How to properly water cucumbers with soda and what benefits it will bring to the harvest

Harvesting a rich and environmentally friendly harvest is the maximum task of every gardener. Diseases, insect pests and increased soil acidity can interfere with this goal. A well-known and accessible remedy will solve these problems - sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda.

How to water cucumbers with soda so as not to harm the plant, and what effect will be from its use - read in our article.

Why water cucumbers with soda?

More and more vegetable growers are refusing to use chemicals on their plots. However, such a decision often leads to the loss of the entire crop. Many have found salvation in the remedies that our grandparents used. One such universal fertilizer is baking soda.

Regular baking soda - bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate - can be a real help in growing cucumbers. When used correctly, the product has antibacterial and antiviral properties.

What effect does it give?

Baking soda is an inexpensive product that every housewife has in her kitchen. It can be used for more than just baking. Sodium bicarbonate has a positive effect on plant development.

Properties of soda in the garden:

• disinfects seed material;
• fertilizes plants;
• improves the taste of fruits;
• repels insect pests;
• prevents pathogenic yellowing and dying of foliage;
• protects and treats various diseases;
• reduces soil acidity.

Benefits for cucumbers

Experienced gardeners have noticed that soda fertilizers not only protect plants, but also increase productivity. Sodium bicarbonate helps strengthen plant immunity.

Indications for treatment with soda are slow development of the bush, the formation of a large number of barren flowers.

Cucumbers treated with soda differ in taste. The substance cleanses the surface of the fruit from fungal spores, which promotes the accumulation of sugars.

How to feed cucumbers with baking soda

When preparing the solution, you must adhere to the recommended proportions.

Preparation of the solution

You will need 10 liters of water and 3 tbsp. l. facilities. These components are sufficient to feed plants.

Important! For the working solution, it is better to use settled water at room temperature. It must be filtered before use.

It is not advisable to overfeed cucumbers with soda. An overdose of sodium leads to a decrease in yield, curling and shrinking of fruits. At high concentrations of the substance, the pH of the soil changes.

Attention! It is not recommended to dilute the soda solution in polystyrene or aluminum containers.

The solution cannot be stored for long - it is best to use it within 3 hours after preparation.

Feeding time

To increase the appearance of ovaries, 2 feedings are carried out. The most important is the first procedure. It accelerates the growth of the bush and increases productivity. It is carried out two weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden.

The second time feeding is applied 2 weeks after the first. Its goal is to extend the fruiting period.

Between procedures, additional fertilizing can be done. To increase fruiting, a solution with soda is used once a week.

Soda solution effectively solves the problem of the formation of barren flowers. For 5 liters of water, 1 tbsp is enough. l. facilities.Fertilizer is applied at the root once every 3 days. For one bush, 2 liters of liquid is enough.

Instructions for use

The solution is used for watering at the root and spraying on the leaf.

When feeding cucumbers with soda, follow the recommendations:

• bring in feeding together with watering;
• water with the solution after 6 pm or before 6 am;
• Exceeding the sodium concentration will negatively affect the plant;
• if fertilizing is applied at the root of the bush, moisten the entire hole.

Spraying is carried out for preventive purposes. Use a fine spray and spray both sides of the sheet.

Prevention and treatment of diseases

Soda is a disinfectant that helps in the treatment of fungal diseases. Sodium bicarbonate blocks the development of mycelium of pathogenic fungi.

Gardeners use soda to prevent and treat the following diseases:

• powdery mildew;
• downy mildew;
• gray And white rot;
• late blight;
• peronosporosis.

The product is used at the first signs of yellowing of foliage and the formation of spots. Not all gardeners can immediately recognize the disease, and delaying treatment can lead to crop loss.

Folk recipes

If the purpose of the treatments is to treat diseases, additional components may be required.

Powdery mildew solution: 10 liters of water, 2 tbsp. l. baking soda, 2 tsp. liquid detergent, 2 crushed aspirin tablets, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. The product is used once a week.

Against downy mildew: 10 liters of water, 2 tbsp. l. soda and 2 tbsp. l. grated soap. The beds are treated once every 2 days. If the disease progresses, then copper sulfate is added to the solution. Spray once a week.

This solution is used to prevent disease: 20 liters of water, 6 tbsp. l. baking soda, 4 tbsp. l.crushed laundry soap. The product is applied to the ground part of the plant with a spray bottle. The procedure is repeated after 2 weeks.

In the treatment of various rots, 100 g of baking soda is used. The product is dissolved in 10 liters of warm water. The beds are treated with soda solution every other day until the signs of the disease disappear.

To protect plants from premature yellowing and wilting of the tops, the beds are treated with the following solution: 1 tbsp. l. products for 10 liters of water. The liquid is used to water cucumbers at the root. Three procedures per season are enough - at the beginning and end of July, then in mid-August.

Application against pests

Many insects prefer an acidic environment. Soda is a leaching agent that normalizes soil balance and helps get rid of pests.

Recipe from aphids: 10 liters of warm water, 50 g of baking soda, 2 matchboxes of wood ash, 2 tbsp. l. crushed laundry soap. Spray every 2 days.

Solution from spider mite: 10 liters of water, 160 g of soda. Treat every other day until the insects disappear. As a preventive measure, crops growing next to cucumbers are also treated with the product.

Reference! Treatment with a working soda solution will also help drive weevils, cabbageweeds and caterpillars away from the area.

Features of using soda

Excessive soil leaching leads to slower plant growth and reduced yields. Soda solution is most often used to feed cucumbers at the root, but if they are sprayed with it, it is important to moisten the surface of the hole.

Treatments on open and closed beds are the same. Preventive and therapeutic spraying is carried out in cloudy, windless weather.The solution is easily washed off by rain; after precipitation, the procedure will need to be repeated.

Rules for processing with soda solution:

• the procedure is carried out in the morning or evening to avoid burning the foliage;
• the solution is evenly applied to the foliage by irrigation;
• spray not only leaves, but also stems, flowers and fruits;
• do not exceed the dosage and do not fertilize too often.

Cucumbers in a greenhouse can be sprayed during the day. The main thing is not to carry out the procedure in sunny weather.

Disinfecting seeds with soda

Soda is used to treat seed material before planting. The product increases plant productivity by 30%.

To protect against diseases and improve germination, seeds are soaked in a solution for 8-12 hours - 1 tsp per 1 liter of warm water. facilities. Then the planting material is dried.

Precautionary measures

The soda solution is not dangerous for humans and pets. Treatment with the product does not harm pollinating insects. There is no need to adhere to special safety measures when working with soda.

Important! After processing, white dust may appear on the fruits - it does not pose a danger to humans. Before eating, just rinse the cucumbers with running water.

Conclusion

Baking soda is a folk remedy that is widely used in summer cottages and gardens. With its help, cucumbers are fertilized, protected from diseases and pests, and increased productivity. To benefit from sodium bicarbonate, follow the recommended dosages and treatment times.