To obtain a rich harvest of home cucumbers, in addition to providing them with proper care, care must also be taken to protect them from probable diseases and pests. In this invaluable help is provided by iodine. Its benefits in cultivating crops will be discussed in our material.

Is it possible and for what it is necessary to water cucumbers with iodine

The use of this substance in the cultivation of cucumbers allows you to do without expensive fertilizers and complex chemicals. Did you know? In cooking, cucumbers are classified as vegetables, but according to the botanical classification, cucumbers are false berries.

Regular spraying with solutions with this chemical element serves as a quality prophylactic against plant damage by a variety of pathogenic spores.

Due to its disinfecting properties, iodine suppresses the foci of the appearance of harmful microorganisms, as well as individual viruses and bacteria.

In addition, he is an active participant in biological processes, in particular, the process of nitrogen metabolism in the soil. Thus, it should be noted that treating cucumbers with iodine is not only possible, but also useful. This helps to preserve the green mass of cucumbers and stimulates the formation of ovaries.

Useful properties of iodine

• Speaking about the valuable qualities of this chemical element for a plant, it should be noted that it:
• stimulates the metabolism in culture;
• accelerates its growth;
• rejuvenates leaves and whips;
• accelerates the development period of cucumbers and increases their productivity;
• improves the taste of fruits;
• promotes the accumulation of ascorbic acid in cucumbers.

The recipe for the solution

The process of preparing a useful composition for processing plants is elementary.

This will require:

• warm (temperature +20 ... + 25 ° С) and soft (melt, rain or settled tap water) - 3 l;
• iodine - 1 drop.

The chemical element is simply bred in water.

Also learn how to feed cucumbers for growth and increase yield.

How to process cucumbers with iodine

To process cucumbers with an iodine-containing composition can be for different purposes. Let's consider in which, and how to do it.

Before boarding

Preplant seed treatment subsequently positively affects the green mass of the plant, improves crop productivity, and is also an effective protective tool against pests and diseases.

First, the chemical element is dissolved in water in a proportion of 1:10, after which the seeds of the cucumbers are soaked in the resulting composition for 6 hours. After the specified time, the seeds are planted in the ground.

Disease treatment and protection

The use of iodine allows you to protect the culture from possible diseases and, if necessary, even cure it at various stages of vegetation, for example, during flowering and fruiting.

As a prophylactic, a composition of milk and iodine is used:

1. In 1 liter of milk (whey, yogurt, kefir are also acceptable), dilute 30 drops of iodine.
2. The resulting composition is diluted in 10 liters of warm water.
3. For better adhesion of the solution to the plant, it is advisable to add 1 tbsp. l any soap in liquid form.
4. They treat plants by spraying with a spray gun. You can start 3 days after transplanting and continue with an interval of 7-10 days.
5. Watering cucumber plantations with water is permissible one day after treatment with an iodine-containing solution.

Important! Spraying is best done in the evening after sunset. In addition to the preventive effect, the use of such a tool allows you to feed plants that grow on depleted soil.

As for the use of iodine as a therapeutic agent, it can be used as follows:

1. In case of root rot disease, a composition of water and iodine in a ratio of 2: 1 is used. The resulting and well-mixed composition process the plant stem 10-15 cm higher from the ground. The process is repeated daily until the signs of the disease disappear. As a rule, recovery occurs after 3-4 medical procedures.
2. In case of late blight, a solution consisting of 1 liter of serum, 40 drops of a chemical element and 1 tbsp. l hydrogen peroxide. Cucumbers are sprayed in the evening with the mixture obtained, with particular attention to abundant wetting of the leaves. The procedure is carried out weekly. The duration of treatment is from 14 to 21 days.
3. When attacking black aphids, use the following solution. 1 tsp iodine is diluted in 1 liter of milk, and then dissolved in 10 liters of warm water. The resulting composition is sprayed with bushes.

Did you know? Cucumbers are used not only in cooking, but also in the household. If you do not want the bathroom mirror to fog up, wipe it with a piece of cucumber before taking a bath or shower.

As a top dressing

Iodine-containing fertilizers favorably affect the health and productivity of cucumbers. There are root and foliar top dressing. The former supply plants with useful substances, the latter protect them from diseases.

For root dressing, a solution is made of 1 drop of iodine per 3 l of settled water and the resulting composition is watered under the root of the plant (every 10-14 days). This helps to accelerate growth and increase crop yields.

Precautionary measures

Despite all the positive qualities of iodine, it also carries a hidden threat, in particular for humans. The danger is that too high a concentration of vapors of this chemical element can cause acute intoxication, burns of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

If, when processing plants planted in open ground, iodine vapors, when mixed with air, lose their toxicity, then when working in a greenhouse, where it is so stuffy, they can lead to serious consequences.

Important! Applying iodine-containing compounds when processing plants in a greenhouse, it is necessary to use a respirator. The use of iodine-containing compounds in the cultivation of cucumbers will make it possible to preserve and grow a rich crop of this crop. And given the cheapness of the ingredients used, this will also save on purchased drugs.