The use of iron sulfate in horticulture in the fall

19.11.2018 Fertilizers and preparations

Growing plants in open ground requires constant care, including top dressing and pest and disease control. Various drugs manufactured by the chemical industry help in this. Unfortunately, not all of them are available due to their high cost or potential toxicity. Experienced gardeners advise resorting to substances such as iron sulfate. The use in horticulture in autumn and spring of this tool is quite effective.

Content

1 Element availability in soil
2 Role in plant life
3 The effects of chlorosis
4 Useful properties of iron sulfate
- 4.1 Fields of application
- 4.2 Precautionary measures

Element availability in soil

Most soil iron (Fe) is firmly bound in the crystal lattice of various minerals. In the process of water and air erosion, its oxides and hydroxides are formed, which are absorbed by plants. Their solubility decreases sharply with increasing soil acidity. The total number of available items is reduced.

Depending on the so-called redox potential of the soil, iron oxides are present in trivalent or divalent form. Under conditions of insufficient oxygen content with a low redox process (wet soil), trivalent Fe ions are reduced to readily available Fe +2. In an air-enriched environment: for example, during drought, ferrous iron oxidizes to ferric.

This form is not available for assimilation by plants, so Fe +3 should be chelated to Fe +2 in the soil or root system (iron reductase). In addition, the ability of crops to absorb an element by 50% depends on the acidity (pH) of the soil. Bicarbonate, which is formed from carbon dioxide in soil water, is also important. Its high levels stop the acidification process and indirectly contribute to the inhibition of iron uptake. The content of this substance increases with increasing pH and water saturation.

Role in plant life

This element plays an important role in the process of plant respiration. Its deficiency always means a violation of the formation of chlorophyll. As a result, vegetation slows or stops, which affects the beauty and productivity. If iron is transported from the earth to plant cells in the form of Fe +3 citrate, then in leaf veins it is present in a physiologically inactive trivalent form.

During the transition from a part of the vessel to the leaf cell cytoplasm, ferric citrate is converted to the active divalent form. Inside the plant, the mobility of iron is not very high. For example, the nutrient does not shift from older leaves to younger ones. Therefore, its deficit is primarily observed on the youngest shootswhere the need for the presence of Fe for the formation of chlorophyll is very high.

Fact!

Even after treatment with iron preparations, adjustment of its concentration between generations of leaves does not occur. Thus, the newly formed shoots after the procedure are often saturated green, and the old shoots are yellow (a sign of chlorosis). This means that leaves affected by severe iron deficiency are usually not restored.

The main functions of the element:

It is the building block of numerous enzymes involved in the production of chlorophyll (about 80% is contained in chloroplasts, which indicates the central importance of this nutrient for the process).
Responsible for the transfer of energy in photosynthesis (the conversion of light into chemical energy).
It plays a role in the metabolism of nucleic acids, the restoration of nitrates, and protein synthesis.
A significant amount of it is contained in mitochondria (“power plants” of cells).

The effects of chlorosis

A lack of iron always causes a depletion of the plant, as a result of which growth slows down and yield decreases. Classical chlorosis is characterized by a complete loss of chlorophyll in the youngest leaves. They turn yellow with a pale green vascular network. At the first stage, a few branches are affected. If you ignore the problem, the whole plant will turn yellow. In extreme cases, this leads to loss of foliage and death of individual branches or the whole plant.

The mild symptoms of Fe deficiency are often not recognized as such. They can be observed in the following adverse environmental conditions:

on heavy alkaline soils;
in wetlands;
in cold periods (as a result of slower growth of small roots and a decrease in Fe absorption).

Chlorosis is considered a violation of the balance of iron in the plant. Sometimes this violation is called calcareous chlorosis, since it is often found on calcareous soils or surfaces. You can also meet him:

in dry areas;
small humus and phosphate-rich soils;
in crops with impaired root growth (compaction, rooting, high yields in the previous year).

Important!

The problem appears mainly in mid-summer due to drying of the soil and for a long time affects the condition of the leaves after watering and subsequent absorption by the plant of iron. In a drought, symptoms are inevitable.

Useful properties of iron sulfate

Iron sulfate or vitriol is the most popular remedy for gardening problems with Fe deficiency. It is a chemical compound (heptahydrate), the formula of which is FeSO4. It is produced in the form of ready-to-use water-soluble granules of greenish color and cannot be mixed in one solution with organophosphorus insecticides, as well as other decomposable agents in an alkaline environment.

Fertilizer is applied as recommended by the manufacturer. As a rule, the procedure is carried out every 4-6 weeks during the growing season from March to September. Granules are placed in moist soil with mandatory subsequent watering. It is advisable to carry out the treatment of plants with iron sulfate in autumn, summer or spring after analyzing the composition and acidity of the soil. This will help to more accurately identify the problem and reduce the extra cost of fixing errors.

Fields of application

The substance is used not only for root top dressing, but also in the processing of ground parts of plants. It should be remembered that it has a high acidity, so it is not recommended to apply the drug to green leaves - getting it can cause burns. It is best used before the buds open in the early spring or after the leaves fall in the fall.

The tool is very effective in combating fungal infections, the foci of which can be dry leaves and branches that have fallen to the ground. For this reason autumn garden spraying iron sulfate should cover the soil around the plants.

Using FeSO4 is effective for solving the following tasks:

processing the walls of basements and vegetable stores;
chlorosis control;
suppression of powdery mildew, anthracnose and gray rot;
treatment of damage and cuts of trees, their disinfection;
the destruction of mosses, lichens and fungal infections;
treatment of spots on roses;
pest control.

Precautionary measures

Iron sulfate will not cause harm if you follow the safety rules when working with it. First of all, it is necessary to observe the recommended dosage. A solution with an increased proportion of the drug (5-7%) can be used exclusively before the growing season or after its completion. In spring and summer, the concentration of the substance can be no more than 1%. The bark of young trees is too thin and can only be sprayed once in the spring. Adult plants will not harm the additional treatment in the fall.

Important!

The FeSO4 solution is made only in a glass or plastic container using a mask and gloves, which exclude contact with the skin and mucous membranes of a person. When spraying the garden, you must additionally use a respirator. The substance is non-toxic and, if used correctly, is safe for plants and people.

Processing the garden with iron sulphate in autumn and spring will help protect plants from becoming infected with infections and in pest control. If regular top dressing is carried out, then a sufficient amount of iron will fall into the soil in a form convenient for the root system. These measures will preserve the beauty of the plantings and provide a good harvest.