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Mission Viejo, CA

I've been experimenting with foliar feeding through my misting system. Right now, my misters are mounted on bamboo stakes about 1-2' above the plant canopy. I am thinking next year of putting misters at two heights for foliar applications both above and below the leaves.

This has so far been working well. Any liquids go right through the tornado misters just great. I've put fungicides, pesticides and different ferts right in to the EZ Flow Injector. It is such a time saver and the coverage seems very good with just a little wind movement it covers the plant very well, especially when the leaves are upright.

Anyone else doing this? Pros and Cons?

8/26/2015 11:32:43 AM

President - GPC

I was thinking of doing the same with my Dan Micros... but was concerned about spraying during the heat of the day as I use them for under the canopy irrigation... So I didn't do it... Glad to hear this is working for you... we need ways to work smarter instead of harder...right BiZ?

8/26/2015 1:30:45 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

WiZZy,
I only mist with ferts and stuff in the early morning or late evening. Otherwise water only during the heat.

8/26/2015 2:04:33 PM

President - GPC

Yo KC... makes sense... have you seen a noticeable difference...??

8/26/2015 3:28:01 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

The only difference is that I get the whole thing done in about 5 minutes instead of an hour; that's how long it takes me to switch my EZ FLO from the drip tape line to the misters. LOL Otherwise I just replaced my normal spraying schedule. Going to add a second EZ Flo for next season to make it even easier.

I'm going to tinker with the soluble seaweed powder (I got from WOW) at season's end and see how that does in the misters. It would be very cool if that went through cleanly without clogging.

This is the first season I've not had PM at this time. The weekly fungicide rotation is paying off.

8/26/2015 4:05:42 PM

President - GPC

Thanks...I have the EZ Flows as well... you just solved my problem....Thank you

8/26/2015 4:39:30 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Great, one more trick up your sleeve.

8/26/2015 6:08:14 PM

Central Illinois

Your getting good results by only spraying the top side ? This is something Ive been thinking about trying for awhile now.

8/27/2015 7:45:10 AM

President - GPC

Mist Blower rollZ the leaveZ..so I can coat top side and bottom side stomata's....where what I spray can enter the plant...All surfaces of plants that are in the air have some stomata but leaf surfaces have the most because this is where photosynthesis is occurring. The underside of leaves have more stomata than the upper surface because less evaporation will take place in the cooler, shady underside of the leaf.

Here is a cool experiment if folks wanna try I count the stomata's on a pumpkin leaf...

http://www.esa.org/tiee/vol/v1/experiments/stomata/stomata_description.html

Hope to have time to try this..would be very interesting.

8/27/2015 11:02:11 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

Baitman, with the misters I use (Tornado Black from dripworks.com) the coverage is really very good across the plant. The mist is so fine that it blows through the plant canopy and certainly coats the tops of the leaves and gets decent coverage on the undersides, especially when the leaves are pointed up.

Next year I will place some misters below the canopy and expect that I will get close to 100% coverage as a result. Certainly close to as good as I could do hand-spraying.

Added benefit is less soil compression and broken leaves (I'm a bit of a clutz!)

8/27/2015 1:40:21 PM

President - GPC

Would be a great way to hit it with Lithovit/CalCarb...too... Your right on target KC

8/27/2015 1:43:55 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Lithovit & Calcarb are both a little gritty.
Would that be OK to send through your mistress?
Dang autocorrect...misters!
It wouldn't clog them up?

8/27/2015 8:33:13 PM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Been spraying drenching that way for years... Mix it in a tank and spray it on threw masters or hose end.. Big manifold gives lots of options

8/27/2015 10:16:51 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Will it clog if you put it threw masters Big City?

8/28/2015 12:00:13 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Ah I do use an inline filter .. Net film disk style... I have an 80 mesh and a 120.... I don't get any issues with clogged heads... Also I have a filter purge line hooked up... So I can back flush filter and run threw another line to dump sediment on the patch I have thought of all angles
Tank 330 gallon 50 bucks
Pump 150 bucks
Being able to run anything threw my tank and pump at the flip of the switch
Priceless
330 gallons takes about 35 min to empty on the home patch

8/28/2015 8:35:28 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Now I told you my secrets...

8/28/2015 8:36:43 AM

Omaha, Ne.

what kind of misters. do you use big city

8/29/2015 11:41:31 AM

Wi

35 min why all that time GG

9/13/2015 7:52:55 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Lol chad not everyone has a 2 inch piped system like u... Chad can dump 400 gallons in like 5 minutes ... Maybe less... Chads pump makes the city lights dim when he turns it on....

9/13/2015 9:11:41 AM