Iodine for strawberries: feeding and processing strawberries

Among the “home” remedies that are recommended for treating, protecting and feeding garden plants, iodine solution is often found. This drug is called safe and is presented almost as a panacea. Let's try to figure out what effect iodine has on plants in general and strawberries in particular.
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Iodine in gardening

The use of alcohol pharmaceutical iodine composition is a common practice.
There are many recipes: for vegetables, berries, fruit trees, grapes. The product is used mainly as:

antiseptics (treatment of seeds, seedlings and soil);
prophylactic drug to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases (spraying);
pesticide (planting treatment) to combat worms, aphids, caterpillars and beetle larvae.

At the same time, it is believed that the composition also works as a fertilizer - it stimulates growth, flowering, and activates “vitality”.

Reference! 100 g of standard pharmaceutical solution for external use contains:

iodine (active ingredient) – 5 g;
ethyl alcohol - 96.3%;
Excipients: potassium iodide, purified water.

Fertilizing strawberries with boric acid

The microelement boron is an odorless gray powder consisting of small crystals, necessary for fruit-bearing crops. With the optimal amount of boron:

plants absorb calcium better, which means they increase the number of ovaries, the yield increases by 20–30%;
roots grow stronger;
bushes tolerate drought more easily;
the sweetness of the fruit increases;
their keeping quality increases;
The leaves contain more chlorophyll, which gives them a bright green color.

However, it is important not to overdo it with any fertilizing, otherwise, instead of benefiting the strawberries, harm will be done. Excess boron can be determined by the appearance of burns on the leaves, then they turn yellow and fall off.

In everyday life, boron is used not directly, but in the form of boric acid, which is small white crystals. They dissolve well in hot (over 70 °C) water. If the dosage is observed, the substance is not harmful to humans (hazard class 4) and plants.

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The application technology is quite complex: first, the rows are dug up with a pitchfork to a depth of 10 cm, then covered with straw, watered with herbal infusion and only after that with a solution of boric acid (concentration - 3 g per 10 liters of water).

Application of iodine for strawberries

Directly for garden strawberries, they recommend processing in several stages:

Soil disinfection in spring or autumn, after removing old tops . Typically, the solution is prepared at the rate of 15 drops of pharmaceutical iodine per 10 liters of water. Sometimes the concentration is increased to 40 drops (10 ml) per 10 l. The drug disinfects the soil and parts of plants affected by diseases, and helps against pests overwintering in the soil.
Preparing the ground for transplanting young rosettes. A weak solution (3 drops of iodine per 10 liters of water) is poured onto the soil a few days before planting.
Spring root treatment . Before flowering, strawberry beds can be shed “under the root” with a mixture prepared from 30 drops of pharmaceutical iodine solution, 1 cup of wood ash and 1 teaspoon of boric acid. The ingredients are poured into 10 liters of water, left for several hours and mixed thoroughly. The mixture consumption per bush is 0.5 l. It is used in combination with spraying the above-ground parts of plants.
Preventative spraying before flowering. The usual way to prepare the mixture is 10 drops per 10 liters of water. The drug is used to combat fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, gray mold, and various spots. Strawberries are processed at least three times, every 10 days, at dusk. You can add milk or whey to the mixture (1 liter per 10 liters).
Spraying against pests. To 10 liters of water add 30 drops of pharmaceutical iodine solution and 20 g of laundry soap.

The latter mixture should theoretically protect the leaves and shoots of the plant from soft-bodied parasites and beetles, but in practice it does not bring much benefit. There are much more effective remedies, such as infusion of onion peels, tobacco or wormwood. Moreover, iodine vapor can repel beneficial insects, such as bees.

Use of iodine for vegetables and berries. Gardening tips

Experienced vegetable growers make their own changes to the composition of solutions and the frequency of processing.

On a note! To treat vegetable crops (tomatoes, cucumbers) and berry plantations, it is proposed to use solutions of iodine and brilliant green alternately. The frequency of spraying is 2 weeks. The solution is made from 10 ml of the drug and a bucket of water.

Each plant and soil is thoroughly wetted with the solution. The first treatment of the garden is carried out immediately after the snow melts and the beds are cleared of last year's leaves.

Add to the whey solution:

sugar (0.1 kg per 2 l);
yeast (1 tsp per 2 l);
iodine (2 drops per 5 l).

In such a complex solution, mowed grass is infused, ash is added (to reduce acidity, 2 tbsp per 2 l). This concentrate should never be used in its pure form. For root treatments, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and for leaves - 1:3.

There are also recipes using ammonia (10 ml of ammonia, 200 g of laundry soap per bucket of water), manganese (2 g per bucket of water).

Interesting! Treatment with iodine helps to avoid the appearance of wine mold - it bloomed during the production of wine from strawberries.

Iodine for strawberries is a very effective antiseptic. It is also known to have antimicrobial (inhibits the respiratory system of pathogenic microbes), anthelmintic and fungicidal properties. But optimal protection can only be achieved with prevention or treatment at the initial stage of the lesion. Otherwise, the use of chemicals (fungicides, insecticides) is inevitable. It is still not recommended to rely entirely on traditional methods.

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Useful properties of the drug

The positive effect of using iodine solution is due to two factors:

From a chemical point of view, iodine is a halogen, an active substance and a strong oxidizing agent. It reacts with organic and inorganic compounds contained in the soil. At the same time, oxygen is actively released, which is destructive for infections, and a number of substances are formed that stimulate the development of the plant.
From a biological point of view, this is a microelement necessary for life. It is believed that iodine affects the functioning of plant enzyme systems, resulting in increased yield.

Research conducted at the Uman Agricultural Institute (1930 - 1936) proved that foliar feeding and pre-sowing treatment with potassium iodide accelerates the development and strengthens the immunity of various crops. Early ripening of vegetables and an increase in the content of carotene and other useful substances were noted.

In addition, iodine itself accumulates in fruits and plant matter. Such “enriched” products help to successfully combat thyroid diseases, hormonal disorders and other consequences of iodine deficiency.

Harmful factors

Pharmacy iodine solution is one of the most accessible antiseptics, familiar to everyone since childhood.
This is the only reason that explains the rather frivolous attitude towards such a dangerous drug.

You should always remember that elemental iodine contained in pharmaceutical compositions is a dangerous and very toxic substance.

Its vapors cause irritation of the respiratory tract and mucous membranes, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the alcohol solution gets on the skin, burns and dermatitis may occur. Severe poisoning can result in death. Chronic poisoning is accompanied by disruption of the digestive tract and nervous disorders.

Carefully! For humans, the maximum permissible concentration of iodine in the air is 1 mg/m3; in water - 0.125 mg/l. A toxic effect for plants is observed at an iodine concentration of 0.5 – 1.0 mg per 1 kg of nutrient solution.

Exceeding the required dosage when treating plants causes a decrease in yield. The color of the leaves changes and their edges curl. The tops of the shoots dry out and the buds fall off. When spraying with a solution that is too saturated, burns may appear - brown spots on the tops.

What is the best way to feed strawberries (garden strawberries) during flowering?

During the flowering period of strawberries, you can apply different fertilizers.

Mullein

Now you can use mullein. It must be diluted ten times with water, then pour approximately 500 ml of the resulting solution per square meter of strawberry bed. It is better to introduce mullein at the very height of flowering, in its middle, closer to the end and towards the period of ovary formation.

Bird droppings

It is also better to apply it closer to the end of flowering and the beginning of ovary formation. Mullein must be diluted with water 15 times and pour approximately 300 ml per square meter of bed occupied by strawberries.

Fertilizer from nettles and weeds

An infusion of nettles and weeds is an excellent way to fertilize strawberries during flowering. You need to prepare an infusion:

Fill half a bucket with finely chopped young nettles or weeds.
Add water to the top of the bucket and let it brew for a day.
Dilute five times with water.
Pour 500 ml of solution onto each square meter of soil.

This solution can be used to water strawberries throughout the flowering period. You can carry out a couple of such feedings: one at the beginning of flowering, and the other at the end, or make one feeding in the very middle of flowering - whichever is more convenient for you. The effect will be approximately the same.

Photo pixabay/croisy: A nettle-based additive will have a positive effect on the harvest.

Fertilizing strawberries with nitroammophoska during flowering

A very good fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, that is, all three essential elements. It is appropriate to apply this fertilizer during the flowering period if you have not previously applied it, added it in small quantities, or added elements other than nitrogen.

Recipe. During the flowering period of strawberries, nitroammofoska is best applied dissolved in water. A tablespoon of nitroammophoska is enough for a bucket of water. The resulting solution can be poured under the strawberries at the height of flowering, 300 ml per square meter of bed.

Potassium sulfate

This is a potassium fertilizer that can be applied instead of nitroammophoska if you previously added it or nitrogen fertilizers. Potassium sulfate is very soluble in water, so it is used in dissolved form. Like nitroammophoska, you need a tablespoon of it in a bucket of water; 300 ml of the resulting solution can be poured onto each square meter.

Superphosphate

An excellent phosphorus fertilizer, but its disadvantage is that it dissolves very poorly in water, and we need a quick effect. What to do? Heat the water to +45 degrees and place a tablespoon of potassium sulfate in a bucket, mix very well. There will be sediment, but some of the fertilizer will still dissolve in the water. We will get something like a hood. It can be used for feeding, pouring 500 ml per square meter of bed occupied by strawberries. This is a good way to feed your strawberries.

Fertilizing strawberries (garden strawberries) with wood ash during flowering

This is an excellent fertilizer that contains various microelements and up to 5% potassium per ash weight. Now, during the flowering period of strawberries, it is good to add wood ash dissolved in water.

In order for it to dissolve well, you need to grind it into powder, then place it in water heated to +45 degrees. For a 10-liter bucket of water you need about 500 g of wood ash, ground into powder. Approximately in the middle of flowering, it is necessary to water the slightly loosened soil under garden strawberries with the resulting solution - a liter per square meter of soil.

Boric acid

Boric acid should be sprayed on flowers during the flowering period of the crop. It ensures good berry set. If you use it, the berries are tastier, more uniform in color and larger.

Advice. It is better to dissolve boric acid in small volumes of water; this is an important nuance. For example, only one gram of boric acid is enough for five liters of water. Dissolve well, fill the spray bottle and spray the flowers at the moment of flowering. It is better to do this in the morning or evening hours.

Photo by G. Kuzmitskaya: Bushes must be sprayed with boric acid.

Yeast: how to feed strawberries during flowering with a folk remedy

A good natural fertilizer that can be used on strawberries during the flowering period (usually at its peak) is regular yeast. Take approximately 250 g of fresh yeast and dissolve it in 3 liters of water, warmed to room temperature. The resulting solution should be used by feeding the strawberries under the bush. This volume should be enough for about a dozen plants.

This is interesting. There is a trick. If you want the yeast to dissolve in water as much as possible, then use settled soft water for this. Ideally, this should be rainwater. To increase the effect, you can add about 100 g of regular granulated sugar to the resulting solution. This fertilizer strengthens the ovary and does not allow it to crumble.

Photo by G. Kuzmitskaya: An excellent solution would be to add regular yeast under the bushes.

Feeding garden strawberries with iodine during flowering

A very good natural fertilizer is iodine. Although its effect is not recognized by everyone, it has been noticed: if you feed strawberries with iodine during the flowering period, even in small quantities, the yield increases and the quality of the fruit improves. Therefore, you should not neglect such a simple and effective fertilizer. In addition, the addition of iodine as a fertilizer helps to increase the resistance of strawberries to various bacterial infections and reduce the risk of root rot and fruit rot.

Very little iodine is needed. Only 30–35 drops are needed per bucket of water (it is better to use rainwater heated to room temperature for this). Afterwards you need to mix everything. In the morning or evening, at the height of strawberry flowering, you need to apply 250–300 ml per square meter. Iodine is an effective folk form of fertilizer.

Eggshell

Sometimes during the flowering period, ground eggshells are used. This is a fertilizer that supplies strawberry plants with calcium. In addition, it protects plants from slugs, which is especially appropriate when budding begins.

Use raw egg shells, pound them in a mortar and scatter them around the bush in a small layer to lightly cover the soil.
If you live in a region where there are frequent droughts, then after watering you can mulch the soil with humus or compost with a layer of 1–1.5 cm. This provides additional nutrition during the flowering period, and protection from weeds and from overheating of the soil. It is also a “shield” that will protect the soil from drying out. Overall, an excellent tool.

Now you know what you can use to treat strawberries during flowering so that they produce a good harvest.

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Fertilizing strawberries with iodine: in spring and before flowering

The specific effects of iodine-containing preparations on garden strawberries have been little studied.
On the one hand, science says that a microelement is not necessary for the life of a plant.

On the other hand, the experience of several generations of gardeners confirms the increase in yield, improved immunity and other general results of studies conducted for other crops.

However, from the point of view of agrochemistry, it is more rational to use complex formulations in which this element is contained in a highly digestible, soluble form.

Atomic iodine is too active, its behavior largely depends on the composition of water, soil, climatic and other factors. It is assumed that potassium iodide has a positive effect, but its content in the pharmaceutical solution is insignificant.

Microelement content in popular fertilizers recommended for strawberries:

peat – from 1200 to 31700 mg/kg;
manure – from 40 to 1000 mg/kg;
superphosphate – from 0 to 40200 mg/kg;
phosphate rock - from 150 to 280,000 mg/kg.

Also, high iodine content was noted in floodplain, chestnut and chernozem soils. Red soil is the richest in this element (10 mg/kg).

To use or not to use iodine on the site?

Do not forget that iodine vapor is poisonous! In everything you need to observe moderation so as not to harm the plants and soil.

If poor soils are allocated for strawberries, then pharmaceutical iodine will not be able to improve them! It does not have all the qualities that are inherent in mineral fertilizers with iodine. This is completely different. There, the necessary element is contained in a form that is easily accessible to plants and is highly soluble in water. It is possible to enrich the soil with iodine only with the help of mineral fertilizers. Pharmacy iodine is used in small concentrations and only to combat diseases.
Naked slugs that harm strawberries will not go away if you treat the strawberries with iodine. At best, they will leave the garden, but not for long. Baits are used to fight them.

When growing strawberries without chemicals, you need to be no less attentive to treatments, otherwise you can lose the harvest and damage the soil. To prepare solutions, the iodine concentration must be strictly observed, without exceeding it. You need to act according to the rule: the main thing is to do no harm!

Iodine treatment against diseases and pests

It has been proven that when iodine accumulates in plant cells, it makes them resistant to rot and other fungal infections, and repels nematodes and weevils.
However, in this regard, the effect of the element on strawberries has not been specifically studied.

There is no reason to consider an iodine solution a panacea for any pests. For example, the use of the composition as a contact pesticide that saves from beetles is doubtful, since the active substance cannot remain on the tops for a long time.

It reacts with air and organic matter, is easily washed off with water, and evaporates quickly. The iodine vapor may repel the insects for a while, but they will most likely return.

more successfully on “soft-bodied” pests: aphids, worms, larvae. To destroy wintering individuals, you need to pour a concentrated mixture onto the loosened strawberry beds as soon as the snow melts. Subsequent spraying is more of a preventive measure.

Information that ions from a solution can be “glued” with soap or milk is, to put it mildly, unscientific. It is assumed that lactic acid bacteria actually help the plant absorb iodine during foliar feeding. And laundry soap protects the tops well without any foreign additives.

Important! Any use of iodine is completely excluded from the moment the berry begins to bloom until harvest.

When to feed strawberries during flowering

Strawberries bloom in the last month of spring - May. The duration of flowering of strawberries or wild strawberries largely depends on the weather outside the window. For example, if it is hot and windy, there is no rain, then strawberries can bloom for no more than a week, sometimes even less. And if it is cool, damp and there is no wind outside, then flowering sometimes lasts for two weeks.

Flowering is not simultaneous. So, on a plant you can sometimes see buds, fully blossomed flowers, those that have already lost their petals, and even small ovaries. This is normal, this is the biology of culture. Fertilizers during the flowering period can be applied as soon as the buds appear and are ready to open. This is also necessary when the flowers are fully open and during the period when the petals begin to fall, that is, at the very end of flowering.

During this period, one or more feedings are usually carried out. For example, if different fertilizers are used. Flowers are also often sprayed for better pollination and fruit set. This, of course, is aimed at increasing strawberry yields.

Fertilizing and spraying strawberries during flowering should be done in the evening or morning. It will be great if there is no wind. The soil under the bushes needs to be lightly loosened and watered, so the fertilizers will quickly penetrate to the roots of the strawberries and be absorbed more quickly by the crop.

Recommendation. After applying fertilizers, the soil must be leveled, this way you will embed the fertilizers into the soil.

Photo by G. Kuzmitskaya: Usually during this period the plant is fed several times.

How to prepare a watering solution

Recipes for iodine-containing formulations are described above, in the paragraph “Using the preparation for strawberries.”
Information about dosage and processing steps is also provided there. Preparing compositions for spraying and feeding is quite simple, but it should be noted that when mixing the ingredients, you cannot use metal tools and utensils - they will oxidize. You can use plastic buckets, ceramics, glass jars, and wooden stirring sticks.

It is not recommended to store solutions. But if necessary, use tightly closed glass containers. The place reserved for storage must be dry, well ventilated and dark. Dampness, heat and direct sunlight contribute to the decomposition of the compounds.

Attention! When working with drugs containing atomic iodine, observe safety precautions and strictly follow the recipe!

How to protect yourself

You need to wear gloves when working with iodine solution in a ventilated area. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or mouth. It is dangerous to inhale iodine vapor.
If your eyes begin to water, your throat becomes sore, or your head begins to spin, stop working immediately and rinse your mucous membranes with cold water. And drink more milk - this is a universal remedy for poisoning with inorganic poisons.

Do not leave medications in places accessible to children or pets, or near flammable substances!