Why boric acid is useful for cucumbers and how to use it correctly
For healthy growth, timely flowering and fruiting, cucumbers need warmth, moisture, nutritious soil and a balance of trace elements.
The article is devoted to one of the most important elements in plant life - boron and its biologically assimilable compound - boric acid. Why you need to process a vegetable with boric acid and how to properly carry out the procedure, read below.
The content of the article
Effects of boric acid on cucumbers
Boron ions are found in the soil in negligible amounts and are less than a millionth. However, the full development of cucumbers is impossible without this element.
The most affordable source of water-soluble and bioavailable boron boric acid serves. It can be easily purchased in powder form at a pharmacy.
Reference. Almost all boron-containing fertilizers are produced on the basis of boric acid.
The role of boron in development and growth
Boron plays an important role in the processes of vegetation, flowering and fruiting... The main function of this element is to strengthen and preserve the integrity of cell membranes.
Bor is also involved in:
- carbohydrate metabolism and transport of sugars across membranes;
- synthesis of phytohormones and nucleic acids;
- regulation of the content of ionized calcium required for cell growth;
- respiration of plants.
Benefit
The effect of correct dressing with boric acid appears quickly:
- the development of the root system is improved;
- the intensity of flowering and the number of ovaries increases;
- the taste of cucumber increases due to the increased metabolism of sugars;
- the resistance of plants to unfavorable weather conditions, pests and diseases increases.
When to process
For cucumbers, it is not the total boron content in the soil that is important., and water-soluble compounds available. Boron must be added at the first manifestations of deficiency.
Experienced summer residents do not advise fertilizing with boron-containing preparations for future use... An excess of the element leads to intoxication and, in some cases, to plant death.
Boron deficiency signs
Boron deficiency is typical for soils with high alkalinity (limed, carbonate). The primary symptoms of boron deficiency are at the cellular level. The walls of the cell thicken, the content of pectin substances increases.
Trace element deficiency is signaled:
- oppression of growth points, dwarfism;
- slow maturation of pollen and a decrease in the number of ovaries;
- falling buds and ovaries;
- curves, curved cucumbers with low palatability;
- shortened internodes;
- fragility and death of side shoots;
- underdeveloped root system with thickenings at the ends of the roots.
Read also:
Why do you need processing of cucumbers with brilliant green and the rules for its implementation
Boron excess symptoms
At a concentration of more than 1.0 ppm in soil, boron becomes toxic to plants... The substance primarily accumulates in the foliage, causing a kind of burns. The productivity of cucumber bushes decreases.
Boron overdose can be determined by such signs:
- delay in growth rates;
- marginal necrosis and twisting of leaf blades;
- dome-shaped leaves;
- lemon-yellow color of the leaves with foci of necrosis between the veins;
- falling foliage.
Application at different stages of development
Boric acid treatments for cucumbers are beneficial from seed germination and ending with the fruiting period.
Before sowing
Soaking seeds in boric acid solutions improves germination, additionally disinfects and saturates with nutrients. After pickling, the cucumber seeds are placed in the drug solution for about 12 hours. To prevent the seeds from floating up, they are wrapped in gauze.
The soaking liquid is prepared dissolving 0.2 g of boric acid powder in 1 liter of hot water. The resulting mixture is cooled and used as directed.
When growing seedlings
Seedlings of cucumbers are sprayed after transplanting into the ground... Approximately 30 ml of solution is used per sprout. This procedure helps the sprout to take root better, improves immunity.
Can be processed and grown in a seedless way bushes at the stage of 4-5 true leaves.
During flowering and fruiting
Boron becomes especially important during the flowering period., laying and pouring fruits.
Boric acid supplementation increases plant immunity... Without prejudice to fruiting, cucumbers endure a short-term lack of moisture or a sharp drop in temperature. The cucumbers acquire sweetness and aroma.
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How to properly prepare a solution
It is not difficult to prepare a boric acid solution, the main thing is not to be mistaken with the dosage. For any type of plant nutrition, only powder is used., in no case alcohol solution.
Important! The use of solutions with a high concentration leads to leaf burns.
The substance is poorly soluble in cold water... The powder is first diluted in a small amount of hot (50-70 ° C) water, and then brought cold to the required volume. The resulting liquid is used immediately.
Solution proportions
Optimum concentration of boric acid solution - 5 g (1 flat teaspoon) per 10 liters of water. If less funds are required, 0.5 g of powder is taken for each liter of water.
Recipes with various additives
Additives enhance the positive effect of the solution boric acid for cucumbers.
The table shows several recipes from experienced gardeners.
| № | How to cook | Result | Dosage and method of administration |
| 1. | 0.5 tsp Dissolve boric acid powder in a glass of hot water, pour into a bucket of cold water, add 2 tbsp. l. ammonia and several crystals of potassium permanganate. | Stimulates flowering and fruit formation. Destruction of aphids and pathogenic bacteria. | Spray 50 ml per bush during budding. |
| 2. | Dilute 1.5 g of boric acid and a few crystals of potassium permanganate in 200 ml of hot water. Pour the mixture into a glass of milk and add 60 drops of iodine and 1 tbsp. l. urea. Bring the volume of liquid to 10 liters with cold water. | Acceleration of growth of leaf mass and ovaries. Increase immunity to fungal infections. | Spray at the beginning of flowering and during fruiting with about 100 ml per 1 m². |
| 3. | 0.5 tsp dilute acid in 10 liters of water, add 200 ml of chlorella suspension diluted with 1 liter of warm water. | Increasing plant vitality, preventing fungal and bacterial infections. | Treat on a leaf during flowering and fruit formation, 50 ml per plant. |
| 4. | 1 tsp Dissolve the powder in 10 liters of warm water, add 100 g of honey or sugar. | Attracting bees for pollination. | Spray outdoors on flowering cucumbers at the rate of 100 ml per 1 m². |
How to process
The available forms of boron in soils are represented by boric acid and its water-soluble salts... These compounds are weakly fixed in the soil and are easily washed out by precipitation. For this reason, boric acid feeding is carried out on the sheet.
During the season, it is enough to process the planting of cucumbers with boric acid 3 times: when buds appear, during flowering and during mass fruit setting.
When feeding plants with a solution, you must adhere to two rules:
- spray cucumber beds in calm, dry weather, early in the morning or in the evening;
- when spraying, evenly wet the entire surface of the sheet with the solution.
Tips & Tricks
A few tips for summer residents on the use of boric acid:
- Boric acid powder can help get rid of house ants. It is necessary to scatter the drug in those places where insects most often appear: behind the baseboards, near the trash can, under the kitchen tables. For the best effect, you can mix the acid with sugar or jam.
- Boric acid solution can be used to process not only cucumbers, but also tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables.
- If you treat strawberries with a standard boric acid solution twice a season, the berries will be sweeter.
Conclusion
Boric acid is an irreplaceable source of boron, which is essential for proper growth and fruiting of cucumbers. The drug is available and inexpensive. Summer residents use foliar dressing with this substance. It is recommended to spray three times during the period of flowering and filling the fruits.
Subject to all recommendations for dosage and methods of application, the substance is safe for humans and plants.