Boron is one of the trace elements that significantly affect the development of plants. It speeds up the metabolism, which positively affects the synthesis of nitrogen and the improvement of vegetation growth. For feeding plants, including tomatoes, boron (boric acid) has been used for many years. Read about the features of using this drug in this review.

Why spray tomatoes with boric acid?

Boric acid consists of a natural mineral - boron, which is necessary for the normal development of plants. Boron is involved in intercellular metabolism, the formation of cell walls, nitrogen metabolism, and photosynthesis. The properties of this substance and its effect on plants have been studied quite well, therefore, every gardener knows what exactly gives boron to tomatoes and what it is used for.

The use of the drug depends on its concentration. The toxicity of large doses of boron makes it relevant for the destruction of bugs, fungi, and weeds. Low concentrations are used in fertilizers. Boron can be presented in a separate form or as part of complex fertilizers with which tomatoes can be fed in a greenhouse or in open ground. It affects the development, growth of plants and productivity.

The benefits of boron are not so noticeable in a growing tomato, as its absence becomes noticeable. Boron deficiency causes the ovules to fall and inhibit the development of the fruit: they ripen for a long time and their size is smaller than average. The fruits, which had enough boron, will be normal for their grade size and color: red, yellow, etc.

Boric acid can be used as root dressing or spraying leaves. In whatever form fertilizers are used, keep in mind that you need to apply them on those days when there is no rainfall. Otherwise, rainwater will wash the fertilizer deep into the soil, and the plant will have time to absorb only a small part of it.

Important! In the store you can buy boric acid with different elemental composition, as manufacturers produce all new drugs based on it. Therefore, consider the concentration indicated on the packaging when preparing solutions.

Ants and other insects can also harm vegetables. Therefore, pasta is made from boron, sugar and water, which is placed in lids, baits around the beds. Insects eat the mixture and do not touch the plants. And since such a substance acts slowly, after a while they will simply leave your beds. Knowing why boron is used, you can easily decide in which quality it will be most useful to your tomatoes.

Signs of a lack of boron in tomatoes

If the tomatoes lack boron, they are often observed:

• falling ovaries;
• lack of ovaries;
• slow growth of leaves;
• intervein chlorosis on the leaves;
• tomatoes begin to cluster;
• fruit growth slows down.

Processing time

To determine how many times you need to fertilize tomatoes, you need to find out how important boron is for them. The first watering must be carried out in the budding phase. In this phase, boron actively affects the formation of ovaries, their strengthening and fertilization. If there are signs of a lack of boron, then after 10-14 days, during active flowering, you need to carry out a second top dressing. It is the signs of a lack of trace elements that determine how often you need to make them.

You can also easily notice when you need to re-introduce boron. Heavy clay, acidified soils often need to be reapplied with the mineral, since plants cannot fully absorb the substances in the soil.

Three top dressings with boron for the entire growing season are considered classic:

• during the formation of ovaries;
• during active flowering;
• during fruit ripening.

Between them should pass at least 10-14 days. But you do not have to adhere to this scheme, since an excess of boron is as harmful as its lack.

Any feeding is recommended in the morning or in the evening. This is due to the fact that spraying under the influence of sunlight can lead to burns of tomatoes. The exception is cloudy days, but the absence of precipitation and wind is important, otherwise spraying will not give the maximum result. Each farmer determines for himself what time of the day it is best to feed, but they usually recommend doing it in the evening.

How to prepare a solution of boric acid for tomatoes

The recipe for an aqueous solution of boron depends on the problem being solved:

• root dressing of tomato;
• increased ovaries;
• fight against fungal diseases.

Since boric acid is poorly soluble in water, it can only be diluted with water heated to + 50-60 ° C. If you have a question about whether it is possible to use water of a different temperature, then it should be noted that the substance will not dissolve in colder water, and may lose its properties in hotter water. The volume of water for dilution of the drug depends on how much concentrated solution is required by the plants.

Did you know? Boric acid is consumed by people daily. It is naturally present in fruits, grains, nuts and vegetables.

Proportions

Plant nutrition occurs by spraying or watering. Watering is used to enhance the development of the root system and the plant as a whole. They are sprayed in order to enhance the development of ovaries or fruits, as well as to fight diseases.

If for spraying in order to enhance growth you need to dilute 0.5 teaspoon of the drug in 0.5 l of water, then it is easy to determine how much substance is needed to combat late blight - 2 times more, that is, 1 teaspoon. Then the resulting solution was brought with ordinary water to a volume of 10 l and applied.

The dosage of the drug for spraying the ovaries will be less: 1 gram per 1 liter of hot water. The prepared mixture is seasoned in the spray gun and brushes are sprayed during budding and flowering. You can also use the ratios of active ingredient and water indicated on the package with boric acid.

Video: How to properly prepare a solution of boric acid

Step-by-step cooking instructions

To prepare the solution you will need: a measuring spoon, containers for heating water and for diluting boric acid, a bucket for bringing the volume up to 10 liters. Since the metal reacts with chemically active substances, the containers should be from materials that are inert to acids.

Stages of solution preparation:

1. Heat 0.5 L of water to a temperature of + 50-60 ° С.
2. Measure the amount of boric acid required by prescription.
3. Mix water and boron, stirring until completely dissolved.
4. Add the solution with plain water to the desired amount.
5. Mix thoroughly again.

Did you know? Boric acid is often used to make high-tech LCD displays because it improves the properties of crystals, creating a higher-quality screen.

How to treat tomatoes with boric acid

After planting tomato seedlings in the soil, it is necessary to provide the plants with adequate nutrition. At this stage, root top dressing is important in a dosage of 5 g of boric acid per 10 l of water. Under each bush make about 200 g of solution. Root dressing is not necessarily carried out in liquid form. Boric acid can also be added to the soil in powder form before seedlings are planted. In the future, foliar seedlings need to be supplemented.

During flowering, you can spray the solution on the brushes of tomatoes to improve pollination, development and strengthening of the ovaries. In this case, 1 or 2 sprayings are done - in the phase of the formation of the ovary and in the phase of active flowering. A third spraying is planned during fruiting for enhanced fruit ripening. Tomatoes with fruits can not be fed if they are enough and there is no need to accelerate their ripening.

Please note that most of the trace elements involved in the growing process are mutually complementary. This property can be used to neutralize the negative effects of substances on each other. So, if there is an excess of phosphorus or potassium, then the introduction of additional feeding with boric acid will help neutralize it.

Overdose Signs

During spraying it is necessary to use a sprayer that creates drizzle. You can not spray large drops on tomatoes - this can leave burns on the leaves. If, after spraying, some leaves were burned, they can simply be removed.

An excess of boron in tomatoes is manifested in the appearance of the leaves:

• their edges are wrapped;
• yellow spots appear between the veins;
• the border of the sheet turns yellow, moving towards the center;
• the leaf turns pale and begins to dry.

What to do in this case is to neutralize the "extra" boron. The application of potash fertilizers under the root of the plant will help to cope with this. To do this, 10 g of potassium nitrate is dissolved in 10 l of water and plants are watered at the rate of 1 l per 1 sq. m square.

Useful Tips

First of all, try to spray correctly and avoid common mistakes:

1. Do not increase the dosage: using 2 times the drug, you will not make tomatoes better, but just get a different effect - for example, instead of strengthening the ovaries, you will kill pathogenic microflora or pests.
2. Apply the drug where exposure is required: top dressing with boron from the roots can rise to the leaves, but never vice versa.
3. Expand the range of drugs used. When people hear that a certain preparation is good, they assume that its application is sufficient for a good harvest, but combinations of drugs and processing methods give a much better effect.

Video: Tomato boric acid treatment to increase yield

Processing Precautions

Boric acid is harmless to humans, but when spraying plants, nevertheless observe safety precautions:

• stir the solution in gloves;
• spray boric acid using personal protective equipment (gauze bandage, gloves);
• pregnant women, children, and also people with kidney diseases should not work with the solution;
• the prepared solution should be used immediately;
• Keep boric acid out of the reach of children and animals.

Important! Boric acid is rapidly absorbed by the body. You can easily breathe it when spraying tomatoes.

When growing tomatoes, boron is used as both a fertilizer and a herbicide. Boric acid is used to improve tomato growth and ripen the crop. Do not forget to take into account that only a full set of trace elements and compliance with agricultural technology will provide you with an excellent harvest.