start searching for information and weed out sources that are unlikely unbiased. I was quite surprised at the lack of information that is not from sources that have something to gain from the results, or did not come across as mere speculation or assumption.

I did find one article from a University of Washington researcher (https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/foliar-feeding.pdf) that seemed to provide some interesting and possible useful information on the subject. I won't try to summarize this except to say there does seem to be some information which may translate into Bonsai.

 

[Littlejoe919]

Do you dilute the fish emulsion?

 

[Adair M]

Do you dilute the fish emulsion?

I certainly don’t use it straight from the bottle!

I pour two “glugs” of fish emulsion into a plastic two gallon watering can, then fill with water. Then pour it on the trees. Actually, I guess I should say I water the trees first, then fertilize them with the fish emulation/water solution.

 

[Littlejoe919]

I certainly don’t use it straight from the bottle!

I pour two “glugs” of fish emulsion into a plastic two gallon watering can, then fill with water. Then pour it on the trees. Actually, I guess I should say I water the trees first, then fertilize them with the fish emulation/water solution.

Thank you Adair M

 

[leatherback]

I certainly don’t use it straight from the bottle!

You don't want your trees to be big and strong?

 

[Adair M]

You don't want your trees to be big and strong?

Strong? Yes

Big? Not so much!

 

[headive24]

Aren't roots always the most effective way of getting nutrients into the tree? If so, why not increase the frequency / strength of fertilizer, taking into account the porosity of your mix?

It's the human equivalent of having a great steak meal then finishing it off by blending the dessert and inhaling it....

I have a plant that doesnt have any visible roots; and can be glued onto objects (i've seen it on driftwood, mini flower pot) and the directions say to just spritz it with water every other week. It says use a tiny amount of fertilizer very conservatively).

With most things, the word "always" usually "always" can be proven wrong with an example that defies commonality. But that being said, I would say that roots are "almost always" the most effective way of delivering nutrients.