Gardeners use succinic acid quite often as a fertilizer for plants. Moreover, this fertilizer is used both for crops grown in open ground and for home flowers. Succinic acid is a natural growth stimulant that, when used correctly, does not harm plants and helps to grow healthy and strong crops and get a rich harvest. Before use, you should read the instructions.
What is succinic acid
Succinic acid for fertilizing plants is sold in two formulations - tablets of 0.5 and 0.25 grams, and powder. The latter option can be purchased in special stores that sell drugs used in gardening and horticulture.
Succinic (ethane-1,2-dicarboxylic) acid is a colorless, odorless powder. It is highly soluble in alcohol and water and is found naturally in small quantities in almost all plants.
However, for industrial use, the acid is extracted from amber, maleic anhydride and brown coal. Before purchasing fertilizer, it is worth understanding what it does to plants.
How it works and what it’s used for
Succinic acid is not a complete fertilizer and does not replace the mineral and organic fertilizers needed by plants. Tablets and powder have a general strengthening effect on indoor and outdoor crops, improve soil microflora, stimulate seedling growth and increase plant immunity and their resistance to various diseases.
Dicarboxylic acid is characterized by the following beneficial actions:
- affects tissue and cellular metabolism;
- produces specific peptides, the purpose of which is to protect against toxins;
- takes part in the formation of amino acids and other organic compounds;
- promotes saturation of plant cells with oxygen;
- provides transportation of extracellular and intercellular fluids.
The list of indications for the use of dicarboxylic acid includes the following items:
- acceleration of chlorophyll formation in culture cells;
- increasing plant resistance to adverse weather conditions;
- as a stimulator of growth and development;
- improved adaptation of seedlings after planting in open ground;
- stimulation of the development of the root system and shoots;
- extending the flowering period of indoor flowers;
- improving the absorption of nutrients from the soil.
Those gardeners who have tested the working qualities of succinic acid in practice have identified several advantages of the growth stimulator, these include:
- versatility of use (you can feed both open ground plants and house flowers);
- low cost of the drug;
- the ability to easily purchase tablets and powder both in gardening stores and in regular pharmacies;
- environmental safety for humans, animals and insects.
If we talk about the disadvantages of dicarboxylic acid, then there are practically none; the main thing is to follow the instructions and consumption rates during use.
Consumption rate and preparation of working solution
In order to feed the plants, you first need to prepare a working liquid. It is done according to a simple algorithm - take a glass of warm, settled water and add 1 gram of succinic acid to it, mix thoroughly until the drug is completely dissolved. Let the liquid stand for a while and add water to a liter volume, resulting in a 1% solution.
Depending on the required concentration, the mother liquor is diluted with water. For example, to obtain a 0.01% liquid, add 1 liter of water to 100 ml of the prepared solution; to prepare a 0.001% liquid, add 10 liters of water.
It is not recommended to store the prepared mother liquor for longer than 5 days, otherwise it loses its working qualities and does not have the necessary effect on plants and soil.
Instructions for use as fertilizer
Acid is used as a fertilizer in different ways, depending on the purpose of use.
Processing of planting material
If the seed material is soaked in a growth stimulant before planting in the ground, the seedlings will be strong and friendly, and the seedlings will not get sick. To do this, you need to use a 0.004% working solution.
The procedure is carried out as follows:
- The prepared solution is poured into a liter jar and the seeds are poured into it.
- Take the container to a dark and cool place and keep the material in the liquid for 24 hours.
- After this, the seeds are taken out from the succinic acid, dried and immediately sown in the ground.
Since dicarboxylic acid accelerates the germination of tubers, it is used for pre-planting treatment of potatoes. A 0.004% concentration is also used. The tubers are laid out in one layer and sprayed with working liquid from a spray bottle. After this, cover with film and give the drug 2 hours to act. After this, the potatoes can be immediately sent into the ground, or they can be left for germination.
Watering the root system
If the root system of the plants was not treated with dicarboxylic acid before planting, this can also be done during the growing season by irrigation.To do this, prepare a 0.2% working fluid and moisten the space around the stem, soaking the soil to a depth of 30 cm. This procedure is done several times with an interval of 7-9 days.
Spraying
To achieve lush flowering and stimulate the growth of side shoots of plants in the garden and garden, they use the spraying method. To do this, prepare a 0.1% solution of succinic acid and carry out the procedure according to the following algorithm:
- For lush flowering, plants are sprayed 2-3 times, the first is done even before flowering begins, twice a day.
- To grow shoots, perform 3 procedures at intervals of 14 days, generously wetting the leaves and stems of the crop.
It is important to maintain proportions and properly prepare the working fluid to obtain the desired effect.
Soil nutrition
Using dicarboxylic acid for soil will also bring positive results. The fact is that this growth stimulator normalizes the soil microflora, destroying pathogenic microorganisms and creating favorable conditions for the reproduction of beneficial ones. You can use acid to water the soil 2-3 times per season; it is advisable to carry out the first procedure before planting, using a 0.1% solution concentration.
Precautionary measures
Dicarboxylic acid is not toxic and does not pose a danger to the person processing the plants. When working with the drug, it is enough to follow basic safety requirements and wash your hands after completing all activities in the garden.
When you should not use succinic acid for feeding
If the site has acidic soil, it is not recommended to frequently use a growth stimulator, as it can further acidify the soil.Also, you should not use dicarboxylic acid in the autumn and winter, even if the plant is in an apartment, so as not to disrupt the natural cycle of crop development.
