Feeding cucumbers, tomatoes, plants with kefir, watering them in a greenhouse, along with iodine, reviews

3.1

(16)

Principal opponents of any chemicals in their gardens use products that are sold in pharmacies, hardware stores or grocery stores to fertilize and protect plants. Experienced summer residents have been using yeast for agricultural purposes for a long time and with great success (find out → fertilizing with yeast), milk, bread (find out → fertilizing with mustard), salt, soda (find out → how to use soda in the garden), mustard (find out → fertilizing with mustard ) and many other products. Perhaps the most popular from this list of aids are whey (find out → feeding with whey), yogurt and kefir.

Kefir as a fertilizer

Fermented milk products are a valuable fertilizer because they contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium necessary for plant life. Kefir also contains elements that promote soil fertility:

• carbohydrates, proteins, fats;
• amino acids;
• lactose;
• beta-carotene, choline;
• vitamins of group B, A, H, C, PP;
• a number of microelements (selenium, iodine, calcium, fluorine, copper, sulfur, sodium, zinc, iron).

Components for making bio-infusions and organic fertilizers can be purchased at a regular grocery store.
To increase the yield of vegetable crops, root and foliar kefir fertilizing is practiced. Plants are fertilized with a 10% aqueous solution of kefir. Kefir is added to settled irrigation water at the rate of 1 liter per 10-liter bucket.

The components that make up kefir increase the productivity of garden and garden crops.

The proportions of the solution vary depending on the crop and method of application:

Kefir feeding of tomatoes is more likely not a fertilizer, but a prevention of late blight. A powerful, yet cheap and non-toxic product is prepared very simply: pour 1 liter of kefir into 9 liters of water, measure out 30 drops of iodine (see → using iodine as a fertilizer), and mix everything well. It is advisable to carry out such spraying every 2 weeks alternately with Fitosporin (see → use in the garden).

TV presenter, author of books on plant growing Oktyabrina Ganichkina.

0.5 liters of “kefir fertilizer” are poured under each plant at a distance of 10-15 cm from the stem.

Important! When using kefir as a fertilizer, it should be borne in mind that this fermented milk product contains lactic acid, which can increase the acidity of the soil when applied in large quantities. And in an acidic environment, the absorption capacity of the root system decreases, as a result of which plant development is inhibited.

Timing of fertilizing with fermented milk products

When caring for garden crops, it is important to carry out not only root, but also foliar feeding.

Cucumbers love an acidic environment more than other plants. Therefore, feeding them with kefir or whey is most useful.

The maximum effect is achieved when using fermented milk fertilizers in two cases.

1. Beginning of development. The first treatment is carried out after transplanting the plants to the site. Experts recommend using the root and foliar methods alternately.
2. Growth phase. During the period of growing green mass, the main emphasis is on root cultivation.

To prevent diseases and stimulate plant growth, a scheme for watering and spraying crops is followed.

1. First treatment. It is carried out 10 days after planting.
2. Second processing. Produced when the first flower stalks appear. Spraying helps protect flowers from pests and increase plant productivity.
3. Third processing. The third spraying is carried out during the period of fruit set.
4. Fourth feeding. For the fourth time, the plants are fed with fermented milk products at the fruiting stage.

This scheme is optimal for plants grown in open ground. If plants are in greenhouses, then a number of features should be taken into account. Within a greenhouse, the main danger of adding kefir is the creation of an acidic environment. Many plants do not grow well in acidic soil. Therefore, fertilizing is applied in smaller quantities.

In a greenhouse, it is important to follow a number of rules.

1. Fertilizing is done in the morning after thoroughly ventilating the room;
2. Fertilizers are applied to moist soil.
3. For plants, the root method is used. Processing sheet plates leads to burns.
4. Smaller amounts of fertilizer are used than for plants in open beds.

Otherwise, the same scheme can be used for greenhouse plants as for crops in open beds.

Kefir as a biostimulant

Fermented milk products are used as natural immunomodulators and growth stimulants. Thus, spraying cucumbers in the flowering phase with diluted kefir (1 liter per bucket of water) reduces the number of barren flowers and stimulates the formation of ovaries

To prepare seed material, use a mixture of 2 liters of kefir, 1 cup of ash, 5 tbsp. spoons of honey, 10 drops of iodine. All components are thoroughly mixed and left for 2 days. Vegetable seeds are soaked in the resulting product before germination. The same mixture can be used, after diluting it twice with water, for foliar feeding of any crops during flowering.

Kefir is also used to activate the process of compost maturation and at the same time enrich its chemical composition. Procedure:

• Dilute dry yeast (½ packet) in a glass of warm water.
• Add 1 tbsp. spoon of sugar.
• Add 1 cup kefir and mix thoroughly.
• Make a pit (hole) in a compost or manure heap and pour the resulting mixture into it.

Yeast fermenting fungi and lactic acid bacteria accelerate the decomposition of organic matter.
The process of rotting manure with such a starter is reduced to two months, and the compost is ready for use after 2-3 weeks (find out → using compost as a fertilizer + reviews, application rates). The application of “activated” manure improves soil microflora, increases plant immunity, and protects them from infections and diseases. A bucket with diluted manure is placed in a greenhouse with cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants. Carbon dioxide released in large quantities stimulates the growth of greenhouse plants.

We fight penosporosis of garden pumpkin crops

When the plant has been attacked by insects or is sick, foliar feeding is done (the stems or leaves are sprayed with a spray bottle).

To combat this problem, spray cucumbers with milk and iodine. Cheap and easy to implement, the method is nevertheless very effective.

Heat a bucket of water, add 1 liter to it. milk (or whey, yogurt, kefir) and 15 drops of alcohol iodine, mix everything.

• Weed killer Tornado: detailed instructions for using the herbicide, photos, diagrams, description

• Feeding tomatoes after planting in the greenhouse: step-by-step instructions, with photos and descriptions

• Cucumber seedlings - how to properly prepare soil for seedlings and sow cucumbers at home

You can also dissolve a small amount of soap that you have on hand in this water (this will help improve adhesion to the plant). That's it, the solution is ready for sprinkling cucumbers.

Iodine and milk are used to spray cucumbers according to the same recipe as a disease prevention.

Application period is at least ten days of replanting, or the appearance of green leaves on each plant on the bushes in an amount of at least 4 pieces.

Kefir as a natural fungicide

Lactic acid contained in kefir has a powerful antifungal effect. In addition, fermented milk products contain beneficial fungi and lactobacteria that suppress the activity of pathogenic microflora that parasitize cultivated plants. Therefore, kefir is used to prevent diseases of vegetable crops such as late blight, powdery mildew, rust, various types of spotting, and fusarium.

For preventive treatment of agricultural crops, kefir is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 5 or 10. To enhance the antiseptic effect, other natural ingredients are added to the solution:

Kefir as an insecticide

Due to the nature of the digestive system, not a single pest insect is able to digest lactose (milk sugar). This feature allows the use of fermented milk products, including kefir, as a means of combating parasites:

• cruciferous flea beetle;
• aphids;
• onion fly;
• leaf roller;
• earwig;
• slugs.

The areas affected by the pest are treated with a kefir solution (1 liter per 3 liters of water). Traps are made to control slugs. Containers are dug in between the rows and a little kefir or curdled milk is poured into the bottom. Insects, attracted by the sour smell, fall into a trap from which they can no longer get out, as a result of which the pest population is noticeably reduced.

⊕ In addition to natural insecticides, you can use store-bought ones ⇓

• Insecticide Fitoverm : instructions for use, reviews, analogues
• Insecticide Kurzat : how to use against garden pests, reviews, analogues
• Insecticide Iskra : how to use, application and watering rates, reviews

What are the benefits of iodine when growing cucumbers?

Iodine is widely used as a treatment for various diseases in garden crops. But many are not aware that iodine also has other beneficial properties for the garden.

Iodine helps repel pests from fruits that do not like it. It also makes it possible to improve the properties of the planting itself.

The main advantage of iodine for gardeners is that it is a natural biocidal substance.

Healthy Supplements

To increase efficiency, kefir supplements are enhanced with additional components:

A popular recipe for enhancing feeding with Kefir ⇓ (click to expand)

Dilute baker's yeast in 200 ml of sweet water, after complete dissolution, add chicken manure and ash (1 cup each) see → how to use chicken manure as a top dressing. Pour the resulting mixture with a bucket of water and leave to infuse for 5-7 days. Dilute the finished infusion with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. Before watering, add a liter of kefir to each bucket of working liquid. Consumption – 0.5 l per plant.

Just 30 drops of medical iodine per bucket will enhance the antiseptic effect of the kefir solution several times.

Iodine and ash for cucumbers

Cucumbers benefit from complementary feeding with organic and mineral substances. Therefore, iodine and ash are productive for growing cucumbers.

For feeding, they use wood ash, which is also more accessible. It is poured into the ground in a chaotic manner; you should not pour too much.

The best fertilizer is obtained from the ash obtained after burning potato tops. Insects do not like soil treated with ash, but for cucumber plantings it creates soil that is well suited for plant growth.

You can make a wood infusion, which is poured onto the soil next to the planting. About 5-7 grams of ash (a tablespoon) are added to one liter of water without chlorine, and the solution is left for 7-10 days. Water the soil once every two weeks.

The nuances of using kefir in the garden

In all the above recipes, kefir can be replaced with yogurt, sour milk or whey in the same proportions. To prevent harm to plants when treating with kefir instead of benefit, you should follow a few simple rules.

1. Prepare the solution only using water that has been settled for irrigation and heated in the sun.
2. Mandatory subsequent abundant watering of the root zone with clean water with shallow loosening of the soil. This measure is necessary to prevent root rot, especially on indoor cucumbers.
3. In addition to spraying the biomass, irrigate the mulch under the plants.
4. Carrying out kefir treatment only in the morning or evening to avoid sunburn of the leaves.

Tip No. 1 : For kefir foliar feeding, you should not use a garden sprayer, since the protein mass can clog the nozzle and damage the sprayer. It is better to use a watering can with a fine strainer.

Basic mistakes

1. The main mistake is using whole kefir, yogurt or whey in the garden. It is believed that when diluted with water, the effectiveness of the product decreases. This is wrong. Firstly, water helps nutrients be absorbed more quickly into the soil and plant tissue. Secondly, undiluted lactic acid can cause leaf and root burns of plants.
2. Carried away by the idea of ​​environmentally friendly farming, some gardeners water kefir on everything, not taking into account that not every plant responds positively to fermented milk fertilizers. The greatest effect is observed from watering greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes with kefir. On a kefir “diet,” the yield of these crops increases noticeably. But the condition of peppers and eggplants from such processing, on the contrary, may worsen.

What can be added to improve the effect?

To obtain maximum benefits, the fermented milk solution can be supplemented with other ingredients. What they will be depends on the desired effect.

If preference is given only to natural products, then tea leaves, yeast, ash, crushed eggshells, sawdust and other ingredients used for vegetable gardens can be added to the kefir mixture.

Among the components recommended by gardeners are:

1. Dry mustard . Helps in the fight against pests, microbes, fungi.
2. Iodine . An excellent option to further disinfect the soil. Iodine promotes metabolic processes and repels pests.
3. Wood ash . Normalizes soil acidity, which is important for regular use of fermented milk fertilizers.
4. Hydrogen peroxide . Increases the concentration of oxygen inside the soil, destroys pathogenic microorganisms.
5. Yeast . Stimulate the development of the root system, increase the protective properties of plants from external influences.
6. Compost, bird droppings . Saturates the soil with microelements and other compounds useful for vegetable and fruit crops.

To prepare the solution, it is important to maintain the proportions of kefir and other auxiliary ingredients. A significant deviation in the ratios will harm the plants and may even destroy them.

Answers to pressing questions

Question No. 1. Can fermented milk products be a complete replacement for chemical plant care products?

As practice shows, supporters of “clean” farming get a decent harvest even without the application of mineral fertilizers. In this case, all types of organic matter are widely used. As for the fight against fungal and bacterial diseases, the effectiveness of traditional methods is 30-50%. Therefore, it is advisable to use kefir treatment, as well as other available means, only for preventive purposes or in the earliest stages of infection. In advanced cases, quality treatment cannot be achieved with kefir alone. In order not to lose the entire harvest, it is still worth using bacterial fungicides. Moreover, there is now a wide selection of modern, effective and safe products on sale.

What are the results after watering?

Watering with fermented milk is carried out in the summer, no more than once every 20 days. It is necessary to finish fertilizing the bush with a similar consistency in mid-August. This feeding method is quite common, but effective.

Introduction of this product:

• increases the splendor of inflorescences;
• prolongs flowering time;
• is a prevention against various diseases.

Fermented milk fertilization is a folk method of fertilization, but its benefits are great, as are the benefits of specialized preparations.