What is a Surfactant and Why Do I Need One?
A surfactant is a chemical compound that lowers the surface tension between a liquid and a gas, solid, or other liquid.
To get scientific, surfactants have molecules that are both attracted to water (hydrophilic) and repelled by water (hydrophobic). The combination of both help the surfactant stay on a waxy surface.
By lowering this surface tension, liquid will not roll off surfaces as easily, but will instead spread and stay on the surface to which they are applied.
Plants like shrubs, edibles, ornamentals, and weeds naturally have a waxy cuticle on their leaves. On some plants this cuticle is more noticeable than on others. Due to this cuticle, liquids bead and roll off the leaves or beads of liquid sit on leaves without spreading or penetrating, defeating the purpose of an herbicide or insecticide.
When applying an insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide to your plant, you want to prevent your liquid chemical from rolling off the plant leaves, as that will be a waste of product and money and will not help the plant. Surfactants help the chemical stick to the plant, penetrating the waxy cuticle to allow the plant to absorb the chemical and increase the product's effectiveness.
Surfactants are not meant to be used on their own, as they often do not have any effect on plants one way or another by themselves.
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