Spraying cucumbers with a solution of milk and iodine: how to water

Gardeners use a milk-iodine solution to treat cucumbers. This mixture restores the plant after damage and allows for a bountiful harvest. This fertilizer can be used over a long period of time without harming the crop. A mixture of iodine and milk is harmless, but it still needs to be applied carefully, following the advice of experienced farmers.

What does iodine deficiency in plants lead to?

Vegetable growers feed their crops iodine because of its ability to absorb nitrogen. If the element is poorly absorbed, cucumbers will be weak and susceptible to disease.

An antiseptic is a component of protein. It supplies oxygen to the plant, which helps strengthen its immune system. Photosynthesis also proceeds much faster if iodine is present in the green mass. Therefore, it is important to maintain its level in plants.

Deficiency of the element can be noticed in the following soil types:

• sandy, sandy loam - useful microelements quickly penetrate into the lower layers of the soil;
• peatlands – characterized by increased levels of acidity;
• podzolic;
• poor in organic components - the acidity level is also low.

Milk solutions with iodine should be applied in autumn and spring.

Why should iodine be diluted with milk?

Spraying cucumbers with milk and iodine is a popular method. However, using the antiseptic in its pure form can burn the plants, so it must be diluted in milk. This drink makes the iodine's action more gentle and has the following properties:

• contains a large amount of microelements that are beneficial for vegetables;
• Milk contains lactose, which kills pathogenic microorganisms and fungi due to its intolerance;
• The fats on the leaves form a protective film that prevents the penetration of microbes.

It can be used for watering and spraying.

The effectiveness of a milk-iodine mixture for cucumbers

Applying a milk-iodine solution helps combat diseases and restore cucumber shoots. Reviews confirm the effectiveness of this remedy, but there are still some precautions. For example, it's important to apply the fertilizer in the correct proportions. Failure to follow this rule can damage the cucumbers.

The beneficial properties of milk

Using milk for cucumbers helps to nourish the plant:

• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• iron;
• gray;
• phosphorus.

The drink improves plant development and flower formation. Milk is an organic product that has a beneficial effect on root development and extends the shelf life of cucumbers. Kefir and yogurt can be used as a fertilizer for cucumbers.

Beneficial properties of iodine

Iodine is an antiseptic that can help combat late blight, copperheads, and rot. It can also help disinfect seeds before planting.

Feeding cucumbers with iodine has its advantages:

• restoration of damaged shoots;
• cucumber growth accelerates;
• increase in fruiting;
• the taste of the product improves;
• new ovaries are formed;
• root nutrition.

It is necessary to treat cucumbers with milk and iodine, as it helps get rid of fungus and nourish the plant with nutrients.

Treatment of cucumbers against diseases

To protect vegetables from diseases, gardeners water and spray them. Fungal infections are most common in midsummer, so they need to be addressed during this period.

Watering

Cucumbers often suffer from root rot, so avoid applying fertilizer to the roots. Dig a shallow trench 10-15 centimeters from the stem to water the cucumbers with milk and iodine. Spraying the soil around the plant is also acceptable.

Root feeding recipes:

• Mix a liter of low-fat milk with a bucket of water. Water the plant at a rate of 500 ml per bush. You can also water the leaves using a watering can.
• You can increase the yield by feeding cucumbers with an acidic solution containing nettle. To prepare, mix 500 g of freshly chopped nettle, 5 liters of water, and 3 liters of kefir or sour milk, and leave to ferment for 2 weeks. Dilute the concentrated mixture with liquid at a ratio of 1:10 and use for watering.
• During the growing season, water the crop with a honey infusion: mix 2 liters of milk, 5 tablespoons of honey, a glass of wood ash, and 10 drops of iodine. Let the mixture sit for 48 hours before use.

Fertilize during fruit set to ensure a bountiful harvest. To do this, mix one cup of sugar with three liters of kefir.

Spraying

Gardeners often use foliar feeding for preventative purposes. To do this:

• stir 20-30 drops of antiseptic into a bucket of water;
• add 1 liter of low-fat milk or 500 ml of whey;
• leave for 24 hours.

Spray at a rate of 1 liter per 1 square meter.

This mixture can eliminate diseases and control aphid infestations. Its use will protect crops and provide them with essential micronutrients.

To combat dangerous infectious diseases, you need to spray 2 times a week until the signs of damage are completely eliminated.

Fertilizing cucumbers

Root feeding of cucumbers with milk and iodine differs from foliar feeding, as the former uses a natural fertilizer. It improves the vegetable's flavor and enriches it with vitamin C. To prepare it, dissolve 4 cups of low-fat milk in a bucket of water and add 15 drops of iodine. This can be used to prevent fungus and strengthen the plants.

Water the cucumbers with the milk mixture when planting crops in open ground and repeat the procedure at the beginning of fruiting. After this, you can continue feeding this way, but no more than once every 3-4 days.

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Recipes for preparing the solution

Fertilizing should be regular to ensure healthy plant growth and prevent disease. Antiseptics cannot be used on their own, so solutions are prepared using them. To achieve the desired results, the proportions must be maintained and the fertilizer must be applied to the soil according to the proper guidelines.

With milk, iodine and soap

Cucumbers shouldn't be fed with pure milk. To increase its effectiveness, iodine and soap should be added. This method will nourish the crop with essential nutrients.

To prepare it, dissolve 3 drops of iodine and grated laundry soap in a liter of milk. Mix the solution well before use.

With sour milk

Fermented milk products can also be used to fertilize cucumbers. This type of fertilizer is only suitable for mature plants during the fruiting stage. It delivers nutrients to the roots, kills pests, normalizes the soil's pH balance, and retains moisture.

To prepare the solution, you will need yogurt (5 liters) and iodine (15 drops). Mix the ingredients thoroughly and water the vegetable at the root. Apply the mixture 2-3 times a week.

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With whey

To combat aphids, gardeners often use a fertilizer made from iodine (2 drops) and whey (1000 ml). Spraying with this mixture should be done once every 5 days. If antiseptic is unavailable, you can add brilliant green or ammonia to the mixture.

After spraying, a white coating may appear on the leaves for the first few days. This is nothing to worry about. It will wash off after watering.

Rules for spraying cucumbers with milk and iodine

To achieve the desired result, treating cucumbers with iodine and milk should be carried out strictly according to the instructions and the following rules:

• process shoots of crops and plants from both sides;
• moisten the soil before fertilizing;
• If there is precipitation or dew the morning after the procedure, repeat the procedure;
• feed cucumbers with an antiseptic and a dairy product on a cloudy day in the morning or evening;
• You should not combine iodine and milk fertilizer with other types of fertilizer;
• the solution can be used weekly;
• strictly follow the dosage, as too much iodine can burn the leaves;
• The prepared mixture cannot be stored.

If you follow these rules, the likelihood of crop damage is reduced.

When processing cucumbers in a greenhouse, you can also use these rules.

Processing times

Vegetable growers use iodine-milk fertilizer at every stage of cucumber development because it's natural. Here are the best times to apply the fertilizer:

• The solution can be used to prevent parasites and diseases as soon as the seedlings develop 4 true leaves. Repeat the treatment every 14 days.
• To ensure the vegetable develops fully, fertilize it 10 days after planting the seedlings or after the first shoots appear. A milk-iodine mixture can be used at the beginning of the growing season and during fruit formation;
• At the stage of active fruiting, treatment is necessary for a rich harvest.

In spring, you can water the soil with the liquid before planting. Greenhouse cucumbers can begin to be treated after two true leaves appear.

Precautionary measures

Milk isn't toxic, but the antiseptic can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with exposed skin. Therefore, it's important to:

• carry out the procedure in protective clothing;
• Maintain the correct proportions and dilute the products strictly according to the instructions;
• use a spray bottle for spraying;
• fertilize in cloudy, windless weather;
• Do not store the mixture for a long time.

If the solution gets into the body, you need to drink plenty of water and seek help.

Prevention

Gardeners' reviews confirm that a milk-iodine solution is an effective disease preventative. Timely treatment can prevent rot and fungus.

To do this, mix 50 g of urea and 20 g of iodine in two liters of whey. Water the crop with this mixture at least two and no more than three times per season. Preventative treatment should be carried out after five leaves appear. Repeat the procedure after 14 days. This will prevent disease outbreaks.

Fertilizing does not pose a danger to plants, provided that all proportions are strictly observed.

Reviews

Vladimir, Moscow region

My relatives have been using a solution of iodine and milk to treat their cucumbers for years, hoping to get a bountiful harvest. I always thought it was a waste of time, but I decided to give it a try. I've been using a milk-iodine mixture to feed the cucumbers for five years now. We apply it several times a week, and the fruits grow not only delicious but also nitrate-free.

Konstantin, Omsk

I first tried this mixture to quickly get rid of aphids. I was seriously skeptical it would work, but there are no more pests in my garden.

To ensure that applying milk-iodine fertilizer is effective and does not harm cucumbers, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions, maintain the correct dosage, and adhere to agronomist recommendations.