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[compost_tea] Re: Absorption rate



Mike-my understanding is that both foliar ferts and tea are effective 
in must a matter of minutes, certainly a rain the next day wouldn't
be 
a concern.

One fellow mentioned actually watching the droplets of foliar shrink 
as the plant seemed to be translocating the stuff.  An important 
sidebar would be the application of very light, fine droplets, at 
least for the foliar fish/kelp--it seems you want to allow the leaf 
hairs to waft the droplets in towards the stomata.  Too much foliar, 
like to the point of runoff, will probably reduce this action and 
actually result in less absorption, not more.

With tea, I would want to apply to just about the runoff pt, but like 
you have seen plants that repel liquid on their leaves.  We want to 
cover the surface with our microbes, but that must be tough on a 
garlic leaf, etc. when the tea just beads up and rolls off.

I do add a yucca product at label rates (1:1000) but it really
doesn't 
do much in my observation.  Should reduce the surface tension of the 
droplets, but yucca is apparently more for soil application rather 
than leaves.

A conventional non-ionic surfactant like Agri II works great in my 
trials, but retards the bugs in the tea (it's alcohol type of stuff, 
which is fairly poisonous to most types of microbes).  You could use 
this in the fert applications only, tho it may still impact the good 
guys on your leaf surfaces.  So many things to consider, now that 
we're worrying about the biology as well as chemistry of everything!

Some people are using Nufilm as a spreader/sticker. Not totally 
innocuous, apparently, but better than the alcohol type surfactants.  
Dilute this in water before adding tea, to reduce the impact on the 
biology.

--- In compost_tea@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Bosko" <mjbosko@j...> wrote:
> This is primarily applying to some kelp/fish foliar spray I just 
applied to
> my garlic and fruit trees, but the same applies to my CT 
applications:  How
> long does it take for the plant to get a good absorption after 
applying the
> foliar spray?
> 
> Reason I ask, is that we got a good, unexpected, rain the day after 
it was
> applied.
> 
> Also, is there any kind of sticker that could be applied?  When 
sprayed on
> my garlic leaves, the stuff gets repelled as if the leaves were 
waxed.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mike
> Central WA


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