I have some SM-90 for roots and foliar spray i use on other plants , and wondered if my fig trees will benefit from using it or other foliar sprays? Thanks

I use a very dilute seaweed spray on young plants, once they are growing. I haven't heard of SM-90 though, so can't comment on that.

Thanks, i have some sweedweed spray ill have to give it a try

I had a look at SM-90 and it seems to be pretty potent stuff.

Foliar spray is fairly ineffective. Why use foliar spray when you can just fertilize?

I tend to agree. Feed the roots.

I think the latest I have studied on this shows that if foliar feed is helping in any way, your regular fertilizer schedule is deficient.

I don't have access to any scientific papers to confirm that foliar feeding works or doesn't work. I wouldn't consider using it as the sole method of feeding. All I know is that misting cuttings and seedlings with a very diluted seaweed spray seems to improve the rate of root growth. This is only my observation though.

The likes of Miracle-gro has a wetting agent that supposedly feeds the leaves, too, but it may be that simply cleaning the leaves with a spray is enough to give growth a type of boost since leaves are simply the original solar panels.

I've not seen SM90 in this country, but it seems to adjust the surface tension of water for improved absorbtion and kill root pests etc, fair enough. One user commented on it affecting soil pH if used a lot though. I was recommended seaweed solution (diluted) as it supplies plants with a lot of trace minerals which could be lacking in the soil. I don't know the different effect from foliar feeding as opposed to watering with the stuff though? A uk nursery guy says it makes the leaves grow bigger, so better photosynthesis and sweeter fruit I guess.
Two different products, why not try them both :-)

Steve

Another reason for the knock on foliar spray is that you are coating the leaves with fertilizer. In areas where it rains enough to clean the leaves that is fine. In my location it doesn't really rain all summer and the plants are on a patio anyway. Spraying anything on them would reduce the ability of the plant to use light. Also, for the most part the larger the leaf the less light the plant expects to get. If you foliar spray and get larger leaves than normal that would suggest that the ability to use light is impaired. Some of the largest leaves in nature occur near the floor of rain forests for that reason.

I think the sm stands for spyder mite I think its a mite spray I think.