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fertilizing from above or below?

Edmick

Edmick

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Hey guys, so i have about 15 aleppo pepper plants that i just hardened off but im noticing some signs of nutrient deficiency. All along ive been just putting them in a tub of water to feed from the bottom but the organic fert that im using (earth juice grow) mentions shaking the bottle very well before using (which i do) so what im wondering is, does watering from the bottom cause the fert to settle to the bottom of the tub before it has full chanch of making it to the plant? I do notice that it settles rather quickly in the watering can if i let it sit and also in the tub if i let it sit. Should i be watering (feeding) from the top to avoid this separation?
 
It's not going to hurt it so try it and see
Organic fertilisers are dependant on microbes to break them down so you might not see any difference for a week or so
 
Edmick said:
Hey guys, so i have about 15 aleppo pepper plants that i just hardened off but im noticing some signs of nutrient deficiency. All along ive been just putting them in a tub of water to feed from the bottom but the organic fert that im using (earth juice grow) mentions shaking the bottle very well before using (which i do) so what im wondering is, does watering from the bottom cause the fert to settle to the bottom of the tub before it has full chanch of making it to the plant? I do notice that it settles rather quickly in the watering can if i let it sit and also in the tub if i let it sit. Should i be watering (feeding) from the top to avoid this separation?
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If you top water vs bottom water two plants with that nutrient, I believe that you're going to see a significant difference in growth.
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Once you've got some deep roots, or the plant is fully rooted in the container, it becomes less of an issue.
 
Yea ive been watering them from the bottom all along. I guess my biggest concern is if the fertilizer stays in suspension long enough while the soil is absorbing the mixture. Even though it is a liquid fertilizer that im using, there are some obvious very fine solids in the mixture that im concerned may settle to the bottom of the tray and not making it to the soil.
 
Edmick said:
Yea ive been watering them from the bottom all along. I guess my biggest concern is if the fertilizer stays in suspension long enough while the soil is absorbing the mixture. Even though it is a liquid fertilizer that im using, there are some obvious very fine solids in the mixture that im concerned may settle to the bottom of the tray and not making it to the soil.
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That's going to happen, to some degree, no matter how you water it.
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I think that we'd probably all be a little surprised to learn just how wasteful of a process fertilizing is.
 
Logic would suggest that you should do it from the top. That way nutrients will pass down and be spread through the entire soil column.
 
Im not sure how well nutrients travel upwards..logic would suggest not as well as downwards anyway. Some of the heavier minerals are not going to want to travel upwards very far...
Im sure some would get wicked up with the water but still, it cant be as efficient as doing it from the top.
Logic would suggest you would end up with a concentration of nutes down at the bottom of the pot and hardly any near the surface.
 
trying to distribute minerals (or anything really) through soil from the bottom working against gravity, or from the top working with gravity? Anyone can tell you which is more efficient. 
 
If the goal is to disperse nutrients throughout the entire volume of soil then it only makes sense to do it from above. 
If the goal is to disperse nutrients throughout the entire volume of soil then doing it from below is only ever going to work against you. Gravity is real. Wicking is not as efficient as gravity...obviously  
 
edit; if you want to cover both bases just water / feed from the top and have the pot sitting on a saucer..? that would also give you the wicking action/bottom feeding which you don't at all need and you will still be fertilising in the most efficient way (from the top)
 
This is kinda what im thinking nzchili. Ive been fertilizing regularly from the bottom but im seeing early signs of deficiency and i dont get it. Ive always watered and fertilized from the top and this is really the first season ive tried fertilizing from the bottom and i get what i have now. Its across the board too on pretty much all my plants. I have good root development at this point so i think im just gonna fert from the top and see if that resolves it.
 
Edmick said:
This is kinda what im thinking nzchili. Ive been fertilizing regularly from the bottom but im seeing early signs of deficiency and i dont get it. Ive always watered and fertilized from the top and this is really the first season ive tried fertilizing from the bottom and i get what i have now. Its across the board too on pretty much all my plants. I have good root development at this point so i think im just gonna fert from the top and see if that resolves it.
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Im sure it will help.
I know you understand but just to throw another random example out there as I think the bottom fertilising is really silly. 
 
If our goal was to water log a loaf of bread using liquid fertilisier. 
 
Method 1 = pour the liquid fert straight over the top of it. Douse the whole loaf in it. Pour it straight on the top of it.
Method 2 = dangle only the bottom of the loaf of bread in shallow pool of liquid and let it slowly wick up and go soggy.
 
Which one is going to have better distribution of nutrients throughout the whole media? We can substitute a loaf of bread for a pot full of soil  ;)
 
from what I understand bottom watering is only really useful to help prevent over watering / damping off, and helping to prevent fungus gnats. I can also imagine situations where it may be easier to water a large number of plants that are close together / in a confided space by bottom watering. indoor plants for example. I think bottom watering has its place in the correct situation, but fertlising does not fall within what its good for. IMO
 
I agree. Ive had huge success doing it the old fashion way. If it ain't broke, don't fix it right?
 
nzchili said:
from what I understand bottom watering is only really useful to help prevent over watering / damping off, and helping to prevent fungus gnats.
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Bingo! (To date) I've grown strictly in containers. The only reason I ever bottom feed/water is when they're still too young to be outside 24/7 and I don't want bugs (gnats) flying around my house

The loaf of bread is a good analogy too, haha :cheers:
 
Edmick said:
Yea ive been watering them from the bottom all along. I guess my biggest concern is if the fertilizer stays in suspension long enough while the soil is absorbing the mixture. Even though it is a liquid fertilizer that im using, there are some obvious very fine solids in the mixture that im concerned may settle to the bottom of the tray and not making it to the soil.
Click to expand...
 
When all the liquid is gone, is there a lot of solid stuff still sitting there?  If not, then it's probably all getting wicked up into the dirt which is good.  I'm speaking from a mid-level knowledge at best, but as I'm sure you know, most plants don't drink straight out of the solution, they drink it up out of the substrate.  I read an article a while ago now, but soil can pull (wick) water straight up against gravity to a pretty impressive level, I want to say up to a foot.  I've had a long work week and I think I'm starting to ramble, but to answer your question, if there aren't a lot of solids left after probably an hour, then the solution separating might be a smaller part of your plant's change than you originally thought.  
 
Lol, I just reread this and laughed.  A messy jumble of words, but I'm gonna leave it here for a laugh later.
 
This is what happens when your boss crushes you with work hours kids ;)
 
Mike
 
Depends if you are using a double cup method which acts almost as hydro. Then feed only from bottom. Make sure to put a pebble or something in bottom cup to make a space for roots to get in the solution. If not then feed from top
 
There is nothing wrong with bottom watering, once a plant has deep roots established.
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In nature, plants draw water from shallow aquifers and high water tables, all the time.  Ever see a lush bit of greenery around a pond or canal? (even when there's a drought)
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The best way to find out, is just to try for yourself.  Each has its place.
 
I can understand bottom watering and the wicking effect but my concern is fertilizing from the bottom. If my plants were in the ground (like plants you see around a pond) their roots are able to travel greater depths and/or widths to find nutrient and water. In the case of potted plants, im starting to come to the conclusion that bottom watering may be beneficial but fertilizing from the bottom may lose uptake of nutrient due to separation and settling of additives. Bottom watering was never my concern. The addition of organic fertilizers with fine solids in suspension was my concern due to the possibility of settling before the soil has a chance to absorb these fine solids into the substrate.
 
I understand your concern, as I had similar concerns in the past - but bottom watering DOES work.
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Plants taking up nutrients is a chemical process - not a mechanical one.  The solid particulate doesn't need to physically touch the root, to have an effect.  When a plant needs something, it acquires it through cation exchange at the roots.  So, as long as you have some free ions in the bottom solution, your plant has access to food.
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Again, though, bottom watering is most effective when the roots are mature.  Personally, I prefer to employ a mixture of top and bottom watering.  Less top waterings means less compaction of the potting mix, and the benefit of the bottom watering is less water and nutrient waste.  Keep your solution weak, and use it at every watering. (and you'll never have to worry about salt or urea buildups - covers both organic and inorganic)
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Also, with regards to your example of the plant in soil - that plant works harder to find nutrients, because it has to.  You are providing a closed loop environment.
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Try this experiment.  We can talk about it for a million years, but the best way to find out, is to just give it a go.  Easy way, is to start some plants in small pots - say a #1.  Put a saucer under the pots.  Top water some, bottom water others.  Observe.    
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I did the experiment last season. ;)
 
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