Iodine for cabbage: fertilizing and processing rules in open ground

Feeding cabbage with iodine is one of the most famous folk remedies discovered during the growing process by inventive vegetable growers. With their light hand, many pharmaceutical preparations from the category of commonly used antiseptics have become possible ways to feed healthy and tasty plants.

Cabbage is fed both in seedlings and in open ground. The main trick is not to use iodine, boric acid or ammonia, but how and how many times to water so that it benefits the plant at a particular stage of growth. Watering and spraying in each specific case require following practice-tested recipes, and compliance with the necessary conditions can bring specific and tangible benefits.

Iodine preparations can be sold in pharmacies in different concentrations, and an incorrectly prepared solution can harm cabbage seedlings that are beginning to develop in a greenhouse or in open ground. The wrong dosage can change the taste characteristics of an adult plant.

Feeding cabbage with iodine is done using the foliar method. Its purpose is not to replenish the plant’s need for this chemical element, since this cruciferous plant experiences it minimally. As a means of improving the composition of the soil, fertilizing with iodine is relevant only in those regions where there are soils (usually podzolic or peat). in which this element is not enough.

But in cases where plants are susceptible to garden pests such as late blight, gray rot or powdery mildew, an iodine solution will be an excellent way to prevent early diseases.

The feeding procedure, carried out at the right time by a person who has carried it out repeatedly and knows how and how many times to water, will help cabbage (as well as tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and garden strawberries, eggplants) to prevent possible diseases at an early stage of crop development.

The benefits of iodine for cabbage

Iodine is an important element for harmonious plant growth. What is the benefit of this component for vegetable crops?

A natural antiseptic is able to accelerate plant growth by activating intracellular mechanisms.
Vegetables absorb nitrogen compounds better.
The head of cabbage ripens densely, the taste of the vegetable improves.
Iodine contains vitamin C, which plants need for growth and strong immunity.
The resistance of cabbage to frost increases.
The shelf life is extended, the fruits retain their presentation.

A solution of natural antiseptic is used at all stages of development of vegetable crops and is an indispensable means of combating pests and fungal diseases.

Effectiveness of fertilizing

Those who feed cabbage with a solution of iodine tincture note a doubling of the cabbage yield. At the same time, the heads of cabbage collected in the fall are dense, juicy, clean, and free from damage by pests. Iodine repels diseases from vegetables, so dense forks last a long time and do not rot. Thanks to fertilizing, the harvest is preserved better and the heads of cabbage have a high-quality appearance.

The procedures for adding the solution are carried out easily, without effort. And since iodine contributes to better absorption of nitrogen fertilizers, at the end of the season you get healthy cabbage fruits filled with useful elements and vitamins for the human body.

What does a lack of iodine in the soil lead to?

Iodine deficiency in the soil negatively affects the development system of vegetable crops:

Intracellular metabolism in the plant is disrupted, cabbage begins to lag in growth, the head of cabbage is formed unevenly, and the color is less saturated.
The ovaries take longer to form.
Fungal or bacterial infections may develop, and the plant’s immunity deteriorates.

Fresh, pickled, sauerkraut is a storehouse of vitamins for a person for the whole year. The increased content of iodine and other important microelements in cabbage heads allows people who eat this most valuable vegetable to prevent diseases such as anemia, endemic goiter, thyroid disorders, and Graves' disease.

But, the less iodine is contained in the soil, the less it will be contained in ripe heads of cabbage.

Carrying out additional fertilizing for vegetable beds with iodine-containing preparations and solutions allows you to compensate for the lack of an important microelement in the soil. Sandy soils suffer most from iodine deficiency.

In what cases are iodine-containing fertilizers used?

Foliar and root iodine-containing fertilizing is necessary in the following cases:

The head of cabbage is formed incorrectly: it is deformed and contains voids.
The color of cabbage is faded, unsaturated, the leaves are thin.
Prevention of infectious, bacterial and fungal diseases is required.
The need to repel insect pests.
Cabbage is stored for long-term storage.

Fertilizers with iodine can be applied at various stages of plant development. Depending on the goals pursued, the gardener determines what type of fertilizing to carry out: watering or spraying.

Precautionary measures

Excess iodine can lead to intoxication, so take the necessary precautions:

Be sure to wear rubber gloves when preparing the iodine solution - it stains the skin, especially the nails.
Using a mask when processing plants may irritate the mucous membrane.
Wear long sleeves that cover as much skin as possible, and take closed shoes - the risk of irritation from the concentrated substance is reduced several times.
Use glasses to protect your eyes from iodine - it can cause tearing and redness.

Important!

If you are allergic to iodine, then it is better to avoid it and use an alternative, such as potassium permanganate, brilliant green or organic (depending on your goals and desired results).

General rules of application

Iodine preparations will give the maximum health-improving and therapeutic effect for cabbage beds, subject to the necessary rules:

Before feeding plants with iodine-containing fertilizers, the soil must be additionally moistened with clean warm water.
Maintaining the concentration of microelement in aqueous solution.
The first root watering is carried out no earlier than two weeks after transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place.
Spraying an iodine-containing solution onto the leaves and heads of cabbage is carried out using a fine sprayer.
Processing of vegetable crops is carried out in the evening or in cloudy, windless weather.
Spraying and watering with iodine are carried out at different times.

Timing of work

Throughout the growing season, gardeners care for cabbage plantings. At what stages of plant development should iodine-containing fertilizers be used:

The first fertilizing is carried out during the growing of seedlings - treatment of seeds and soil. In this case, iodine is an antiseptic.
Before planting seedlings in the ground, the bed is disinfected and the iodine deficiency in the soil is replenished - the pre-moistened soil is watered with an iodine solution, then the soil, after planting the plants in the ground, is watered with warm water.
The next treatment is foliar, carried out during the formation of ovaries, when the cabbage seedling has gained 3-4 leaves. Young plants are sprayed with a spray bottle. This procedure is aimed at preventing fungal diseases, improving plant immunity and harmonious growth and formation of a healthy head of cabbage.
After 3-4 weeks, root feeding is carried out in order to increase the future harvest: metabolism in plant cells improves, growth accelerates and immunity is supported.
2-3 weeks before harvest, you can carry out another foliar feeding of ripening heads of cabbage. Transportability, taste and density of cabbage forks will improve, and the shelf life of vegetables will increase.

Note: iodine improves the absorption of nitrogenous fertilizers by plants; It is recommended to combine the treatment of cabbage with iodine with the application of nitrogenous fertilizers.

Submission rules

When treating vegetable crops with a natural antiseptic, it is important to observe the timing and concentration of the active substance in the solution. How many times the gardener will carry out treatments depends on the purpose of using the drug.

If the rules are not followed, irreparable harm can be caused to the plants: a burn forms on the leaves, and if there is an excess amount of iodine in the soil, the taste of the head of cabbage changes - a “medicinal” taste appears directly in the fruits of the plants.

How is foliar feeding carried out?

The drug solution is poured into a spray bottle. How to properly process:

Maintain the ratio: 1 drop of concentrated iodine per 2 liters of water.
The smaller the droplets that fall on the leaves of the plants, the better the substance is absorbed.
In open ground, spraying is carried out in the morning or evening; wet cabbage leaves should not be exposed to sunlight.

There should also be no wind, otherwise part of the drug will not remain on the leaves.

Is it possible to water at the root?

Watering cabbage at the root with iodine is carried out in the evening. The water should be warm, and strict adherence to the dosage of the drug and the concentration of iodine in the solution is mandatory. Apply 1 liter of the drug per plant. Getting the substance on the leaves is not advisable.

Features of using pest control

May beetle larvae and weevils are afraid of iodine. These pests live in the soil; when carrying out root treatment, you can use the solution not only under the plant bush, but also treat the entire bed.

Aphids can destroy cabbage plants in a few days. Additional foliar treatments of plants are carried out against this pest. The iodine concentration per 10 liters of water increases: 10 drops per 10 liters. To prevent the leaves from getting burned, add 0.5 liters of milk to the solution, and spray the cabbage infected with aphids generously with the resulting preparation.

How is foliar feeding carried out?

It is considered effective to spray cabbage with an iodine solution at the base of three or four leaves and during the period of setting a head of cabbage.

The procedure is carried out in sunny weather. The best time would be the morning after heavy rain, when the soil is sufficiently moist and the leaves of the vegetable have not evaporated all the moisture. It is also good to fertilize cabbage with a liquid solution after dew or in the evening when the heat subsides. Spray cabbage bushes from a watering can.

Foliar farming allows you to quickly deliver the necessary microelements to the green parts of the vegetable.

What mistakes are most often made?

The main mistakes that new gardeners make are:

Failure to comply with the dosage and concentration of the substance.
Irregularity of treatments: the greatest effect is observed when complex plant feeding is carried out according to the work schedule.
The treatment was carried out with “yesterday’s” solution: the plants are watered or sprayed the next day after preparing the product - the drug has “fizzled out”, the positive effect is reduced.

To avoid mistakes, all actions are planned in advance; when cultivating cabbage in open ground, it is necessary to take into account weather conditions. It makes no sense to carry out foliar feeding before the rain begins, in windy weather.

Iodine is a necessary element for plant life. The lack of this component slows down the growth of vegetable crops and makes them most vulnerable to diseases and pests. Compensating for a deficiency of an important microelement is not difficult - an inexpensive natural preparation is sold in every pharmacy.

Cooking recipes and proportions

Every tomato lover should have a selection of folk recipes. The effectiveness of iodine can be increased with milk, whey, and brilliant greens. All methods have been tested in practice.

Spraying with milk

There is no doubt about the benefits of skim milk for tomatoes. With its help you can fight tomato pests. Insects do not tolerate its components well: milk sugar, lactose. In addition, after spraying with a milk solution, a thin film forms on the surface of the leaves. It protects the plant from fungal infection.

Condensed milk cannot be used. It will destroy the tomato plant. The following solution will help to feed and protect against pests:

water 4 l;
iodine 15 drops;
milk 1 l.

Serum treatment

Whey is obtained by curdling milk. It has an acidic reaction, and contains trace elements that have a good effect on tomatoes:

increase immunity;
stimulate fruit formation.

An acidic environment has a depressing effect on fungal infections. In the garden and in the greenhouse, you can use whey diluted with water. For root feeding, a solution is prepared from 10 parts water and 1 part whey.

For foliar treatments, a solution of higher concentration is used: water 3 parts, whey 1 part. To enhance the preventive effect, add 10 drops of iodine tincture for every 10 liters of solution.

Feeding with iodine and brilliant green

In August, the threat of late blight increases. It's hot during the day, cold at night. This weakens the tomatoes. A folk remedy for spraying helps boost immunity. The cooking recipe is as follows:

warm water 1 l;
brilliant green 4 drops;
iodine 1 ml.

Root feeding

You can water tomatoes several times a season. Root feeding accelerates the development of seedlings and their adaptation after transplantation. It is useful to water the soil with a solution of water, iodine, milk after adding organic matter and to prevent powdery mildew.