Fertilizer questions: foliar vs soil drench?

I know early morning or late evening are the best times to fertilize and water, but I don't know exactly what a soil drench is, and if it's lots better than a foliar feeding. How do I do a soil drench? The only fertilizer I use is a diluted kelp/fish emulsion concentrate, once every three weeks.

Also, the temp has been in the 90s with no rain at all for several weeks. My plants aren't suffering as I've got a drip system set up, but is fertilizing too stressful in this weather? thanks.

This message was edited Jun 28, 2005 1:04 PM

I'd be curious to find out about this as well. I use Alaska's Mor Bloom (0-10-10) and Alaska's Fish Emulsion (5-1-1) every other week. I was wondering how to use them as a foliar feed. I would think I need to dilute the fert a lot more but I'm not sure. And I also don't know what a soil drench is.

thanks

Hi folks....a "soil drench" is when you apply your fertilizer, fungicide, or even just water directly to the ground around your plants. This is a term used to differentiate from foliar feeding or "gassing".

Zeppy, whether it is lots better than foliar feeding will depend on the plant, the condition of the soil, the condition of the plant, etc. With your drip system set up you are basically soil drenching. If your plants show a weakness or lack of growth/sickness or just need a jumpstart then it is often valuable to give them a foliar food...this will bypass the root system and go directly into the plants foliage. (I do this on occasion just becus I see the plants react favorably to it and I feel it is a kindness to the plant! Call me weirdo, I can take it! :

Thanks, Shoe. Really helpful, as always!

you're not too weird, but your twin brother is a little on the woody side LOL

thanks for the info, & thaks for the question zeppy!

hah! *Grinnin' here.

:-D