Iron chelate: features and methods of preparation

Iron is a substance that is needed not only by man, but also by plants. It is required significantly less than other microelements. However, it is extremely necessary for the normal growth and development of plants. Most importantly, the iron should be available. Therefore, a universal drug - iron chelate was created. This substance can significantly improve the condition of plants. What is this drug?

Is it possible to do without it?

Iron chelate for plants is simply irreplaceable. After all, the microelement is contained in an accessible form. Many believe that you can do without this drug. However, this is not the case. Some landladies water their plants with water with rust. Find it is not difficult, given that in the tap water contains a lot of iron. In this case, the microelement, hitting the soil, will not dissolve and not be assimilated by the plant. That's why it's worth using iron chelate.

The second option is the unique composition of the soil. Many believe that if the plant is planted in a soil containing dolomite or chalk, then no additional fertilizer will be needed. Unfortunately, these are mixtures that have a slightly alkaline reaction. Iron, hitting in such a soil, will turn into an insoluble salt. As a result, the plant will need increased nutrition. In addition, iron in an accessible form on contact with oxygen oxidizes and passes into an inaccessible form. Iron chelate allows to avoid this and provide the plant with adequate nutrition.

When to use the drug

When should I use iron chelate? The use of this drug is allowed with the following phenomena:

1. The plant slows growth.
2. Even young leaves become chlorotic.
3. Young shoots are weak and stunted.
4. The number of crops decreases.

If the plant is experiencing a severe iron deficiency, then its leaves begin to turn white. Only on their edges there are green veins. It is worth noting that the iron from the old leaves in the young does not move.

Will it be useful in the garden?

Iron chelate is necessary not only for indoor plants, but for trees in the garden. Most often, from the lack of a microelement, apple, cherry and peach suffer. In addition, grapes that have been grown on re-limed or carbonate soil may also experience iron deficiency. In this case, chlorosis is observed. Symptoms of this disease are a decrease in yield, poorly colored fruits, as well as poor flowering. In such situations, iron chelate for plants is simply necessary.

Properties of the preparation

The cost of the drug is from 20 to 30 rubles per 10 grams. This is a fairly high price. For the same amount you can buy up to 400 grams of iron vitriol. However, it is worth considering that the consumption of these drugs is completely different. To achieve a positive result, iron vitriol requires more.

Iron chelate penetrates the plant tissue better. Therefore, it needs much less. This drug feeds the plant completely. Most often, iron chelate is used to spray foliage, as its cost is high enough. In this case, the treatment is carried out every 1 to 1.5 weeks. However, there are several recipes for preparing iron chelate. This is much cheaper than buying it.

The recipe is the first

How to get iron chelate at home? This will require:

1. Pure water, preferably boiled - 3.5 liters.
2. Iron sulphate - 1 teaspoon.
3. Acid ascorbic acid - 10 grams.

The process of manufacturing the chelate of iron is quite simple. The main thing is to observe all the rules.

Manufacturing process

To begin with it is necessary to prepare all components. Water is recommended to boil and cool. Ascorbic acid can be purchased at a pharmacy. To iron chelate turned out, it is not recommended to buy the drug in a dragee and with glucose.

In ½ liter of water it is necessary to dissolve a teaspoon of vitriol of iron. After this, add to the solution ascorbic acid and shake thoroughly. The resulting mixture should be poured into a container with three liters of water and mix again. Such a solution is used not only for spraying the ground part of the plant, but also poured under the roots.

It should be taken into account that the resulting preparation has a significant drawback: iron gradually oxidizes and precipitates. Of course, when the finished powder is diluted, the same process occurs. Therefore, it is recommended to use the ready-made solution immediately. Keep the drug in a diluted form is not recommended.

Recipe for the second

How else is iron chelate prepared? Preparation of this drug takes a little time. This requires:

1. 3 liters of water boiled and chilled.
2. Citric acid - 1 tablespoon.
3. Iron sulphate - 1 teaspoon with a slide.

To prepare the fertilizer, pour water into a deep container and add the citric acid. When the component is completely dissolved, it is necessary to add iron vitriol and mix thoroughly. As a result of such manipulations, the solution should acquire a light orange shade. This indicates that the iron reacted with the rest of the components, and an iron chelate was formed.

The finished product is not stored for long. Specialists recommend using it within a few hours after preparation. It should be noted that the receipt of iron chelate is a simple process, which even the horticultural amateur can do. In this case, you can save a lot. After all, 1 packet of vitriol is not enough for one year.