What’s your foliar/topdressing “regime”? Detailed list

I’m trying to have a more scheduled plan when foliar spraying and topdressing. I’ll name some stuff I use, it doesn’t mean I use it often some I barely use/very low doses.

——Foliar: ——

Fresh Aloe (I do this quite often, maby 3 times a week.)

Kelp

Agsil 16h (Similar to protekt)

Quillaja extract https://buildasoil.com/products/quillaja-saponaria-extract-powder


——IPM Foliar:——

Ahimsa neem oil

Spinosad (Captain Jacks Dead Bug for example)


Buildasoil EM-5 https://buildasoil.com/products/em-5
I havnt used the EM-5 much, still not sure how well it works or what it’s good for. Here’s the ingredients

Purified Water, Organic EM-1, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Grape Alcohol, Organic Yucca Extract, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Peppermint Essential Oil.

—-Topdressing/Soil drench ——

Buildasoil Craft Blend https://buildasoil.com/products/buildasoil-craft-blend-nutrient-pack?_pos=1&_psq=craft &_ss=e&_v=1.0

Ahimsa neem cake

Kelp

Whole malted barley powder (Powdered by me)

Homegrown Comfrey (Havnt topdressed much yet, would like to know more about this.)

Buildasoil Big 6 https://buildasoil.com/products/buildasoil-big-6?_pos=1&_psq=big 6&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Coconut Powder/Aloe/Agsil 16h


I don’t NEED some of these products, but they all have their place and are beneficial. I’m aiming at making quality EWC with my worm bins, growing aloe/comfrey and other dynamic accumulators. Interested in making a comfrey ferment, I have a lot of dried comfrey.

Just wanted any pointers/suggestions and am curious what you guys use. I grow in a 4x4 bed using LED/cover crops/mulch. I have to downsize most likely and will be going to (4) 25-30 gallon pots I think.

Thanks guys!!

One thing I noticed in your list was the Big-6 which I use as well since it omits the iron (given our soils tend to be fine on that one). IIRC there was some threads somewhere on here where it was discussed about using it as a foliar vs a drench/feed. I think it was said that it was better to use it as a foliar but I could be mistaken/have it backwards. I know one angle that was mentioned was that being sulfate based it does contribute to the Sulphur levels and your soil may already be fine/high on that front so it might come down to whether you need S in the medium or not.

Top dress dr earth bud and bloom 1tbsp/gal soil around when I flip to 12/12 foliar spray weekly with neptunes harvest fish and seaweed fertilizer or just a kelp foliar alternating each week. Stop foliar feeding once I’ve got decent bud formation(week 3-4). I also use recharge once a week up to late-mid flower(stop week 5-7)

Ipm sprays I stop using by week 2 of flower. But they’re just neem, spinosad and bt

Ya I read a little about it on their site. I use it very sparingly and at low doses. Wasn’t sure if I even needed it as I did coots mix (with crustacean meal and malted barley powder,) and the plants looked great already.

One thing that seemed to really green up/make my plants pray was a compost/MBP/craft blend topdress! (That was in smaller potted plants.)

NewGrower2011 said:

One thing I noticed in your list was the Big-6 which I use as well since it omits the iron (given our soils tend to be fine on that one). IIRC there was some threads somewhere on here where it was discussed about using it as a foliar vs a drench/feed. I think it was said that it was better to use it as a foliar but I could be mistaken/have it backwards. I know one angle that was mentioned was that being sulfate based it does contribute to the Sulphur levels and your soil may already be fine/high on that front so it might come down to whether you need S in the medium or not.

Click to expand...

I foliar when prepping moms to take cuts with a combo of Kelp, fulvics, and aloe


If I'm feeling really ambitious, I'll use Photosynthesis plus, Aphrodite's Extraction (food source for microbials)
and some form of Kelp. This is usually done after a "tea day" to boosts brix levels.

The only other thing I can think of is Mono-Silicic Acid .
Power Si is what I have on hand now and it'll take me quite long time to use up this bottle at 0.5ml per gal

Kind Sir said:

Ya I read a little about it on their site. I use it very sparingly and at low doses. Wasn’t sure if I even needed it as I did coots mix (with crustacean meal and malted barley powder,) and the plants looked great already.

One thing that seemed to really green up/make my plants pray was a compost/MBP/craft blend topdress! (That was in smaller potted plants.)

Click to expand...

I've got a 25# Craft Blend bucket. It has lots of Ca though so I try to limit using is.

Just mixed:

2 cups Kashi
2 cups Nutri Grow Chicken manure
2 cups Neem meal
2 cups 9-3-1 bat guano
2 cups fine grade basalt
2 Tbls Langbeinite
2 tsp Big 6

And then you had to mention malted barley. So I added a cup of ground 6 row to the mix. I've got a bunch from brewing beer, so I'm gonna start using it more. I didn't grind this one to a powder though.

I've got about 10 cups of the mix, so it should last a few top dressings.

The one thing I want to finally use is this dried comfrey I grew. I wanted to either topdress it or something (maby make a ferment.) Any suggestions on utilizing comfrey the best way?

Random thought. Can you foliar spray comfrey?

PadawanWarrior said:

I've got a 25# Craft Blend bucket. It has lots of Ca though so I try to limit using is.

Just mixed:

2 cups Kashi
2 cups Nutri Grow Chicken manure
2 cups Neem meal
2 cups 9-3-1 bat guano
2 cups fine grade basalt
2 Tbls Langbeinite
2 tsp Big 6

And then you had to mention malted barley. So I added a cup of ground 6 row to the mix. I've got a bunch from brewing beer, so I'm gonna start using it more. I didn't grind this one to a powder though.

I've got about 10 cups of the mix, so it should last a few top dressings.

Click to expand...

Kind Sir said:

The one thing I want to finally use is this dried comfrey I grew. I wanted to either topdress it or something (maby make a ferment.) Any suggestions on utilizing comfrey the best way?

Random thought. Can you foliar spray comfrey?

Click to expand...

That one thing I haven't used. But I'm more into top dressing than foliar spraying.

I wasn’t big into foliar spraying until I started buying fresh aloe and using that, I swear the plants thrive when I use it like twice a week.

Besides that not sure how much I like foliar spraying. I have quillaja extract from buildasoil which is cool. My secret weapon this next grow is this EWC I made, first time using homemade EWC and Ive been adding amendments the whole time.
Wonder if adding the amendments will make it better or not. Kelp/oyster shell flour/MBP/a touch of neem/fish meal

PadawanWarrior said:

That one thing I haven't used. But I'm more into top dressing than foliar spraying.

Click to expand...

Kind Sir said:

The one thing I want to finally use is this dried comfrey I grew. I wanted to either topdress it or something (maby make a ferment.) Any suggestions on utilizing comfrey the best way?

Random thought. Can you foliar spray comfrey?

Click to expand...

I use it fresh and shred it with scissors then mix it into the top layer. Comfey breaks down quickly in a thriving soil and it has a great macro/micro profile.

I'm not sure on the amount used, probably 15-20 good size fan leaves. My comfrey grows in a 10 gal container but it grows quickly so I can usually pull couple harvests from it before flowers.

I havent had a lot time to play around with ferments but I'm sure the plants would love it as a foliar or tea and eat it up like candy.

Kind Sir said:

I wasn’t big into foliar spraying until I started buying fresh aloe and using that, I swear the plants thrive when I use it like twice a week.

Besides that not sure how much I like foliar spraying. I have quillaja extract from buildasoil which is cool. My secret weapon this next grow is this EWC I made, first time using homemade EWC and Ive been adding amendments the whole time.
Wonder if adding the amendments will make it better or not. Kelp/oyster shell flour/MBP/a touch of neem/fish meal

BuildASoil Quillaja Saponaria Extract Powder 60%

Unlock natural potency with BuildASoil's Quillaja Saponaria Extract Powder 60. Our latest batch offers enhanced solubility and quality, sourced directly from Chile's finest. Ideal for gardeners seeking eco-friendly solutions, it's the premium choice for effective plant care. Order now and...

buildasoil.com

Click to expand...

Just got that quillaja too, it haven't tried it yet. Tonight they get yucca extract from Earth Juice. It's sitting here now mixed with a little Bio Righteous and Mykos WP. I like to let the microbes active a little first.

My foliar is all IPM

Coco wet, agsil16, citric acid, h202, Regalia, bas neem. Not all at once
Haven't sprayed Regalia, soil drench

Not using Neem in 12/12.

I want to get some yucca myself. The last two products you use, you think they work well? Similar to this?

PadawanWarrior said:

Just got that quillaja too, it haven't tried it yet. Tonight they get yucca extract from Earth Juice. It's sitting here now mixed with a little Bio Righteous and Mykos WP. I like to let the microbes active a little first.

Click to expand...

Kind Sir said:

I want to get some yucca myself. The last two products you use, you think they work well? Similar to this?

Rootwise Mycrobe Complete | BuildASoil

Boost your garden's vitality with Rootwise Mycrobe Complete's beneficial microbes and mycorrhizae. Achieve optimal nutrient uptake and plant health through a balanced soil ecosystem. Ideal for all soil systems, it ensures peak plant performance. Get the complete Rootwise system for total soil...

buildasoil.com

Click to expand...

Just got that Rootwise too. But haven't tried it yet. BAS is the shit though, lol.

I’ve heard of people using citric acid and h202, you think it really works? Is citric acid better used after you have bugs, rather than preventing them? Obviously that’s not the case but just my thoughts without looking it up.

Livingblacksoil said:

My foliar is all IPM

Coco wet, agsil16, citric acid, h202, Regalia, bas neem. Not all at once
Haven't sprayed Regalia, soil drench

Not using Neem in 12/12.

Click to expand...

Kind Sir said:

I’ve heard of people using citric acid and h202, you think it really works? Is citric acid better used after you have bugs, rather than preventing them? Obviously that’s not the case but just my thoughts without looking it up.

Click to expand...

Top dressing with Neem or Karanja will deter bugs too.

Lol…. Whenever you have a minute i’d really like to see what your whole inventory is. Seems we have similar grows and i’m just curious.

You must watch the podcasts and got the new smaller bag of the rootwise huh? Some of these company’s can get so much of my money, it’s just crazy.

PadawanWarrior said:

Just got that Rootwise too. But haven't tried it yet. BAS is the shit though, lol.

Click to expand...

Kind Sir said:

Lol…. Whenever you have a minute i’d really like to see what your whole inventory is. Seems we have similar grows and i’m just curious.

You must watch the podcasts and got the new smaller bag of the rootwise huh? Some of these company’s can get so much of my money, it’s just crazy.

Click to expand...

Anytime.

I have probably have close to 1/4 of the the shit BAS has. They're local so shipping isn't bad with the products that don't give free shipping. My recroom has been taken over,

And I always start with the smaller quantities at first. Just got a 25# bag of NutriGrow and put it in a bucket last night. Forgot I even ordered anything, lol.

I've omitted many ingredients as the years have gone by, now using next to nothing.

Top dress

- G&B 4-6-4 blend, or something equivalent. (Every 1-4 weeks, depending on plant size/stage)
- Langbeinite (Every 2-4 weeks, depending on plant size/stage, and how heavy they feed)

Soil drench

- TM7 (Monthly)
- Coconut water (Every 2-4 weeks)
- Heavily diluted urine (Every 1-4 weeks, depending on the plant's needs. Helps my mulch break down faster, automatically top dressing plants with compost)
- Ful-Power (Weekly, its great stuff.)

Foliar

- Ful-Power
- TM7
- ProTekt (every 2 weeks, unless a plant looks stressed and needs it earlier)

I typically do not foliar with Ful-Power or TM7, preferring a soil drench for both products. I will foliar with TM7 if I'm seeing visible micro deficiencies. Otherwise, its a monthly soil drench for maintenance. I do, however, use Ful-Power in the spray bottle I have for clones.




For the past couple of years, I've been able to get away with only the above ingredients.

NPK needs are met with the 4-6-4 at all times. During veg, I combine the 4-6-4 with the occasional diluted urine drench. Opinions vary as to the NPK of urine, but the consensus seems to be 11-x-x, on average. Using urine isn't going to be for everyone, but I haven't spent money on Nitrogen amendments in a little over a year now. Why spend money when we piss it for free? Less water being wasted too

Langbeinite is for the extra shot of Mag and Sulfur. Heavy in K with a 0-0-22 NPK, however I've yet to experience any issues related to K toxicity, or any K related lockout issues. Plants seem to love the stuff, especially those heavy feeders.

Calcium comes from my well water, and TM7 has all the micros one could need.

All of the above inputs provide my plants with all the nutrients they need to thrive.

Coconut water is absolutely mandatory considering what an enormous difference it makes. Seeing as coconuts are pretty much just enormous seeds, coconut water is effectively a SST, with cytokines to boot. This stuff helps for node spacing, and development. Nodes grow much shorter to one another, and coconut water makes node grow itself absolutely explode.

All the best.