To grow a crop of vegetables, fruits and berries, gardeners use various substances to stimulate growth, flowering and fruiting. Boric acid is one of them. In addition to being a fertilizer, the substance can also serve as a protective agent against pests. Let's consider the use of boric acid in the garden for vegetables, grapes, trees and fruit bushes.

Boric acid is a substance with a crystalline structure, colorless and odorless, has the appearance of a white layered powder, and is used in medicine as an antiseptic. Dissolves in hot water, worse in cold water.

Regular, systematic use of boric acid for plants in the garden is beneficial, it is not expensive, is used sparingly, is stored for a long time, and can be purchased at any time at an ordinary pharmacy or greengrocer's store. Pharmacies also sell an alcoholic infusion of boric acid (3%). It can also be used if diluted with water 1 to 20.

Signs of boron deficiency in plants

The chemical element boron is as important for plants as any other element. If there is enough of it in the soil, then the plants grow normally. The same cannot be said about its deficiency. If little boron comes from the roots, the processes of growth and development in tissues are disrupted, this can be noticed by yellowing, deformation, fragility and change in the shape of young leaves, especially the tops of plants. Due to a lack of boron in soils, only lateral shoots develop, while the tops stop growing. The fruits begin to rot, and then the stems, the inflorescences fall off, the ovary develops slowly, and the plants become infected with fungi and rot.

The need for the microelement boron is different for all plants. Apple trees, pear trees, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, and rutabaga need it most. Tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and stone fruit trees need less of the element. Strawberries, potatoes and legumes - even less.

Signs of excess boron

For plants, boron can be dangerous due to its excess. On plants overfed with this element, leaves (at first old ones) with yellowed edges appear, they die and fall off, and the lower leaves are burned. If you feed animals roots or tops that contain a lot of boron, they can develop serious diseases.

What are the benefits of boric acid?

In general, this compound is beneficial to plants. As a result of the use of boric acid in gardening and horticulture, improvements can be achieved:

• seed germination;
• faster rooting of seedlings;
• the course of metabolic and photosynthetic processes;
• synthesis of chlorophyll and nitrogenous substances;
• enhancing flowering, fruit set and growth.

Boric acid also increases productivity and promotes the accumulation of sugar, vitamin C and carotene in fruits.

Plants become more resistant to fungal diseases and can more easily withstand unfavorable weather factors, heat, cold, poor watering or lack of light. Fruits collected from plants treated with boron are stored longer and resist rot much better. In addition to feeding, the substance is used to effectively expel ants and woodlice from beds.

Boric acid use in the garden

The main and preferred use of boric acid in the garden is foliar spraying rather than watering. This is explained by the fact that plants need the microelement in extremely small doses and it is easier to add it by spraying them on the leaf: boron immediately penetrates the tissue and begins to act, and it is easier to calculate the concentration of the substance so that there is no overdose. Root application is also used.

Feeding with boric acid

Using boric acid is not difficult: you need to prepare a solution, pour it into a spray bottle and spray the plants. To properly dilute boric acid, you need to take 5-10 g per 10 liters (according to the table). This solution is used for spraying or watering plants. To soak the seeds, prepare another liquid: 0.5 g per 1 liter, the seeds are left in it for 12-24 hours.

It is important to adhere to the required dosage so as not to make the solution more concentrated than necessary. Overdose may result in burns that cannot be treated with other means. Vegetables, berry bushes, fruit crops, and flowers are sprayed with this product no more than 3 times a season.

It is better to do foliar feeding in the evening, when it becomes cool, or in the morning. In hot weather and during the day, do not spray. Treat all foliage on both sides so that the liquid covers them completely. When drops begin to flow, stop spraying.

Grapes

Due to a lack of boron, the ovary of the grapes becomes smaller, spots appear on the veins of the leaves, gradually increasing in size, and the seedlings may even die. The problem can be prevented by using boric acid: you need to spray the vine once during the formation of the ovary. The solution should be prepared from 5 g of acid and 5 g of zinc sulfate, dissolve them in 10 liters.

Cabbage

The product is used to feed cabbage and cauliflower: dilute 10 g of acid in water (10 l). Another recipe is suitable for cauliflower: 2.5 g each of boric acid and molybdenum. Spray after 4 leaves have formed.

As a result of fertilizing with boric acid, the heads of cabbage become denser, smoother, and excess bitterness, which may be a consequence of a lack of boron, disappears.

Potatoes

If there is little boron in the soil, this delays the development of potato bushes and they become infected with scab. At the first signs of infection that appear, treat the potatoes with a solution of 10 g per 10 liters (per 10 sq. m). For prevention, it is necessary to spray potato tubers before planting and germinating. The powder should be diluted as follows: 1 g per 1 liter (used for 25 kg of planting material).

Strawberries

The first use of boric acid for strawberries is long-term soaking of planting rosettes before planting for 2 days in a liquid of 0.2 g per 1 liter or 0.2 g of boric acid, 1 g of manganese, 5 g of soda per 1 liter.

Fertilizing strawberries with boric acid in summer and spring is done systematically: at the stage of foliage growth, by flowers and when the berries are growing:

• 1st treatment: watering (per 10 liters, 1 g of boron and manganese). Distribute this volume among 3-4 dozen plants. Or, instead of watering, spray (5 g per 10 l).
• 2nd and 3rd treatment of strawberries: feeding with 2 g of boric acid per 10 liters of water or 2 g of boric and manganese, 1 tbsp. 10 liters of ash extract. Make the hood 1 day before: pour 1 tbsp. boil ash, leave and strain.

The acid will protect strawberry bushes from diseases, cracking and rotting of the berries, and will make the fruits sweeter.

Ogurtsov

To spray with boric acid, a product is made from 5 g of boron and 2 g of manganese sulfate per 10 liters of water. Spray with a break of 2 weeks. The use of boric acid for cucumbers helps prevent the loss of set fruits.

Beetroot

From boron deficiency, the disease phomosis develops on beets: the middle of the rosette rots, brownish spots with black inclusions form on the tops, then the root crop rots from the inside. If you soak the seeds for 12 hours in a disinfectant (1 g per 10 l), the disease can be avoided. Already sprouted plants are sprayed when 4 leaves appear. Dilute boric acid for spraying: 5 g per 10 l. Another feeding composition: acid 5 g, potassium chloride 15 g, 1 tbsp. l. urea also per 10 liters of water.

Tomatov

Boric acid is also indispensable for feeding tomato seedlings. Before planting in the beds, all tomato seedlings are spilled with a weak solution of 0.2 g per 10 liters. In adult tomatoes, due to a lack of boron, the growing points become black and the growing points dry out, but root shoots grow back, new branches become fragile and break.

The first use of boric acid for tomatoes begins with the seeds being left to soak in it for 0.5-1 days. For adult bushes, they are treated with boric acid for the ovary: a solution of 2 g of the product per 10 liters is sprayed on flowering plants. Repeated treatment is required when the ovary begins to grow.

During active fruiting, fertilize with boric acid and iodine: pour 10 ml of iodine into 10 liters of plain water and add 5 g of boron.

Fruit trees and berry bushes

The usual boric acid powder used for vegetables in garden beds is also suitable for spraying fruit trees, raspberries, currants of various types, gooseberries, etc. Due to the fact that there is not enough boron, the leaves of the trees become thick, the veins darken, and young leaves at the tops gather into sockets. If the deficiency of the element is severe, the leaves fall off, suberized brown spots appear on the fruits, then the fruits swell and dry out. Carry out 2 sprayings: 1st - on the buds, 2nd - a week later. Solution: 15 g per 10 l.

Colors

And this is where this chemical comes in handy. compound. Boric acid for indoor plants should be used before and during flowering. They are sprayed with a liquid of 1 g per 10 liters. Garden flowers are also fertilized:

1. Roses - early spring spraying (10 g per 10 l).
2. Gladioli - when they bloom (2 g per 10 l).
3. Dahlias - 2 times with a break of 2 weeks (5 g boric and 2 g potassium permanganate).

This will allow the plants to bloom more luxuriantly and produce high-quality bulbs.

Boric acid for ants

This substance can not only be a good fertilizer, but it can also be used to poison ants if there are too many of them. The easiest way is to simply scatter boric acid powder along the path of garden ants or on an anthill. But baits are also prepared against ants and woodlice in the garden:

1. 5 g of boric acid, 10 g of honey per 100 ml of water. Pour into a low bowl and place in the garden.
2. 3 boiled potatoes and egg yolks, 1 tsp. granulated sugar and 10 g of boric acid. Make balls and place them on the beds.

Using boric acid against ants in the garden will help get rid of these insects in about 2-4 weeks.

To produce healthy crops, you need microelements. Feeding plants with boric acid affects internal processes, improving immunity under adverse weather conditions. The white crystalline substance must be used correctly, otherwise the plantings on the site can be destroyed.

An important microelement is involved in all crop functions, so its deficiency negatively affects plant development. Due to a lack of boron, chlorophyll is poorly produced and the respiration processes of the root system become more complicated. You can recognize the problem by the following signs:

• dying off of growth points and bark;
• curling, decreasing leaf size;
• weak ejection of buds;
• necrotic spots on trunks;
• bad harvest.

Microelement deficiency in apple and pear trees manifests itself in the form of deformation of the fruit and the appearance of corky spots on the skin. If the farmer on the site did not treat the plantings with a solution of boric acid, then root vegetables and cabbage are affected by fungal diseases. This manifests itself in the fact that the apical buds slow down their development, while the lateral buds grow rapidly in a chaotic manner. Severe chlorosis of the plates is complemented by bright yellow veins.

The benefits and harms of boric acid

The product has a positive effect on plant metabolism, participates in the production of chlorophyll and promotes root respiration. Regular fertilizing with boric acid increases the resistance of plantings to heat and cold. The component increases the concentration of glucose in fruits, which contributes to rapid ripening of the crop, increasing the shelf life, and improving presentation. Foliar treatment has a positive effect on the formation of the ovary and stimulates the development of all parts of the plant.

Boric acid for flowers prolongs the period of bud release. The substance enters the roots and helps absorb calcium and oxygen. If you water the soil with the preparation in time, crop growth will be activated.

Seeds soaked in a solution of the drug hatch faster and are not afraid of fungal diseases. Root treatment of seedlings before transferring to a permanent place eliminates the stress of transplantation.

An excess of an element is just as dangerous as a deficiency:

• Overfed plants ripen faster, but they are poorly stored.
• The substance burns the lower plates.
• The foliage acquires a characteristic glossy shine, bends downward at the edges, turns yellow and dies.

Action of boric acid

Using the drug increases yield by 30%. Microelement ions move slowly in plants, so they can cause burns to greenery, young roots and stems. If you regularly fertilize the soil, the quality of depleted sod-podzolic soils improves. Boric acid neutralizes the negative effects of lime, as well as high concentrations of carbonates. The drug is often used in greenhouses to eliminate the consequences of soil disinfection measures with alkali.

The substance does not transfer from old leaves to new ones, so the product must be applied regularly. The microelement accelerates biochemical processes and saturates plantings with nutritional components. Potato tubers treated with the solution are not affected by scab, and cabbage does not form empty heads of cabbage after spraying. Eggplants and peppers do not have smaller fruits, and cucumbers do not have a yellow border on their skin. If you soak onion seeds before planting, you can easily prevent diseases.

Not all crops benefit from boric acid equally. According to the degree of need for the drug for plants, they are divided into three groups:

1. Cabbage, pome garden trees, beets. They need frequent and regular applications during the growing season - at the beginning of budding, after the petals fall and during fruit formation.
2. Vegetables, stone fruit trees, berry bushes. Two applications per season are enough.
3. Potatoes, legumes, strawberries, herbs. For these crops, treatments are carried out only when symptoms of deficiency appear, in areas with high lime concentrations.

Instructions for preparing a spray solution

The drug is produced in the form of a light powder or translucent crystals.

The substance does not dissolve in cold water, so before diluting boric acid, the liquid must be heated.

The drug is added to 1 liter of warm water and diluted to the concentration required for a particular crop.

In hardware stores, the product is packaged in plastic bags packed in 10 g bags. A standard teaspoon holds 5 g. If the dosage of the recipe calls for 1 g of powder, then boric acid is measured with cutlery and poured onto a sheet of paper. Using a thin stick, carefully divide the crystalline substance into five equal parts.

Using boric acid in the garden: instructions for use

To ensure that the microelement does not cause harm, it must be used correctly on the site. Spraying is carried out in the evening after sunset or in cloudy warm weather. During the procedures, the liquid is carefully poured into the root circle. Incorrect dosage will negatively affect plant health. For each type there is a norm and timing of application that you need to know about.

For apple and pear trees

Boron deficiency in pome trees is dangerous due to the death of growth points and desalination of fruit pulp. To avoid problems with apple and pear trees, you need to properly dilute the solution: dissolve 15 g of powder in 10 liters of water. The product is poured into a spray bottle with a small drop, and the plantings are treated in the morning, until dew appears on the foliage. Plants need to be sprayed three times:

1. by buds;
2. after pollination (petals fall);
3. during the ripening period.

Stone fruit trees (cherries, cherries, plums) are not as demanding as pome-bearing species. To avoid getting sour berries, plants are fed with a solution of boric acid. Gardeners are recommended to carry out the first spraying before flowering, the second to stimulate fruit ripening.

For strawberries

Treating plants with boric acid will protect garden strawberries from shedding of ovaries and fruit deformation. In spring, the bushes are carefully watered at the root with crystals diluted in water (1 g per 10 l). Before flowering, the dosage is doubled and applied leaf by leaf.

If strawberries develop on depleted soil, then a third application is practiced. The main component is mixed in 8 liters of water with an alcohol solution of iodine and potassium permanganate. Take 3 g of potassium permanganate and boric acid, and 1 tablespoon of the liquid preparation. For raspberries, currants and gooseberries in the spring you can use the same solution.

For tomatoes

Boric acid for tomatoes is necessary to prevent the appearance of dark spots on the surface of the fruit, as well as late blight infection in the greenhouse. 2 g of powder is diluted in 20 liters of liquid. The solution consumption is 1 liter per square meter of planting. During the growing season, tomatoes need to be fed three times:

1. by formed colors;
2. after 10 days;
3. during the ripening period.

Dry boric acid is not used for seedlings: young plants have delicate roots and the crystals can burn them, so a solution in a safe concentration is used.

To improve the taste of the crop, it is necessary to use a complex solution in the last fertilizing. In 10 liters of hot water you need to dissolve 1 standard package of boric acid, add a pharmaceutical bottle of iodine, leave to infuse for 24 hours. Pour 1 liter of liquid under each bush.

For grapes

Microelement deficiency in fruit vines causes peas, the formation of small brushes and the appearance of burnt spots on the plates. Boric acid for grapes is applied by spraying on the leaves and fruits three times during the season:

• before flowering;
• after 10 days;
• after the appearance of ovaries.

For cucumbers

Spraying with boric acid has a positive effect on the taste characteristics of vegetables. The substance improves resistance to cold and drought, prevents fruits from crumbling and becoming smaller. 5 g of white crystals and 2 g of manganese sulfate are dissolved in a bucket of water, and in the evening they are carefully processed per sheet. Events are carried out every 2 weeks until the harvest ripens.

For beets

When there is a lack of a microelement in the soil, gray rot appears in sugar and table root varieties. For prevention, it is recommended to use foliar fertilizing with boric acid (2 g / 20 l of water). The first procedure is carried out when 5 adult leaves are formed, the second - 14 days later.

For potatoes

When growing this crop in soil with a high content of nitrogen, lime and carbonates, scab may occur. Boric acid will help minimize their negative impact on potatoes. A teaspoon of crystals is dissolved in 10 liters of warm liquid. The soil is treated with the solution before planting, and after the tops appear, the young greens are sprayed. To facilitate tuber germination, planting material is soaked for a day.

For flowering

If you apply boron to indoor plants, you can improve disease resistance. The substance helps orchids to shoot arrows, and flowering phalaenopsis to prolong this period. A one-time treatment reduces planting stress in roses, and the ovaries of domestic citrus crops stop falling off.

From ants

It is difficult to remove insects from the site and from the house. Boric acid helps against pests. To create bait, ingredients are taken in the following proportions:

• white crystals – 5 g;
• honey – 1 tsp;
• sugar – 2 tsp.

The ingredients are mixed until smooth, placed in plastic lids and placed in areas where ants and other insects gather. The poison enters the anthill on the legs and abdomen; death of the population occurs after 10 days. The composition is updated as necessary. If you need to destroy cockroaches in the house, then add chopped boiled yolk to the recipe.

Preparations based on boric acid

Boric acid is produced in the form of an alcohol tincture and white crystals. The granular version is odorless and dilutes poorly in cold water; it contains 17% of the active substance. The liquid solution is used to treat skin rashes and ear infections in people.

Security measures

If the proportions and recommendations for use are followed, the substance will not harm either plants or humans. If boric acid enters the stomach in any dose, vomiting, skin rashes and weakness are observed. High concentrations of the drug cause cramps and trembling in the muscles. The digestive system is washed with warm water and soda; be sure to consult a doctor.

To prevent contact of mucous membranes with the drug, it is necessary to use a gauze bandage when preparing solutions.

Boric acid is a useful drug responsible for important metabolic processes in plants. The nutrition of fruit and vegetable crops depends on the presence of this substance in the soil. With regular use of the product in the right proportion, it is easy to provide suitable conditions for all types of plants.

A substance such as boron is necessary for plants in order to supply the root system with oxygen as much as possible. Its absence significantly reduces the level of calcium supply to plant organs.

In order to always have a blooming, beautiful garden, and a generous harvest in the garden, in the arsenal of any gardener and gardener there is one necessary product containing boron.

The use of boric acid in the garden

Thanks to fertilizing, which contains boric acid, plants become more resistant not only to diseases, but also to adverse weather conditions.

Experts note that thanks to boric acid, the yield increases by an average of 20%, or even 25%.

Especially, such high rates are found in cucumbers, tomatoes, and cabbage.
The seeds are treated with boric acid before planting - they are soaked for 12-24 hours (0.2 g of boric acid is diluted in a liter of water).

Boric acid is applied directly to the soil before planting seedlings or seeds (2 g per 10 liters of water).

Boric acid is sprayed on the leaves (5 g per 10 liters).
In addition to pure boric acid, ready-made fertilizers such as boron superphosphate are also used: granular or double.
Immediately before sowing, it is advisable to soak the seeds for a while in a solution with boric acid.

By doing this you can speed up the germination process of your seeds. Typically, the seeds of vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots or beets need to be soaked for 24 hours. But, for example, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage - you can do less, twelve hours will be enough for them.

For the main application of microfertilizer to the soil, before planting seedlings or sprouted seeds of flowers, fruits or berries, dilute two grams of boric acid in ten liters of water and water the soil generously in the following manner: diluted composition per ten square meters.

The use of boric acid for flowers had a very good effect.

It needs to be added to soil with a large amount of peat, because it is too poor in boron content. Flowers such as violets need this.

Boron helps speed up the absorption of calcium and abundant formation of buds. For foliar feeding, use a 0.1% solution of boric acid (10 g per 10 l). When foliar feeding with boron together with other microfertilizers, the concentration of boric acid is reduced by 2 times (0.5 g per 1 l). The solution is sprayed on plants in the budding and flowering phase.

Roses. Spring spraying with a solution of boric acid in a proportion of 10 g per 10 liters gives very good results. To prevent fungal diseases, rose cuttings are immersed for 2-3 minutes. into a solution of boric acid (20 g per 10 liters of water).

Gladioli. A solution of boric acid (2 g per 10 liters of water) is used to feed gladioli in the phase of 3-4 leaves and during the flowering period to obtain larger corms.

Dahlias. Spraying with boric acid mixed with potassium permanganate (5 g + 2 g per 10 liters of water) has a beneficial effect on the development and flowering of plants. Fertilizing is done 2-3 times before mass flowering in the evening with an interval of 15-20 days.

It was also noticed that boric acid had a very good effect on roses, and their resistance to fungal diseases increased. Boric acid in the garden is practically one of the best remedies today.

Root feeding

Boric acid solution: 0.1-0.2 g of boric acid per 1 liter of water. It is used only in cases of severe starvation or a clearly known lack of boron in the soil. Plants are pre-watered with plain water to avoid chemical burns to the roots. Usually used on seedlings of flowering plants growing on soddy-podzolic soils or in a mixture of peat and sand.

Good to know

Boric acid dissolves easily only in hot water! Always first dilute the sample (bag) in 1 liter of hot water, then bring it to the required volume with water at room temperature.

Strawberries: signs of boron deficiency:
curvature of leaves and necrosis of the edges. Fertilizing with boric acid significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of the berries. In early spring, plantings are watered with a solution of boric acid with the addition of potassium permanganate (1 g potassium permanganate, 1 g boric acid per 10 liters of water), consumption - approximately 10 liters per 30-40 bushes. It is useful to carry out foliar feeding with a solution of boric acid (5 g per 10 liters of water).

Before flowering, when the plants have put out their buds, apply foliar feeding with a solution (2 g of boric acid, 2 g of manganese, 1 cup of sifted ash per 10 liters of water). Make an extract from the ash in advance: pour a glass of ash with a liter of boiling water and leave, stirring occasionally, for a day, then strain through cheesecloth - and the infusion is ready.

Tomatoes: signs of boron deficiency

Blackening and death of the growth point of the stem, rapid growth of new shoots from the root, while the petioles of young leaves become very brittle. Brown spots of dead tissue form on the fruits, usually in the tip area. As a preventive measure, soaking seeds in a solution of boric acid (0.2 g of the drug per 1 liter of water) for a day or in a solution of microfertilizers containing boron helps well.

Before planting seedlings, add boric acid or boron-containing fertilizers to the soil (not necessary on cultivated soils). Do not forget about foliar feeding before flowering (10 g of boric acid per 10 liters of water). You can use foliar feeding of the same concentration in the green fruit phase to accelerate the ripening and accumulation of sugars in the fruits.

Grape

Signs of boron deficiency: the appearance of chlorotic spots between the veins of leaf blades, which gradually grow, the absence of normal ovaries on the racemes (hummocking). A new seedling dies within a year or 1-2 years after planting in a permanent place. Even a single treatment during the budding period increases the yield by more than 20% due to the preservation of flowers and less shedding of the ovaries. Taking into account the characteristics of the grapes, add zinc salts to boric acid (10 liters of water, 5 g of boric acid, 5 g of zinc sulfate).

If the fruits of zucchini or zucchini rot, if the tomatoes in the greenhouse are stressed from the heat, if the fruits of peppers and eggplants do not set, if there are few ovaries on cucumbers, make a solution of boric acid and spray the plants.

Boric acid is indispensable for all fruits, vegetables, berries and ornamental crops. It not only protects them from pathogenic microbes, but also increases productivity and increases sugar content. As a result, we get tasty, high-quality fruits. Moreover, the treated plants do not rot, and their fruits do not crack from excessive moisture. Boron is not an alternative to any fertilizer, but a vital element for flora. How boric acid affects plants in the garden and in what proportions to use it - we learned about this from experienced farmers.

Did you know? More than 300 years ago, the French naturalist and physician Wilhelm Gomberg obtained free boric acid by heating a mixture of borax and sulfuric acid. Over time, it was introduced into medicine under the name “salsedavitum”.

Boric acid: description

In the natural environment, unbound boric acid occurs in some volcanic areas of Tuscany, the Lopar Islands and Nevada. It can also be found in many minerals, such as borax, boracite, colemanite. Moreover, this element was discovered even in sea water and in all plants.

Boric (orthoboric, orthoboric, borate) acid is a weak inorganic acid. These are white crystals that do not dissolve well in cold water. When heated, they lose moisture, forming first metaboric acid, then tetraboric acid and, finally, boron oxide. If the above compounds are immersed in water, boric acid is formed from them again.
A solution of boric acid is widely used in medicine as an antiseptic, in gardening, gardening, and even in nuclear reactors.

What are the benefits of boric acid for plants?

For fruit and berry and ornamental, flowering crops, boric acid is the most important fertilizer throughout the entire growing season. When treating stems, the component helps supply the roots with oxygen, increases the penetration of calcium into all plant fibers, increases the amount of chlorophyll in green biomass, and improves metabolic processes.

When spraying seeds with acid, their germination is stimulated. At the early stages of plant treatment, the rooting of seedlings improves, the percentage of formed ovaries increases, and the synthesis of nitrogenous substances is normalized. Timely fertilizing with boric acid provokes rapid growth and strengthening of the crop. Agrochemists say: if the soil is sufficiently saturated with boron, fruiting, crop preservation and plant resistance to adverse conditions, including pests and infections, increase.

Did you know? Boric acid is effective against a variety of insects, including cockroaches and ants.

Using boric acid in the garden: instructions for use

Boric acid is used in gardening to accelerate the growth and development of vegetable crops and good germination of grains. To do this, before planting, it is recommended to place the seeds in a gauze bag and soak them in a solution of boric acid for two days at the rate of 0.2 g per 1 liter of hot water. You can prepare an ash mixture of 5 g of baking soda, 1 g of potassium permanganate, 0.2 g of boric acid and 1 liter of warm water.

Twice during the budding period, gardeners spray the crops with boron-containing preparations. Boric acid as a fertilizer can be used three times in the garden. The last processing is carried out to increase sugars in the fruits, which will improve their taste. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 10 g of the element per 10 liters of water. Depending on the culture, the concentration may vary. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the evening to avoid burns on the leaves.

Root feeding with boric acid is carried out extremely rarely, since the solution can severely damage the fibers. Basically, when watering, crystals are added so that the fruits acquire bright, rich colors. This procedure is performed no more than once every 3 years. Experienced farmers advise thoroughly moistening the soil before applying such microfertilizers.

How to use acid for apple and pear trees

It is not common for boron to transform from dying foliage into young shoots. Therefore, during the period of active growth of fruit crops, foliar feeding is very important. On apple and pear trees, the lack of this substance is manifested by the development of suberization of the fruit. In severely neglected cases, the tops of the trees begin to rapidly wither. The leaves curl, bend unnaturally, and the petioles thicken. The veins on their surface become thicker and more distinct. At the ends of the sprouts, young leaves form a kind of rosette, which is unusual for the normal development of apple and pear trees. If nothing is done in the initial stages, the disease will progress: the inflorescences will fade, and the resulting ovary will bear deformed fruits. The flesh of apples and pears infected with the disease becomes covered with large whitish spots, which turn brown over time.

Important! Boric acid dissolves only in hot water. To obtain a working solution, the crystals are first poured with a small amount of heated liquid, and then it is diluted with cold liquid until the required volume is obtained.

Boric acid is recommended for sick and completely healthy plants in 2-3 times. Spraying the crown is recommended for preventive purposes at the beginning of flowering, followed by repeating a week later. The treatment solution is prepared at the rate of 20 g of powder per 10 liters of water. If such foliar feeding is applied to damaged fruit trees, the fall of the ovary will be noticeably reduced. But it is better to prevent mass spoilage of fruits and carry out treatment ahead of it.

Using boric acid for strawberries

To obtain sweet, fleshy garden strawberries and wild strawberries, it is recommended to systematically process the plants. Otherwise, boron deficiency will result in necrosis and deformation of the foliage. Spraying is necessary before the buds open, as well as during the fruiting period, when the berries reach normal sizes. Some farmers advise watering the area at their dacha with boric acid in early spring in accordance with the instructions for use. You can add a few drops of potassium permanganate to the solution. 10 liters of liquid is enough for approximately 40-50 plants. Later, when flower stalks form, it is advisable to spray the bushes with a mixture of 5 g of boron powder and 10 liters of water. And during the ripening of the berries, it is recommended to add additional fertilizing consisting of boric acid, manganese ash and 1 glass of water in a ratio of 2:2:1.

Boric acid for tomatoes

Tomatoes have an average requirement for boron. Its deficiency is manifested by darkening and dying of stems, fragility of young shoots and dark spotting on fruits. To prevent the fibers on tomatoes from dying, it is necessary to treat the seeds with dissolved crystals before planting. Boric acid for tomatoes is also desirable during the period of planting seedlings. You can fertilize the soil with acid or boron-containing preparations. To avoid burning the root system, thoroughly water the prepared holes with plain water. This procedure is of particular importance on lands that are being plowed into beds for the first time.

Spraying tomatoes with boric acid is important when the flower stalks have already formed and the buds have not yet opened. The solution is prepared according to the standard scheme: 10 g per 10 l.

Important! Apple trees, pear trees, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower sprouts, rutabaga and beets have the highest boron requirements. Beans, potatoes, peas and strawberries are less dependent on this element. But in any case, its deficiency greatly affects the condition of the plants.

How to use boric acid for grapes

If the grapes do not have enough boron, then even elite varieties will produce small clusters. A signal of its deficiency will be chloride spots on the leaves. Experts call such processes “peating”. Treatment and prevention are recommended to be carried out with boric acid, for which in the initial stages of the disease one treatment is sufficient.

It is better to organize spraying during the formation of inflorescences. In this case, they will not crumble, which will increase productivity. When preparing a solution (5 g of powder per 10 liters of water), experienced gardeners add 5 g of zinc. It is advisable to repeat the treatment, as with other fruit and berry crops, during the period of fruit ripening.

Boric acid for cucumbers

Feeding with boric acid for cucumbers, as well as for tomatoes, is important because it promotes abundant flowering and ovary formation. A more effective method was the foliar application of microfertilizer before the opening of the buds. Some gardeners advise adding a little sugar or honey to a solution of 5 g of acid and 10 liters of water. This is done to attract pollinating insects. Repeated spraying of cucumbers with boric acid is done when the ovary forms. Instead of sugar, a couple of drops of potassium permanganate are added to the traditional solution to prevent powdery mildew on the sprouts.

The use of boric acid for beets

Although beets are considered less dependent on boron content, its deficiency immediately renders the entire root crop unusable. Due to the development of phomosis caused by fungi, the beet core begins to rot, and the leaves become covered with pale brown dots. Such beets should not be consumed; they have an unpleasant odor and taste, and toxic substances are formed in the blackened fibers.

To preserve the harvest and prevent the appearance of fungi, it is first important to treat the seed before planting. And when the seedlings produce 4-5 leaves, it is enough to spray one with a standard solution.

Important! For humans, boric acid is completely harmless upon external contact: it does not cause allergic reactions or irritation on the skin. When ingested, boron is slowly excreted from the body. 20 g of the substance is a lethal dose. In large quantities, boron is more likely to harm plants than help in development. An overabundance is indicated by arched leaves and their yellowness. If such crops are fed to livestock, they will soon develop chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Boric acid and potatoes

Boron deficiency causes scab in potatoes. The sprouts develop slowly, the foliage turns yellow, and the stems become fragile. Agrochemists suggest a pattern: the dependence of tubers on boron determines the composition of the substrate. The need increases on soddy-podzolic, forest, wetland, and acidic lands. And also in areas with a high composition of carbonates, potassium, nitrogen, and lime. Phosphorus fertilizing, on the contrary, reduces the need for boron-containing fertilizers.