5 Min Read

5 Reasons Why You’ll Prefer Foliar Nutrition

Nutrition
Plant Health
Yield Boost
Immune Response
Eco-Friendly
Cost-Effective

FOLIAR NUTRITION POWERED BY TERRA VERA’S ACTIVATED AMINO ACID TECHNOLOGY

 
Plant leaf after foliar feeding

When it comes to growing high quality plants, plant nutrition is at the top of the list to ensure you unlock your plant’s potential every grow cycle. Traditionally, professional cultivators and home gardeners use soil fertilizers to provide the right balance of macro and micro nutrients. Having experienced the shortcomings of traditional fertilizer treatments, our team has developed a new technology of activated amino acid nutrients for foliar application (see Amino Acids - A Sustainable and Efficient Source of Plant Nutrition).

Our nutrient ELMNTs are precisely formulated so that when paired with our Brawndo Systems, provide optimal nutrition across the growth cycle. The best part? You can generate your nutrients onsite and on demand, reducing your carbon footprint and supply chain risks while increasing crop yields and enhancing crop quality.



 
Stomata in green leaf magnified

1. It's the most efficient way to feed your plants

Plants take in nutrients more efficiently through pores (stomata) on their leaves than through their roots. As a result, many growers use foliar nutrients to boost plant growth and address deficiencies to preserve crop yields.

Depending on certain soil conditions, like pH, water content, texture, and compaction, soil applications may be inefficient and ineffective in providing adequate nutrition to the plant. Foliar fertilization is not dependent on the soil and therefore offers a viable alternative.

An added bonus: because foliar applications supply nutrients more efficiently, you’ll need less soil fertilization, saving you both time and money.

Recommendation: For best results, we recommend fogging during the daylight hours since stomata are open during the day and are closed at night.

Credit: mygardenlife.com
Sample application guide using IV Boost K with the Brawndo TM

2. Tool to rapidly correct visible deficiencies

Do you notice any of the following in your plants?

  • Reduced height
  • Reduced vegetative growth
  • Leaf discoloration
  • Reduced root growth
  • Reduced flower/fruit production

Visual symptoms can often be confused with pest pressures or abiotic stress, such as drought, poor drainage, or soil salinity. With soil fertilization, it can take days to sometimes weeks, to address a deficiency, which is often detrimental to your yield. Foliar fertilization is a simple nutrient corrective technique that can be used during the growth cycle when soil application is ineffective, impossible, or expensive.

Recommendation: Our IV Nutrients can be used throughout the growth cycle up until harvest. Recapture your plant’s yield and quality potential.

Sample application guide using IV Boost K with the Brawndo TM

3. Better control of plant growth

Because foliar fertilization is very efficient and the nutritional benefits can be seen quickly, growers can use this application method to craft specific feeding schedules for each stage of the plant lifecycle. This is especially beneficial for cannabis plants where multiple genetics can be found throughout the grow.

Recommendation: Plan your feeding schedule using our IV Nutrients.

  • IV Growth: Used in the vegetative stage for strong leaf growth. Plants require more nitrogen than any other element for the creation of amino acids and proteins that give the plant a strong structure during this high-growth stage.
  • IV Bloom: Used throughout the flowering stage without risk of inadvertently creating mold or mildew. Use Bloom to increase the development of roots, buds, flowers, and fruits while improving environmental stress tolerance.
  • IV Boost K: Used throughout the plant life cycle and final weeks of bloom and immediately after harvest. Designed as a supplement in the IV nutrient line, the extra potassium is designed to boost yield and protect the quality of your recently harvested flower and fruits.

4. Pair with Pest Control Solutions for Efficiency

Foliar feeding allows you the flexibility to combine different aspects of your IPM strategy into one application. Well-fed plants with balanced nutrition are healthier and more resilient against abiotic stress and diseases; however, expect the unexpected and be prepared for outbreaks.

Recommendation: As commercial cultivators, Terra Vera team members had first-hand experience with pest outbreaks and often had to face tradeoffs between cost, efficacy, safety, and sustainability. This inspired us to create a safer alternative made of food-grade ingredients: Guardian (GRDN). The newest product in our ELMNT blends, GRDN is made of Potassium Sorbate and Potassium Chloride and formulated to control soft-bodied pests and pathogens. When paired with our Thrive (THRV) Nutri Packs, we believe plants can maximize yields and express their traits to their fullest potential without the extra stress of pathogens and pests.

Sounds too good to be true? Watch GRDN in action - 100% effective against aphids on goji berry plants.





5. Better for the Environment

Soil fertilization is wreaking havoc on our environment.

  • One of the top climate polluting industrial chemicals: production and use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers account for 2.4% global greenhouse gas emissions. The supply chain is responsible for 21% of annual direct emissions from agriculture.
  • May burn people, plants, and the soil: synthetic fertilizers contain high amounts of acidic chemicals, which can burn the skin and negatively impact soil quality.
  • Produce toxicity and pollution: excessive nitrogen-rich fertilizers can runoff from farmland into bodies of water, causing toxic algae blooms. Fertilizers can also leach into groundwater.
  • Interfere with natural soil ecology and resiliency: fertilizers can stunt the growth of many beneficial soil organisms and can kill others (such as worms and beneficial fungi species) that are crucial for maintaining a long-term healthy soil structure.

Recommendation: Our activated amino acid nutrients minimize waste to the surrounding environment. In fact, our solutions degrade into naturally occurring, non-toxic compounds that enrich the plant ecosystem.

Grow Smart from the Start

Using Terra Vera's crop protection and nutrient solutions from start to finish increases your plant's ability to fight off environmental stress so that yield potential and quality are preserved. It can be sprayed on plants even through the late stages of bloom and post-harvest, making it a versatile solution for even the most sensitive genetics. The best part? You can generate Terra Vera solutions onsite with our systems so that you can rest easy knowing your plants are getting fed the freshest ingredients each time.

Ready to unlock the potential of every plant?

STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Want to be the first to know about the newest Terra Vera products?