Spraying plants in veg with water

[Stress_test]

I suppose I will take the middle fork of the conversation and point out the obvious:

If your ventilation is sufficient, temps stable around 73*F and the plants are healthy then the misting isn't hurting anything. AND we all know that plants do benefit from foliar straying, so it is at least doing some good.

I would suggest a compromise and spray twice a day, and add 1 aspirin per gallon of water twice a week and alternate neem twice a week.

I haven't ever sprayed more than 3 times a week and I know that the plants love it, but I have never seen anything that suggests a more frequent foliar regime has any negative or adverse effects to the plant.

Weighing the known benefits against known the bad???
I'd say pull half of the plants out of the foliar regime for a week. Continue with the other half.
Document it with pictures and come back in a week and tell us the results.
We might all learn something.

I will say for the record in advance that I suspect your friend is on the right track simply because I can see nothing bad that could come of it as long as common sense is used around electric and to avoid burning.

 

[thing]

I've had good results with Optic Foliar, a very gentle foliar spray that can be sprayed lights-on. I was given a freebie from the local hydro store guy. If making foliar spray wasn't so easy, I'd buy it again.

As far as clogging stomata, foliar during lights-off then spray a few minutes before lights-on with R/O water. That will clean up any blotches or whatever.

Its not likely to be the stomata clogging at all anyway, its more likely that if you are foliar feeding too much, the plant simply tells its roots to look no further for water and nutrients, and that is what stunts the plant's growth. Lets not forget that some feeding regimens are based entirely off foliar applications, like dutch master. Leaves love to eat, but too much of anything is bad. Twice a WEEK is plenty. How often does it rain where you live? *wink*

If you don't foliar at all, you're missing out IMO.

 

[Snook]

I suppose I will take the middle fork of the conversation and point out the obvious:

If your ventilation is sufficient, temps stable around 73*F and the plants are healthy then the misting isn't hurting anything. AND we all know that plants do benefit from foliar straying, so it is at least doing some good.

I would suggest a compromise and spray twice a day, and add 1 aspirin per gallon of water twice a week and alternate neem twice a week.

I haven't ever sprayed more than 3 times a week and I know that the plants love it, but I have never seen anything that suggests a more frequent foliar regime has any negative or adverse effects to the plant.

Weighing the known benefits against known the bad???
I'd say pull half of the plants out of the foliar regime for a week. Continue with the other half.
Document it with pictures and come back in a week and tell us the results.
We might all learn something.

I will say for the record in advance that I suspect your friend is on the right track simply because I can see nothing bad that could come of it as long as common sense is used around electric and to avoid burning.

Temps at 73. I wish I could.

I've had good results with Optic Foliar, a very gentle foliar spray that can be sprayed lights-on. I was given a freebie from the local hydro store guy. If making foliar spray wasn't so easy, I'd buy it again.

As far as clogging stomata, foliar during lights-off then spray a few minutes before lights-on with R/O water. That will clean up any blotches or whatever.

Its not likely to be the stomata clogging at all anyway, its more likely that if you are foliar feeding too much, the plant simply tells its roots to look no further for water and nutrients, and that is what stunts the plant's growth. Lets not forget that some feeding regimens are based entirely off foliar applications, like dutch master. Leaves love to eat, but too much of anything is bad. Twice a WEEK is plenty. How often does it rain where you live? *wink*

If you don't foliar at all, you're missing out IMO.[/quote]

Missing out, you say. are you all spraying in/through bloom ?

 

[Stress_test]

Well the goal is to create the optimal environment for plants to thrive in.
Optimal temps
Optimal air
Optimal Rh
Optimal feeding/watering
Optimal soil
Etc

How logical is it to question the logic of something that does NO known harm if you temperatures aren't optimal and we know that affects the plant?

So I assumed that all other aspects of the garden were optimal.

 

[Snook]

Well the goal is to create the optimal environment for plants to thrive in.
Optimal temps
Optimal air
Optimal Rh
Optimal feeding/watering
Optimal soil
Etc

How logical is it to question the logic of something that does NO known harm if you temperatures aren't optimal and we know that affects the plant?

So I assumed that all other aspects of the garden were optimal.

I'm good on your entire check list above, with the exception of Tent temps. If you call 73F optimal, I cant do it. My best, useing only house hold AC, set at 72 (my wife is cold at even that temp setting) is 77F-79F. I can live with 78.. I do not want to run a portable in there too. RH=50-55%. Exhaust to attic. and I do not spray, with the exception of clones for a few days and again for a day or two after transplant. I've never sprayed in bloom. but regardless, spraying after budding is in full swing, IMO, asking for mold/budrot.

 

[zor]

BOG mentioned in his old OG guides that misting the plants until they show flowers is beneficial to the plants. If nothing else, the spike in RH around the leaves should help during veg/stretch.

 

[intotheunknown]

i also agree with pine.
there is no need to spray them with water as much as your friend is.
thats just a recipe for pm.

foliars can be beneficial if done properly.
i use this mixture twice a week or so as a pm, mite, etc preventative. only during veg, up until about 2 weeks into flower.

1/4 tsp neem oil
1/4 tsp pro-tekt silicon
per quart of water.
twice a week.

here and there i will toss in a 1/4 tsp neptunes harvest seaweed.

consider using some silicon in these foliars. it helps heat and watering stresses and helps build stronger plant cells. which in turn helps prevent pests and pm to penetrate.

 

[thing]

Missing out, you say. are you all spraying in/through bloom ?

Nope just until the second week of flower, and no more than twice a week.

 

[HempAlchemist]

If you are not having a RH, nute, insect, or fungus problem then there is no need to spray anything on plants. Water atracts bugs and molds. Keep an eye on your lower leaves and the corners of your grow area.

 

[thing]

"Studies have shown that hydroponic crops such as capsicum, treated with a micro nutrient foliar applied solution, had an increase in fruit yield over control plants and also an increase in the compound capsaicin in the fruit tissue. Hydroponically cultivated potato plants also showed similar results. Potato plants given foliar fertilization treatments with a micro nutrient solution not only had a greater tuber harvest, but also higher dry matter of the whole plants. Rockwool grown tomato crops have shown both yield and fruit quality improvements when given a weekly foliar feed of a micro nutrient complex."

You don't NEED to spray anything, but I would bet money that anyone who gets good results without foliar feeding, would get noticeably better results by adding a weekly foliar.

 

[Snook]

"Studies have shown that hydroponic crops such as capsicum, treated with a micro nutrient foliar applied solution, had an increase in fruit yield over control plants and also an increase in the compound capsaicin in the fruit tissue. Hydroponically cultivated potato plants also showed similar results. Potato plants given foliar fertilization treatments with a micro nutrient solution not only had a greater tuber harvest, but also higher dry matter of the whole plants. Rockwool grown tomato crops have shown both yield and fruit quality improvements when given a weekly foliar feed of a micro nutrient complex."

You don't NEED to spray anything, but I would bet money that anyone who gets good results without foliar feeding, would get noticeably better results by adding a weekly foliar.

Seems like it shouldnt be hard to do a sise by side. I'll try next go. And sprays with ones typical nutes, at a somewhat lower strength?

 

[ColoradoOG]

I love foliar spraying. Although i only spray once a week with straight water(to rinse off any excess of foliars ive done throughout the week) but i foliar every day. I have 0 issues. I wouldnt foliar with plain water the amount of times your friend does. Make sure air movement and humidity is in check.Apply only during lights off.

Your leaves uptake nutrients at a lot faster rate than your root system. Depending on the type of foliar you generally only want to apply 1 time a week. Reason is if your feeding to much of the same thing your roots wont develop like they should. I have enough foliars for every day of the week.

Also by foliaring every day pests are a non issue as one of my weekly foliars is pesticide. Even on the days when that is not applied pests are disrupted by whatever mix im applying.

PS most plain water is over 7ph which is alkiline and is not favored by PM.. Any seasoned gardener does preventitive maintence and with that in mind eagle 20 goes along way.