In this article we will look at the use of boric acid as a fertilizer and treatment of vegetables against late blight.
Growing vegetables and fruits without fertilizing is quite difficult, relying on various factors that interfere with the timely development of many plants, such as pests, weather conditions, lack of nutrients in the soil, etc. In addition, the most common problem when growing a home garden is precisely the deficiency of useful elements in the soil, so the plant must be fed from time to time. In this article we will talk about boric acid as a means for feeding and spraying vegetables.
Boric acid - recipe for use and dosage for treating seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers
Today there are a lot of different fertilizers and nutritional supplements on the market for the full growth and development of plants. But many gardeners try to use purchased complementary foods to a lesser extent and resort to old home methods. One such method is the use of boric acid.
- Soil that contains boron is considered one of the best for growing, because... this element allows the plant to be resistant to various negative factors, and also strengthens the plant during its growth. Boric acid can be used as an independent additive or in combination.
- Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers especially need to be fertilized with boron; if the required element is not given in time, the fruits of these plants will be small and tasteless.
To treat seeds, use 0.2 g of boric acid per 1 liter of water. You need to fill the bed where you plan to place the crops with this solution. A bucket of such a solution is enough for a 10 m² area. After loosening, the seeds can be sown.
How to spray plants correctly
Boron is used in gardening to accelerate the growth of vegetable crops and increase germination. It is recommended to place the seeds in a gauze bag before planting and soak them in a boric acid solution for 2 days at the rate of 0.2 g per 1 liter of hot water.
Step-by-step instruction
The spraying time depends on the characteristics of the pathogens, the nature of the disease, the phase of plant development and weather conditions. For 1 m2 use 1 liter of solution. Procedure:
- Before spraying plants with boric acid solution, make sure it is non-toxic.
- Spray the plants at a distance of 20 cm, smoothly moving the spray bottle.
- During the spraying process, ensure the homogeneity of the solution, stirring it periodically
- Make sure that the solution evenly covers the entire area - trunk, foliage and fruits.
Precautionary measures
When preparing the solution, it is important to follow safety rules:
- do not carry out the procedure for preparing the solution and spraying without rubber gloves;
- spray the plants with a spray bottle;
- the plant may die from hypothermia, so make sure that the water temperature is not below 20-24°C;
- Do not spray plants in direct sunlight, as water can quickly burn the foliage of the plant;
- Do not spray plants during the flowering period.
Frequency and abundance of treatment
The first spraying is carried out at the moment of bud formation. The second spraying is carried out in the phase of maximum flowering of plants. It is important that during this period spraying is not abundant. The third spraying is carried out at the moment of mass fruiting.
If the concentration of boric acid is too high (more than 10 mg per 1 l), then the solution can harm the plant. This is due to the fact that the absorption of boron by plants is not controlled.
Boric acid as an ovary stimulant for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers: recipe for use
Boric acid is widely in demand in the rural industry, and is excellent for both fertilizing and stimulating crop growth. This is an economical and very effective remedy. Many plants need additional nutrition, especially with the addition of boric acid, because... has great benefits for their development. This substance:
- Balances the process of synthesis of nitrogenous elements
- It increases the amount of chlorophyll in the plant body, therefore, when there is a deficiency of boron in the soil, dark brown spots form on the leaves and fruits, and because chlorophyll allows the plant to “breathe”; without oxygen, the leaves and stems begin to rot
- With a normal amount of boron in the soil, the yield increases, and the plants do not need additional feeding, because if there is a lack of nutrients in the soil, the fruits may not ripen and are more susceptible to diseases and external influences
- Thanks to boron fertilizing, the fruits are preserved for a very long time after harvesting.
Boric acid for good ovary
It is especially important to fertilize plants with high soil acidity. Also, it is worth remembering that boric acid has an important influence on the development of the plant itself, so it is necessary to spray and water it with a solution, this will allow:
- Improve the nutrition of the ovaries, so the first spraying should be carried out when the first flowers begin to appear
- Increase the circulation of juices in the plant, this affects growth and timely flowering
- Strengthen the stems and leaves, which will later allow the plant to resist pests and various diseases.
In one season, no more than 4 fertilizing and sprayings are carried out, because an excess of this substance can affect the rapid flowering, and the fruits can quickly ripen and disappear. You can prepare the product according to the recipe we introduced you to above.
How does boron deficiency manifest?
Before you start treating a plant with boron solution, you need to find out whether the plant needs it or not at all. To find out, you need to carefully examine the plants and pay greatest attention to such factors as:
1. Leaves, in tomatoes with a lack of boron, the leaves become wilted and painfully pale, they can change their shape. The flowering period becomes short and weak, the shoots begin to die and stop growing altogether. There may be little or no harvest.
2. Cucumbers grow poorly because they do not receive the necessary nutrients. The upward growth of cucumbers is even more difficult, since it is this part that boron affects most. Flowers may begin to fall off.
It is very important to understand that a lack of boron is problematic, but an excess has just as bad an effect on the plant as a deficiency, so the use of boron must be in adequate quantities, otherwise you can completely ruin the plant. When using boric acid, it is imperative to follow the correct ratios.
Top dressing of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers in open ground and greenhouses: application recipes
Vegetables are grown in greenhouses, greenhouses or in open ground, depending on the variety of a particular plant. Self-pollinating varieties are more suitable for indoor spaces, while bee-pollinated varieties are more suitable for open spaces. Regardless of where you grow your crop, fertilizing should begin at the stage of forcing seedlings.
- To grow vegetables in open beds, it is worth taking into account weather conditions; if there is high humidity or frequent rains, these are not the most favorable conditions for planting plants, as well as feeding them. All useful substances can be washed off from the soil, especially since humidity is an excellent environment for the development and spread of harmful fungi and diseases.
- For good growth, the plant needs proper nutrition; of course, you can get by with organic substances, which are easy to find in any agricultural store, but do not forget that there are many inexpensive and effective methods of fertilization. These include boric acid.
- Fertilizing with a solution containing boric acid should be carried out at least twice: during the budding period, and the second time during the flowering period. Also, you can fertilize a third time to speed up the ripening of the fruits. It is important to remember that this procedure, regardless of the place of cultivation, must be carried out when there is no sun to avoid burns.
Basically, for spraying, 10 g of the substance is diluted in 10 liters of hot water, and then the liquid should be cooled slightly, this is necessary for the boric acid to dissolve. To maintain boron in the soil, you need to fertilize directly into the soil once every 3 years. To do this, you need to dilute 1 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water and water it with the condition of 1 liter of solution per 1 m² of area. After watering, loosen the soil well. This will not only enrich the soil, but also disinfect it.
Some useful information about boron
Everyone probably has a bag of boric acid in their home medicine cabinet. It is a white crystalline powder that is easily soluble in water. To process vegetables, either pharmaceutical acid is used, or the drug is purchased at specialized garden centers.
Normal development of fruit-bearing plants is impossible without boron. It is needed for the growth of vegetative mass, increasing the number of ovaries, and improving the taste of fruits. In practice, it has been proven that the use of boron as fertilizing can increase yields by 15 to 20%.
Processed vegetables absorb organic and mineral substances better, and they are no longer so afraid of various diseases, including the dangerous and insidious late blight. Experienced gardeners often use boric acid to treat seeds, thereby increasing their germination and immunity.
Tips and recommendations from experienced summer residents
Experienced gardeners have long noticed the effect of fertilizing tomatoes with boric acid.
The abnormal temperatures and records that nature gives us force gardeners to pay close attention to their crops. To avoid crop loss and ovary shedding, gardeners use boric acid even more intensively than they should.
Many summer residents sell surplus tomatoes on the market, and in this regard, this acid is also a helper. Processed tomatoes have:
- best presentation;
- high keeping quality;
- excellent transportability.
Preparing the solution and treating the bushes is not at all difficult. Experienced summer residents recommend spraying regularly and see the results for yourself.
Common gardening mistakes
Due to lack of experience in working with boric acid solution, gardeners often make mistakes. Here are the most common of them:
- The water temperature is incorrectly selected. Crystals will not dissolve in cold liquid. During the watering process, the solution also needs to be heated. Its temperature should be higher than the ground temperature.
- Cold weather. Treatment with boric acid in a greenhouse or in an open area should be carried out only when the air temperature has risen to 20 C°.
- Complete spraying of areas. First of all, it is better to process one bush. This rule is especially important if treatment for fungal diseases is planned. If after such treatment, after a few days, the plants begin to look worse, it is better to choose other fungicides.
- Overdose. When working with boric acid, you must follow the instructions exactly. Despite the relative harmlessness of the powder, intensive processing can have a negative impact on the condition of tomatoes, including the death of the plants.
Excess boron
