It's in the fog

[cnycharles]

I was reading a general scientific magazine the other day, and found an article about isolated (and ones not so) pockets of jungle and how they were primarily watered and fertilized by fog. Their research showed that moderate levels of nitrogen and many other compounds (including pollution) were carried from the ocean and deposited in forests and jungles. Two main spots where this happened was along the california coast and spots in western south america. I guess there is more in the mists and fogs, and probably is where most of the nutrients that epiphytic (and possibly even terrestrial) orchids and other plants are obtained. The south american jungles in these zones were often surrounded by desert conditions, and the fog contributed most of the water for these plants that usually received very little rain.

I've also seen articles about feeding phals light nutrient solution directly to the undersides of the leaves, and having higher growth rates than through pot fertilizing; I guess this newest study maybe substantiates the possible benefits of fertilizing orchids by misting or fogging the leaves or undersides. There are cold foggers used for cooling and spreading pesticides, that might be able to be used for applying light fertilizer solutions.

 

[NYEric]

Thanx for posting. I'm not willing to try that experiment, but it's an interesting alternative. Is there an article link?

 

[cnycharles]

It was in the last issue of discover magazine. I'm not sure where the phal feeding test was first issued but if I find it I'll post it here

 

[gonewild]

This is why I have always advocated wetting the foliage with nutrient rich (fertilizer) water every time the plant is watered. And best if that happens everyday.

The problem with adding nutrients to a fogging system is mantainence. The salts tend to corrode and plug the misters. Also over time the salts accumulate on everything the fog or mist contacts.

Another consideration is that the fogs in nature probably condense enough water on the leaves to cause runoff to the roots.

 

[cnycharles]

This is why I have always advocated wetting the foliage with nutrient rich (fertilizer) water every time the plant is watered. And best if that happens everyday.

The problem with adding nutrients to a fogging system is mantainence. The salts tend to corrode and plug the misters. Also over time the salts accumulate on everything the fog or mist contacts.

Another consideration is that the fogs in nature probably condense enough water on the leaves to cause runoff to the roots.

true, though there are hand-held cold foggers (and extremely low-volume high mist sprayers) that you can point where you want, so that you don't have salts where you don't want. the hand-held foggers are made for chemical application, so as long as a fairly 'clean' fertilizer is used there would be only normal upkeep.
also the guy who did the phal feeding test did a comparison between root-fed and exclusively leaf-fed plants, and concluded that the plants that were leaf-fed had quite a bit more plant tissue (by weight) than the root-fed ones. granted this was one test with one phal hybrid....

 

[NYEric]

Interesting..