Benefits of fertilizing cucumbers with succinic acid

Cucumbers

To achieve an early cucumber harvest, vegetable growers use various stimulants. These include succinic acid. The dosage of the product varies depending on the soil type and the plant's development stage. Its effect cannot replace the benefits of mineral and organic fertilizers. Succinic acid improves nutrient absorption, stimulates seed germination, and promotes seedling development.

Benefits of succinic acid

Succinic acid is a naturally occurring product. It is found in small amounts in the cells of plants and living organisms. It is synthesized on an industrial scale using brown coal and maleic anhydride as raw materials. Succinic acid is an odorless powder. It can be white or colorless. It tastes similar to citric acid. It is available commercially as tablets, powder, and capsules filled with granules.

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Tablets or capsules are more suitable for growing cucumbers, as they contain fewer synthetic fillers. The product has a mild stimulating effect, making it approved for use on all parts of the plant. The substance does not accumulate in the soil or alter its composition.

Important!

Regular use of succinic acid as a fertilizer for cucumber plants increases soil acidity. To counteract this effect, lime, crushed chalk, and dolomite flour are added to the soil.

Useful properties of succinic acid:

treating seeds with the preparation improves their germination;
Spraying seedlings with an aqueous solution increases their resistance to adverse weather conditions and pathogens of fungal and viral infections;
Double spraying of adult bushes stimulates fruit ripening;
plant treatment leads to active synthesis of chlorophyll;
soaking the roots of seedlings in an aqueous solution stimulates their development;
When watering plants at the roots, nitrates and toxic substances accumulated in the soil are washed out;
Adding the preparation to the soil stimulates the development of beneficial microorganisms.

Succinic acid does not harm plants. The root system absorbs the product in the required amount. Excess substance does not accumulate in the soil and is easily washed away during watering.

Features of the use of succinic acid

The dosage of the cucumber treatment depends on the method used. For root application, the solution is more concentrated than for foliar spraying. After mixing, the entire solution is used, as succinic acid loses its beneficial properties when stored in a diluted form.

For pre-sowing seed treatment, use an aqueous solution with a concentration of 0.2%. To prepare it, dissolve 2 g of succinic acid in 100 ml of water. Then, combine the concentrate with 900 ml of warm water to bring the solution volume to 1 liter. Soak the seeds in the resulting solution for 30 minutes. Then remove them and dry them without rinsing.

Succinic acid is used to strengthen seedlings before transplanting them to their permanent locations in open garden beds or greenhouses. A 0.25% solution is used for treatment. It is prepared by dissolving 2.2 g of the substance in 1 liter of warm water. The solution is watered at the roots of the seedlings one hour before transplanting them to their permanent location. This solution is also used for spraying mature seedlings.