How Do Plants Adsorb Fertilizer?

Q: When you spray plants with liquid fertilizer do the plants absorb it through the leaves or the soil or both? 

A: Indeed plants can absorb nutrients through their leaves, but not enough of the major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) to supply everything the plant needs. Micro-nutrients like calcium, iron, and magnesium can be successfully fed to plants via the foliage. As long as you follow the correct mixing instructions, spraying liquid fertilizer on leaves won’t hurt plants and it may be beneficial in some situations.