Feeding tomatoes with iodine - how to do it right
Content:
Increasingly, gardeners and gardeners are choosing folk remedies against chemicals for the sake of an organic harvest. In this article, we will talk about how to properly feed tomatoes with iodine to strengthen seedlings and increase yields.
Feeding tomatoes with iodine - benefits
Iodine, a natural antiseptic, helps tomatoes fight bacteria and parasites, and also takes part in the metabolic and photosynthetic processes of the plant. In addition, iodine:
- protects the immune system of the plant
- promotes the appearance of ovaries
- promotes soil fertility
- promotes rapid seed germination
Insufficient iodine leads to general stuntedness and reduced yields. Most often, of all crops, it is tomatoes that suffer from iodine deficiency.
Replenishing tomatoes with iodine in the right amount does not harm the soil, the plant itself, the environment and our health. However, it is very important to keep the correct dosage!
The plant needs an incredibly small amount of this substance, so manufacturers almost do not produce fertilizers containing iodine, so it is much easier to use the usual iodine solution that we all have in our first-aid kits or freely available in pharmacies.
When you need to feed a tomato with iodine
Notice that tomatoes lack iodine for the following reasons:
- Plants look stunted
- Often sick with late blight, powdery mildew, root rot, etc.
- Reacts sharply to even the smallest changes in the environment
However, for preventive purposes, an absolutely healthy plant can also be fed with iodine.
Disinfection of seeds before planting
Seed preparation is essential for harvesting. Iodine destroys bacteria and provides seeds with a stronger immune system, due to which the emergence of seedlings is accelerated and in the future tomatoes become more resistant to adverse environmental conditions.
To disinfect seeds, you must:
- Add 0.1 g of iodine to 1 liter of warm water
- Immerse the seeds in water for 10 minutes
- Drain the water
- Rinse the seeds with clean water
Then the seeds should be dried in the sunlight for seven days, spreading them on a towel. Dark spots on the seeds indicate infection and will fail to harvest. Get rid of them. Healthy seeds should be wrapped in a cloth or paper bag and then processed in the usual way.
Processing methods, root and foliar feeding of tomatoes
You can fertilize tomatoes with iodine both on unprotected soil and in greenhouses. However, it is worth remembering that the greenhouse is a closed room, and care should be taken when processing with iodine, since inhalation of iodine vapors can be poisoned by the substance. Wearing some kind of respiratory protection is recommended!
In order for the plant to better absorb nutrients, as well as to avoid damage or burns to the plant, fertilizing with fertilizers should be applied to damp soil. It is advisable to mulch the soil around the plant.
When watering the plant, the water should not be cold. The jet must be directed to the root of the plant and try not to splash on the leaves and stems. It is best to water in the morning or evening, not in hot, but preferably cool weather.
Tomatoes need watering no more than once every ten times. However, in a dry, hot period, the time can be shortened to four days.
Important: after transplanting, you do not need to water the ground for about ten days. When it gets cold, stop watering completely.
There are 2 ways to apply top dressing: root and non-root. With the root method, fertilizers are applied under the root, during foliar feeding, the aerial part of the plant is sprayed - leaves, stems. For a longer and more effective effect, it is necessary to alternate both methods.
Root method - the first feeding of tomatoes
The first feeding is done when the first four true leaves appear on the plant. In 3 l. not cold water you need to add one drop of iodine. For one bush, half a liter.
The second feeding is done when the fruit ovary appears. Here the composition is slightly different: in 10 liters. water you need to add three drops of iodine, and then 1 liter is used for one bush.
The third feeding is done already during the fruiting period. This time, along with iodine, ash with boric acid must also be added to the water, namely:
- In 5 liters. water is mixed with 3 liters. ash, left for one hour
- Add another 5 liters. hot water together with 10 ml. iodine and 10 ml. boric acid
- Well mixed solution and leave for a day
After the liquid has been stirred, it is necessary to dilute one liter of this infusion with one bucket of water. For one tomato bush, no more than one liter of solution.
Foliar feeding of tomatoes
With this method, iodine is sprayed on the leaves and stems of the plant. The foliar method replenishes iodine deficiency in a plant due to its ability to quickly absorb the substances it needs through the surface of the leaf plate
To avoid burns or damage to the plant, a weaker solution is used than for root dressing. Spraying is done through a spray bottle, it is also recommended to spray in the morning or evening, preferably in the absence of rain, otherwise the solution will wash off the leaves.
The composition of the solution for foliar feeding: a tablespoon of iodine and 1 liter of non-fat dairy product are added to 4 liters of cold water.
Spraying with iodine should be done no more than once every two weeks.
What else to use iodine with?
To enhance the effect of the iodine solution in top dressing, mixing of the substance with other mixtures is possible.
If you notice signs late blight on the plant, you must:
- 10 liters of warm water
- 1 liter of whey
- 10 ml. 3% peroxide
- Alternate root and foliar feeding method
or:
- 1 l. water at room temperature
- 1 ml. iodine
- 4 drops of brilliant green
- Also alternate root and foliar feeding method
Against pathogens powdery mildew necessary:
- 3 l. warm water
- 350 ml. milk
- 4 drops of iodine
- Alternate root and foliar feeding method
To avoid common mistakes
For the successful treatment of plants with iodine, it is necessary to adhere to some extremely important rules:
- Let the plant get used to and adapt to the new place after you transplant it, it needs to restore the root system.
- Approach the dosage of iodine and other substances in solutions extremely responsibly, an excess will harm both the plant and possibly your health.
- Be careful with boric acid solution, excessive amounts can cause leaf necrosis.
Iodine is a safe and beneficial nutrient for tomato nutrition. Thanks to him and our instructions in the article, you can increase your harvest. However, do not forget that to help the plants, you also need to fertilize the soil and other useful substances.