Foliar feeding vs root feeding: which is better for your garden?
Foliar feeding sprays dilute fertiliser onto the leaves, where it is absorbed within hours. Root feeding waters it into the soil, where it feeds steadily as roots take it up. Neither is better; they are fastest and steadiest respectively, and the best home garden routine uses both. With a feed like Medibud or Medigrow it is the same 2.5 mL per litre mix either way, so you can simply do whichever suits the day.
How foliar feeding works
Leaves are covered in tiny pores (stomata) that can absorb dissolved nutrients directly. A fine spray of dilute feed over the foliage bypasses the soil entirely, which makes foliar feeding the fastest way to correct a deficiency or green up a tired plant. Results are often visible within a week. It is especially useful when soil conditions are working against you: compacted ground, very sandy soil that drains nutrients away, or cold soil in early spring when roots are sluggish.
How root feeding works
Watering the same mix into the soil feeds the plant the conventional way, through the roots, and also feeds the soil life around them. It is steadier and longer-lasting per application, and it is the practical choice for big drinks: a full 9 L watering can (about 22 mL of concentrate) around a fruit tree, or a hose-end sprayer across a garden bed.
Which should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| Pale or stressed plant, want fast results | Foliar spray |
| Weekly lawn colour routine | Foliar over the leaf (see our lawn routine) |
| Fruit trees, roses, established shrubs | Root feed with the watering can |
| Seedlings and delicate plants | Light foliar mist or half-strength root feed |
| Hot day over 30 degrees | Root feed (foliar spray can scorch in full sun) |
The rules that matter
- Foliar spray in the early morning or evening, never in harsh midday sun.
- Keep the mix dilute. Stronger is not faster; it burns leaf tissue. Stick to 2.5 mL per litre.
- Coat the undersides of leaves where you can; that is where most stomata are.
- Let foliage dry before kids and pets play through it.
- Foliar feeding supplements soil feeding; over a season, do both.
Common questions
Do I need a different product for foliar feeding?
Not with a true liquid concentrate. Medigrow and Medibud use one mix for both jobs: spray it on the leaves or water it in at the roots, same rate, same bottle.
How often can I foliar feed?
Every 1 to 2 weeks in the growing season, the same rhythm as root feeding. There is no benefit in daily spraying.
Does foliar feeding work on lawns?
It is the single best use of it. The leaf area of a lawn is enormous, which is why sprayed liquid feeds green up turf in days rather than weeks.
Put it into practice
Medigrow builds growth, Medibud brings the bloom. The bundle covers the whole season from 38c a feed, backed by the 30-Day Growers Guarantee.
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