The dog days of summer have arrived! According to the Greek calendar, the rising of the star Sirius heralds a time of heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy and mad dogs. However, for us, it’s more about panting dogs! 

This year, Sirius will rise on August 10 in our latitude (you can track this star at TheCurvesLineUp.com). 

What the Greeks didn’t account for in August is the crucial feeding of our crops, which have been growing for months. Now, when we aim for peak production, we face the toughest climate conditions for plant health, making it essential for us to step in and provide a boost of nutrients to help our plants cope with the summer heat and continue producing.

SOIL & LEAF APPLICATION

Simply sprinkling granular fertilizers or adding compost to the garden isn’t enough at this time. Typically, it takes about three months for granular fertilizers applied to the soil surface to break down and become accessible to plant roots. Applying compost now would benefit plants around late October or November, not in the immediate summer heat.

One alternative is to convert granular fertilizers into a liquid. Liquid applications can deliver nutrients directly to the plant roots much faster, often within three weeks. 

To do this, mix water-soluble fertilizers in a bucket with water and stir occasionally. After two days, some nutrients will ferment—you’ll know by a film on the surface or a distinct smell. When this mixture is poured onto the garden, the water helps transport the nutrients through the soil fissures directly to the root zone.

Spraying fertilizers directly to plant leaves is the best way to quickly boost plant growth, as nutrients can be absorbed through the leaves and into the plant within 45 minutes. 

This method also requires water-soluble fertilizers. 

To test solubility, mix your chosen fertilizer with water in a quart jar, shake well and let it sit overnight. If the sediment settles at the bottom and the water is clear, the fertilizer is not water-soluble and is better suited for soil application. If there’s a cloudy haze to the water, it means you’re in business.

Compost tea is the ultimate choice for foliar feeding. It’s water-soluble, packed with trace nutrients that enhance crop flavor and health, and its microbial content can help deter pests and diseases. Some insects avoid eating or laying eggs on leaves treated with compost tea. 

To create a compost extract, soak compost in a burlap bag in water for a few days. This extract enriches soil nutrients, but the anaerobic conditions it creates can be harmful to plant leaves, particularly those of soft-tissue fruits and vegetables. To make compost tea suitable for foliar application, aerate the extract by introducing oxygen. Use well-composted, mature material or vermicompost (worm compost) to avoid harming your plants.

Tools you’ll need:

• A one-gallon bucket (no lid required—a cleaning pail or a stock pot will do)
• A fish pump and airstone to keep the tea oxygenated (you can buy these from pet shops or stores that sell aquarium supplies)

Water selection: Use irrigation water since domestic water often contains antibacterial agents that can inhibit good microbial growth.

Prep time: It takes 24-36 hours to make a four-gallon batch of tea, which is sufficient for treating a garden and the surrounding landscape.  

Directions: Fill the bucket within 1 inch of the top and add compost. For a one-gallon batch, you’ll need 2 cups of compost. 

You can use an old towel to create a makeshift tea bag by placing the compost in the center and pinning the edges. A nylon painter’s bag works well, as it’s reusable and can be easily attached to the side of the bucket with a clothespin. For larger five-gallon batches, use approximately a gallon of compost.

Add molasses to nourish beneficial bacteria and fungi. White sugar can also feed bacteria, while oat straw or oatmeal will support fungal growth.

After 24-36 hours of aeration, the compost tea will be ready to use.

Apply a 25% solution for general purposes, though you can increase it to 33% for problematic crops or less fertile soils. Avoid exceeding 40% concentration, as it might be too strong and inhibit plant absorption.

Use a pump sprayer or hand sprayer for application. For best results, apply after sunset to prevent UV rays from killing the microbes, allowing them to integrate into the leaf tissues. The optimal times for application are late evening or early morning.

Applying the tea every three weeks can aid in disease suppression and enhance crop fertility.