Iodine is not the most common top dressing for tomatoes and peppers. However, in cases where the seedlings lack this element, it is necessary to feed with a solution of medical iodine tincture. Let's figure out why and how this is done.
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Why iodine is needed for seedlings
Iodine is a trace element involved in the metabolism of all living things - from plants to humans. It is contained in micro doses in water and soil, but in some regions it is extremely scarce. Usually, the farther the area from the sea, where the main reserves of iodine on the planet are dissolved, the greater the deficiency of this trace element.
Determining the lack of iodine is very simple: if it is enough, the seedlings have bright green leaves, if not enough, the leaves turn pale, the stems stretch out, there are a lot of wilted and "frozen" plants.
Iodine is needed for several purposes:
- improving the general condition of plants;
- disinfection of minor damage to the stem and roots;
- stimulation of metabolism;
- increasing the yield.
Iodine itself is not so important, but it helps plants to better assimilate nitrogen, and without this there is no need to talk about any growth of green mass. Thus, iodine acts not as a top dressing, but as a general stimulant.
When spraying roots and soil with a solution of iodine mixed with nitrogen fertilization or wood ash, the yield and quality of fruits on tomatoes and peppers increases sharply. In addition, iodine has a depressing effect on fungi and bacteria, and at the same time interferes with the development of viruses. As a result, it is possible to avoid diseases such as:
- various types of rot;
- powdery mildew;
- late blight.
Finally, a small, but important fact: iodine dressings also improve the appearance of the fruit. With enough iodine, peppers and tomatoes grow bright and evenly colored, without pale spots.
How to use iodine tincture
Plants are usually not treated with pure iodine. The tincture is added to the general solution, which contains one of these types of feeding:
- potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) - for general disinfection;
- milk serum;
- boric acid solution - as root and foliar feeding;
- brilliant green solution (brilliant green) - also for disinfection
However, it is possible to process plants by spraying 1% iodine solution on the ground. It is prepared by dissolving 10 drops of medical iodine in a bucket of water. Other concentrations are also used:
- for root feeding - 1 drop per 3 liters of water;
- for foliar - 3 drops per 10 liters of water.
Together with brilliant green iodine is used in the form of a solution of 40 drops of brilliant green and 20 drops of iodine in a bucket of warm water. Before use, the mixture is thoroughly mixed, and then poured in an amount of 0.5 liters per 1 root of tomato or pepper.
Together with boric acid, iodine is mixed at the rate of 1 teaspoon of acid, 5 drops of a medical solution of iodine per 10 liters of water. The mixture is sprayed with peppers or tomatoes 3 times over the summer, the intervals between treatments are done in 10-14 days. The solution helps buds to form and fruit to set. However, if the greens of the plants begin to fade, you should immediately stop processing, an overdose with boron is possible.
During the growth of the fruit, a potassium-boric-iodine infusion is used. It prepares like this:
- 3 liters of wood ash are poured with boiling water and kept for 1 hour.
- Add 5 teaspoons of boric acid to the mixture.
- Another 2 l of water is poured in, in which 65 drops of the iodine preparation are dissolved.
- The finished mixture is cooled, allowed to brew for a day and, diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1:10, is used for watering.
All these methods will allow the gardener to improve the immunity of plants and harvest a large harvest.
Protective measures
Iodine is a substance prone to sublimation, and in gaseous form it is unfavorable for the human body. Therefore, when working with iodine preparations in the greenhouse, use a respirator, and when making solutions, try not to stay near the ready-made mixture for too long. And in any case, wear gloves when working with iodine.
Do you feed peppers with iodine?
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