ecmn | Niese - 3/30/2026 20:47
They really are not different.
Plant calls for k based on uptake curves and sap tests. Dry spreading ahead of a rain is the same as using a pivot.
Both the dry spreading and a foliar pass are to address the same nutrient shortfall.
One works better than the other
Of course dry ahead of rain would be the same as a pivot feed. They are basically the same.
If you have a pivot, and you are managing ahead of the game, then yes you can use that in place of a foliar because you gave the application enough time.
If you don't have a pivot, like me, then a drone becomes a very handy tool to have.
Pivot feed is not the same as foliar. Pivot is soil applied, foliar is absorbed by the plant.
Is a screw driver better than a wrench? Depends what your doing.
They are two different biological tools.
Foliar can't build soil Levels. It's not designed to.
Bulk spread of dry or pivot can't fix a deficiency/ gap in a tight timing window. And that's fine, it's not its job.
Dry fertilizer/ pivot
Builds soil levels
Slow release
Soil dependent
Needs moisture
Foliar
Fix short term shortage
Works late season
Fast response
Soil independent
Timing dependent
Both are tools, one goes through the soil, one goes directly into the plant.
The original poster asked if drone was a realistic option. And yes it's very realistic option. It's just another delivery option. It hits a timing window that most ground rigs can't.
Scientifically, agronomically, biologically foliar gets nutrients into a plant.
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