Application of iron chelate for feeding garden and ornamental crops. Iron chelate for plants: its use, instructions for use Iron-containing fertilizers for indoor plants

Material prepared by: Yuri Zelikovich, teacher of the Department of Geoecology and Environmental Management

Iron chelate is a modern, highly effective microfertilizer. Its action is specific, i.e. Iron chelate contains only one microelement, but it is very important - 2-valent iron ions Fe(II). Chelated iron treatment allows:

Quickly and without fear of overdose, treat non-infectious chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), even in a very advanced form. Plants, seemingly already dead, literally turn green again the next morning.
Even the most inexperienced gardeners can carry out preventive measures against chlorosis, see below.
Without fear of overfeeding with basic nutrients, intensify plant photosynthesis in unfavorable conditions cultivation - poor soil, lack or excess of light, cold, heat, dryness.

Microfertilization with iron chelate in combination with boron is especially effective for such demanding and highly soil-depleting crops as strawberries, radishes, etc. In this case, soil reclamation after them is simplified. Regularly treated with iron chelate along with boric acid strawberries, for example, produce stable yields on the same plot for up to 8 years in a row (!). Who knows what is commercial and simple good strawberries 3-4 years after planting it needs to be rejuvenated and replanted in another place, it’s unlikely that you’ll just believe it, but try it, at least on a dozen bushes to begin with. How iron chelate is used with boron for strawberries, see the video below:

Video: using iron and boron chelate for a good strawberry harvest

And why?

Iron chelate is especially good for small areas, 6-40 acres. Here, in skillful hands, it can turn out to be a truly miraculous remedy. Why is that? What kind of panacea is this?

Iron chelate for plants is an ideal supplier of Fe(II) necessary for the synthesis of chlorophyll. In fact, iron in the soil is always in abundance, or even in excess, but 3-valent Fe(III), which forms the well-known hydroxide - rust. Fe(III) is of little use to plants and can even be harmful; Fe(II) is required to produce chlorophyll. This is explained by the fact that Fe++ iron ions migrate much more actively and faster in plants. But 2-valent iron very readily transforms into 3-valent iron, especially in the presence of oxygen and hydroxyl ions OH–. In chelate form, Fe(II) can remain in principle for an unlimited time; realistically - until the chelate complex itself disintegrates, see below. And what is especially important for crop production, in natural conditions chelates decompose approximately at the rate of Fe(II) uptake by plants. That is, iron chelate feeds plants with Fe(II) just in moderation, “according to appetite.” This is a common property of all chelated fertilizers, see also at the end.

Note: the disintegrated chelate complex does not provide ballast, because in its composition, in addition to iron, it contains carbon, oxygen, hydrogen; sometimes nitrogen. The breakdown products of the chelate shell are carbon dioxide and water, which are not harmful to plants and do not pollute the soil.

What are chelates

Chelated iron is a Fe++ ion “packed” into a ligand shell of weak organic acid residues, on the left in Fig. For Fe++ chelation, citric acid is predominantly used. There is no covalent bond between Fe++ and the elements of the ligand, therefore the iron ion in the chelate cage retains its valence until the ligant disintegrates: the chelate shell does not allow negative ions and active molecules capable of converting iron into the Fe+++ form. But the positive charge of Fe++ is enough to neutralize the weak acidic properties of the ligand, so it is difficult to chemically burn plants with an overdose of chelates: you literally need to flood the plants with the working solution. Then the negatively charged residues of the decaying ligands will have time to burn the plants before they completely disintegrate, but if the processing conditions are met (see below), this is excluded.

Forms of release and working

In powder form and in other pure solid forms, iron chelate is unstable in air and light, so it is sold either in the form of tablets with binders and stabilizers, or in bottles with a concentrated mother solution, in the center in Fig. Both can be stored in their original packaging for up to a year. Opening the package does not reduce the shelf life if it was immediately sealed after selecting the portion. Iron chelate stock solution (which you can make yourself, see below) is a dark brown liquid (right in the figure); worker - light brown or orange. The mother liquor in a covered (not hermetically sealed) or not completely filled large container, e.g. plastic bottle, stored for 2 weeks; the working solution must be used immediately.

Chelate or sulfate?

An alternative supplier of Fe(II) to plants is iron (II) sulfate FeSO4. Its advantage is considered to be low cost, but in reality this is not the case:

Iron (II) sulfate is often confused by uninformed buyers (and sellers) with ferrous sulfate (III) (Fe)2(SO4)3 - ferrous sulfate. It is iron (III) sulfate that is several times cheaper than the chelate, but it is also much less useful to plants than it is dangerous: during the decay of (very slow) (Fe)2(SO4)3 ions, Fe++ is formed in an amount that is negligible even by the standards of microfertilizers, and highly active SO4++ ions are very capable of harming plants. As for FeSO4, it is much more expensive than iron (III) sulfate;
The rate of Fe++ release during the decomposition of FeSO4 does not correspond to the rate of absorption of 2-valent iron by plants, therefore most of active substance from FeSO4 is lost;
FeSO4 as a fertilizer produces a lot of sulfur ballast - much more than the sulfur plants need, therefore, with an increase in the dose of iron (II) sulfate as a fertilizer, plants are poisoned with sulfur, and in combination with point 1, also a chemical burn;
Iron (II) sulfate, unlike iron chelate, is ineffective for plant nutrition on poor soils, in summer and in difficult weather conditions.

In the end it turns out that, if recalculated by the quantity active substance, assimilated by plants, then when manual processing small areas of iron chelate turns out to be cheaper iron(II) sulfate. Especially if a homemade working solution is used, see below. The only possible exception is the treatment of an adult garden that has reached stable fruiting with an area of 10-12 acres experienced gardener who know how to spray tree crowns in hot weather. Treating vegetable gardens up to 12 acres and greenhouse crops with iron chelate is definitely more profitable than iron (II) sulfate.

Application

The use of iron chelate in gardening and gardening due to its low danger to plants is not difficult and is carried out simply according to the schedule: vegetables are sprayed with a 0.5% solution (5 g per 10 liters of water) at the rate of 1 liter per 10 sq. m. m of green area in the phase of 3-4 true leaves and after 2 weeks or, for those flowering during the growing season, at the very beginning of budding. Fruit trees are watered with the same solution, 2 liters per 1 square meter. m of the trunk circle at the beginning of leaf blossoming and also at the beginning of budding, because Treatment of trees with iron chelate along the crown is less effective due to their different physiology compared to herbaceous ones. Emergency treatment for the treatment of chlorosis of vegetables and fruits is carried out by spraying with a 1% solution at double the rate.

Note: In the instructions for use of tablet and liquid branded iron chelate, you can find other dosages. This is explained by the presence of ballast substances in tablets or solvent. If you recalculate the active substance, the concentration will be the same.

Iron chelate is a substance of the 3rd class of danger for people, so it must be processed using PPE. The rules for spraying and feeding the roots are common for microfertilizers:

Spraying and watering are carried out in the evening; preferably in warm cloudy weather.
The sprayer should produce a misty drizzle without clearly visible spray.
Treatment of the next area is stopped when the smallest dew settles on the leaves; the appearance of rolling drops is unacceptable.
Feeding watering with iron chelate is carried out on previously well-moistened soil.

DIY iron chelate

You can prepare a working solution of iron chelate yourself from cheap iron sulfate. IN in this case the fact is used that during the dissociation of iron sulfate in an aqueous solution, Fe++ ions are partially formed, which are immediately captured by the chelating agent; it is not greedy for Fe+++ ions. The working solution is as effective as that made from purchased reagents, but contains quite a lot of ballast, so treatment with it must be carried out exactly according to the norm, and it is not suitable for the urgent treatment of chlorosis, but it is quite applicable for preventive fertilizing. A homemade working solution of iron chelate is prepared. way:

In 2 l warm clean water(preferably distilled) dissolve 8 g of iron sulfate;
In a separate bowl, dissolve 5 g of citric acid in the same amount of water;
A solution of iron sulfate is poured into a solution of citric acid in a thin stream while stirring;
Also pour in another 1 liter of clean water in a stream while stirring.

This yields 5 liters of a 0.5% solution, which should be used immediately. An indicator of the suitability of the working solution for use is transparency (there should be no sediment or turbidity) and Orange color. The prepared solution cannot be diluted; if more is needed, increase the initial amounts of water and reagents.

Note: If plants show signs of copper starvation, copper chelate will help quickly correct the situation. It is prepared in the same way, you need 20 dry ingredients copper sulfate and 40 g of ascorbic acid.

More about chelates

More or less experienced plant growers know that summer feeding is a rather complicated matter - due to weather conditions, plants can be easily overfed or burned. Therefore, leading manufacturers of agricultural chemicals for small farms produce special summer fertilizers in chelated forms, see for example. track. video.

Video: about chelated fertilizers

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Physical and chemical characteristics

Iron chelate is a coordination compound of an iron ion with two or more donor ligand atoms (neutral molecules).

Iron chelate (fertilizer) has the following properties:

Non-toxic.
Stable over the entire pH range of soils and nutrient solutions (2
Compatible with mineral fertilizers.
Completely soluble in water and easily absorbed by plants.
Resistant to microorganisms.
It binds slightly to poorly soluble compounds in soil.
It is characterized by high transport activity and permeability through plant leaves.
Compatible with pesticides.

When introducing a concentrated solution of the chelate into highly concentrated solutions of mineral fertilizers (usually such solutions are used for hydroponic growing) precipitation of the chelate is observed.

The stability of iron chelate depends on the acidity (pH) of the medium. At pH< 2 (кислые растворы) он может разрушаться и переходить в растворимые неорганические соли. При pH>9 (alkaline solutions) is also destroyed with the transition of cations into practically insoluble hydroxides.

Iron chelate reduces concentration when exposed to light and ultraviolet irradiation.

Behavior in soil

Iron chelate, as a complex organic compound, when applied to the soil, remains in a mobile (digestible) state for a long time.

Through the root system and leaves, the chelate can enter the stem and leaves without changes, but after 1-3 days it is destroyed with the transition of the metal cation into metabolites of plant tissue.

In the soil, the separation of chelated forms of iron before absorption can also be observed, which accelerates the reduction of Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ on the surface of the roots, which usually absorb the Fe 2+ cation.

Methods of application

Treatment of plants with iron chelate is performed during root and foliar treatment of plants. Maximum efficiency, especially when treating plants with chlorosis, is observed during foliar treatment.

Application on various types of soils

Iron chelate is effective in various soil- climatic conditions.

On carbonate soils this is the only highly effective form of microfertilizer.

In terms of effectiveness on all soils, iron chelate, like all complexonates, is 2-10 times superior to other forms of microelements.

Iron chelate is used for root and foliar feeding in the fight against chlorosis.

Impact on crops

Iron chelate increases crop yields and at the same time improves product quality, regardless of soil type.

Optimization of the nutrition process is accompanied by increased intake of and into plants, ensuring an increase in overall yield with an increase in economically valuable substances (proteins, sugars, vitamins).

Feeding with iron chelate helps prevent or eliminate chlorosis (gland deficiency).

Receipt

Iron chelate is obtained by reacting an iron salt in an aqueous medium with a complexing agent: N,N,N,N"-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and citric acid. Acids are introduced simultaneously or sequentially at a temperature of 70-90 °C.

An aqueous solution of ammonia or ammonium citrate is added simultaneously with or after the complexing agent to achieve pH 2.0-2.3. The complexing agent may be supplemented succinic acid. This method allows you to obtain the product in the form of a concentrated solution containing up to 100 g/l of iron.

Iron chlorosis is a common plant disease. It is characterized by a violation of the formation of chlorophyll in the leaves. The leaf blade turns yellow, but the veins remain green. Almost everyone who gardens experiences this disease. What is chlorosis in plants, how to treat this disease?

The cause of iron chlorosis is a severe lack of iron, which may be insufficient in the soil. In addition, changes may occur in the plant itself, leading to a loss of the ability to absorb iron. To eliminate the disease, you should eliminate the mistakes made in the agricultural technology of growing the plant and feed it with iron.

Signs of chlorosis

Chlorosis is not a fatal disease; it can be easily cured if the characteristic symptoms are noticed in time.

A diseased crop can be easily identified by the following signs:

leaves decrease in size;
young leaves turn yellow, only the veins remain green;
the edges of the leaf plate curl;
the shape of flowers and buds changes;
the development of the root system deteriorates;
the apical shoots dry out.

Reasons for development

If manifestations of chlorosis are noticed in time, the plant can be successfully treated. To do this, you need to know the causes of the disease, and they can be as follows:

Insufficient amount of minerals and trace elements in the diet. Most often, the soil lacks iron, zinc, magnesium, sulfur, and lime.
Infection caused by insects, fungal spores, various viruses and microorganisms.
Damage to the root system, poor soil condition, lack of drainage and other germination defects.
Hereditary chlorosis.

Types of disease

There are many types of leaf chlorosis, the difference of which is reflected in the lack of a certain element in the plant’s nutrition. To determine which microelement is missing, you should focus on external signs.

Plants susceptible to chlorosis

To the disadvantage nutrients All plants are susceptible. This applies to both domestic crops and those that grow on open ground, and even aquarium ones. But some plants are the most susceptible and, if emergency measures are not taken, may die from chlorosis.

Most prone to the disease:

Prevention

To prevent plant disease, certain measures should be taken. This concerns proper preparation planting, optimal timely care of the crop. To exercise necessary measures, it is important to know the types of chlorosis. This disease happens:

Garden tools should be washed with boiling water and wiped with a cloth moistened with alcohol..

To reduce the risk of chlorosis, you must:

choose the right substrate for plants. The soil must be permeable and light. ;
monitor the soil, pay attention to the acidity of the soil. A shift towards an alkaline environment greatly increases the risk of chlorosis. Alkalinization should not be allowed;
Water the plants periodically with acidified water. To do this, several grains of citric acid are dissolved in 1 liter of water.

Treatment

If the plants are already sick with chlorosis, preventive measures won't be enough. Of course, you will have to change the soil and use it for watering acidified water, but in addition, it is necessary to add iron in chelated form to the diet. It is easily digestible and suitable even for sick plants.

The health of the plant is restored after application at the root and spraying with the following preparations:

Iron chelate can be sprayed on the leaves or applied to the soil. In the first case, the effect of the drug appears much faster. Beneficial substances penetrate into the plant tissue within 24 hours. When watering, this only happens after three days.

In addition, for the treatment of non-infectious chlorosis, you can use not only ready-made drugs, but also those made independently. At the same time, for each species it is necessary to select individual fertilizers with increased content substance needed in this case.

To eliminate magnesium chlorosis, you should use drugs such as dolomite flour, potassium magnesium, magnesium sulfate, Mag-Boron. As improvised means Wood ash is recommended.

The lack of sulfur can be compensated for by special sulfur-containing fertilizers. Most often they are complex and contain, in addition to sulfur, other substances beneficial to plants: nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, etc.

Nitrogen deficiency is eliminated with mineral fertilizers based on nitrogen. They can be nitrate, ammonia, amide. The most popular are ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate.

For feeding vegetable crops Nitrate fertilizers, calcium and sodium nitrate are mainly used.

To feed plants and replenish some mineral elements, You can use homemade compositions:

Homemade fertilizers, like ready-made ones, are used in small quantities with caution, carefully observing how the plant reacts to fertilizing.

Ferovit

A good remedy for iron deficiency in plants is ferovit. They are processed not only flowering plants, but also fruit crops, and also spray seedlings.

This drug is used for foliar treatment. It is important to follow the dosage indicated in the instructions for use of Ferovit for plants. Excess iron can lead to poor absorption of manganese and phosphorus. The concentrate is usually sold in small ampoules. You can also find iron chelate in powder form.

To prepare the spray, it is better to take boiled water. The alkali contained in hard water can react with iron. This will weaken the effect of the drug.

Plants should be sprayed in cloudy weather, taking into account the possibility of rain. Ferovit treatment should be carried out three times per season. In the spring it will contribute to the formation of beautiful foliage, in the summer it will maintain strength, and before hibernation it will strengthen the immune system.

Homemade iron chelate

It's easy to make your own iron chelate at home in two traditional ways:

The shelf life of homemade iron chelate is 2 weeks.

One of the unconventional and very common methods of combating chlorosis at home is to bury rusty nails in a pot with a plant. The main thing here is the presence of rust.

It is always better to act proactively to prevent the disease with timely feeding and quality care.

I take iron chelate in ampoules, liquid and dilute it in a 0.5-liter bottle, pour it into a spray bottle and treat the plants when there is no sun. Works quite effectively

Antonina

I added vermiculite to the soil with microelements that kill chlorosis. In this case, the plant does not need to be replanted, just remove it upper layer soil and add soil with vermiculite. Ferovit, containing iron, is fed to the plant at the root. I personally used ferovit and was very pleased with the result.

I can tell from own experience How to treat passionflower. After applying a complex of fertilizers with high content nitrogen noticed that the leaves on the plant began to curl. I poured a complex solution containing: manganese -4.2%, iron -8.14%; copper -0.5%; boron -1.6%, zinc -1.0%, cobalt -0.2%, molybdenum -0 ,1%. Improvements were noticeable within a day. The chlorotic spots on the leaves have practically disappeared and they have unfurled.

There can be both a deficiency and an excess of iron in the soil. Ferric iron, which forms rust, is of little benefit to plants. To produce chlorophyll, a divalent component is required. Therefore it was created special remedy- iron chelate. This is a modern and effective microfertilizer containing only one important microelement - ferrous ions.

Iron chelate is excellent for replenishing iron deficiency in plants

Main characteristics

For correct height and formation, plants need special nutritional elements with which they need to be saturated throughout the entire growing season. Plants completely absorb iron, providing themselves with balanced nutrition, protection from disease and proper growth.

Description and release form

Iron deficiency can be easily determined by external signs: light foliage with green veins. Chelated iron is an ion coated with a shell of weak organic acid residues. Pear, apple, plum, cherry, lemon, as well as grapes grown on depleted soils suffer from a lack of the element. The trees bear little fruit, bloom slightly, and the color of the fruit becomes light or pale. The shortage also affects vegetable crops.

Iron deficiency in plants is easily determined by appearance

Selected species indoor flowers are demanding of iron and other trace elements, as they must remain in a closed substance. Azaleas, lemongrass, hydrangeas, gardenias and others are susceptible to iron deficiency. When the first signs of chlorosis are detected, it is necessary to spray the leaves. This will ensure a healthy appearance and full development.

Objectives of iron chelate:

rapid treatment of infectious chlorosis (yellowing of foliage) even in an advanced stage;
prevention of chlorosis;
restoration of photosynthesis of plants in poor cultivation conditions (poor soil, deficiency or excess of light, cold or hot weather).

Iron chelate is available by different manufacturers and in different form factors

Compounds of microelements in chelated form are more stable than in the form of inorganic salts. Polychelated concentrations are effective and available for plants various metals: iron, copper, manganese and zinc. The product produces the greatest effect when combined with boron, improving land reclamation. For example, crops such as radishes and strawberries greatly deplete the soil. Joint treatment with boric acid will increase yield.

In powder or other solid forms, chelates when exposed to air and sunlight unstable.

Benefits of using iron chelate:

stable immunity to environmental conditions;
replenishment of micronutrient deficiencies;
improvement of cellular respiration, metabolism and photosynthesis;
good plant growth;
increase in the amount of iron.

In this video you will learn about the use of iron sulfate:

Sold in the form of tablets with stabilizers or in bottles with a concentrated stock solution. The latter type is a dark brown liquid. The finished working solution turns light brown or orange. The fertilizer is stored for one year in its pure form. After opening the package, if the substance was stored in a closed form, the shelf life does not change. The mother solution in an unclosed container retains its properties for two weeks; the working solution is used immediately.

Positive effects of fertilizer:

Plants do not have an overdose of iron-containing components, since the roots, leaves and stems absorb only required amount microelements.

Rules for dosing and use

Affordable price and ease of use will soon solve plant problems. Root feeding used in complex and advanced cases of chlorosis, foliar - to prevent the disease.

Also, iron chelate can be used to prevent chlorosis

Foliar, external treatment is the spraying of plants or trees with liquid from a spray bottle. The initial treatment is carried out after the foliage unfurls, the next one after two weeks. Fruit trees are irrigated with 0.8% chelated iron, and vegetable, berry and ornamental crops with a 0.4% solution.

When root watering, use 0.8% fertilizer. The product is poured under the root in the appropriate volume.

Proportions of the product for root watering:

10−20 liters per tree;
1−2 liters per bush;
4−5 l per 100 sq. m of vegetables or berries.

The instructions for use may contain other dosage information. This is explained by the presence of ballast components in different release forms. When recalculating the active substance, the concentration remains the same.

It is important to adhere to the rules and safety precautions for the use of iron chelate

Spraying, irrigation and watering are carried out in the evening; a warm, cloudy day is recommended. The spray bottle should not produce splashes, but rather a light drizzle. The irrigation procedure is completed when fine dew settles on the leaves. Drops should not roll down.

Before watering at the root, the soil should be well moistened. This is done in advance.

Do-it-yourself microfertilizer

The working solution is prepared from budget vitriol. The chelate is formed by an acidifier - citric or ascorbic acid. The effect of the substance is explained by the fact that when vitriol is dissolved in water, iron ions are formed, which are captured by the chelating agent.

In two liters warm water Mix 8 g of bivalent copper sulfate until completely dissolved. In another container, maintaining a similar proportion, dissolve 5 g of citric acid. Add iron sulfate to the resulting acidic solution in a thin stream. Stirring constantly, pour in 1 liter of water. The result is a fertilizer volume of 5 liters. A solution with a concentration of the main substance of 0.5% is used immediately.

Iron chelate is ready at home. The suitability of the working composition is determined by the transparency and orange tint of the liquid. There should be no sediment or cloudy color. The finished solution cannot be diluted; if necessary, increase the amount of water and reagents to obtain a larger volume.

Another option is to add ascorbic acid. The tablets should not contain glucose. Ascorbic acid (10 g) is added to a solution of iron sulfate (1 tsp per 0.5 l of water). Dilute 3 liters of water, after combining, chelated iron is formed.

The main disadvantage of creating iron chelate at home is that it cannot be stored, since the drug oxidizes and precipitates. The disintegrated chelate complex does not leave behind compounds harmful to the plant. Its breakdown products are carbon dioxide and water, which are harmless to the plant.

Safety rules and analogues of the product

Treat plants in the garden or indoors with iron chelate with extreme caution. There are similar preparations that, in the absence of original fertilizer, are successfully used in gardening.

Precautionary measures

The product belongs to the substances of the third class of danger to humans, therefore the treatment of plants is carried out using products personal protection. When fertilizer gets on the skin, it often causes inflammation and redness.

When using the drug, you must follow general safety precautions:

At the end of the procedure, you need to wash your face and hands with soap, wash your clothes and treat them with a soda solution.

Drug substitutes

Agronomic market presented big amount fertilizers and means for fertilizing garden crops. Due to its easy absorption, iron chelate for plants is quite common. It's versatile and environmentally friendly pure fertilizer, benefiting the garden. Some analogues are identical to iron chelate, while others are inferior in quality.

It is not necessary to use iron chelate; any product containing iron ions will do.

Ferovit is a universal photosynthesis activator. The fertilizer contains chelated iron, urea and nitrogen. This product is used to treat all year round vegetable and fruit crops, as well as domestic and ornamental plants. Indoor flowers suffer from hard water, which makes the soil alkaline and makes it difficult for the free absorption of iron from the soil. Fertilizer saturates the soil with iron, promotes good absorption of ions by plants, and saturates seedlings.

Another analogue is Microvit K-1, containing iron, sulfur and nitrogen compounds. The product actively fights plant chlorosis and is used for external and root treatment during the growing season. Citric acid is used as a chelating agent, which protects iron ions from oxidation.

Fertik's water-soluble granules and aqueous solution are well absorbed by the plant and soil. Granules require plenty of moisture.

Some time after feeding your plants with iron, you will notice improvements in their condition.

Instead of a chelate, ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) is used. This substrate is cheaper in cost, but is also inferior in usefulness. During the decay of ions, the main part useful substances evaporates. The use of ferrous sulfate causes excess sulfur and burns the plants. Sulfate does not help with depleted soil and poor climatic conditions. This fertilizer should not be used on small areas(up to 10 acres) and in greenhouses).

Microfertilizer Orton Micro-Fe contains iron, boron, cobalt, manganese, zinc and other elements. It is used as foliar feeding to activate photosynthesis, prevent chlorosis, and increase resistance to diseases.

The introduction of any microelements into the soil or the treatment of plants with them plays the role of a healer for fruit crops.

The use of Reakom fertilizing increases germination energy, increases germination, resistance to diseases and bad weather conditions. Foliar feeding provides even greater absorption useful elements, accelerate flowering, pollination, and improve the quality of the harvest.

It is important to understand that iron is extremely important element for plants, if the problem is not corrected in time, it is negative
will affect the result

Iron is an important element for plant growth. Its lack leads to a disruption in the production of chlorophyll in the leaves, and the process of photosynthesis gradually stops. Iron deficiency is felt in alkaline soils. If the content of the element is sufficient, for its absorption it is necessary to maintain the acidic reaction of the soil. The only one accessible form metal that is easily absorbed is chelated iron.

Not all gardeners know that iron chelate is an important component for use in feeding crops. But those who note its usefulness may not have an idea about the mechanism of operation of this agrochemical. Metal ions are essential minerals for living organisms and are required only in small dosages. They are classified as micronutrients. The lack of these elements provokes yellowing of leaves, deterioration of plant growth and a decrease in yield. There are enough recipes for preparing this microfertilizer at home, the main thing is to follow the manufacturing technology and the proportions of the main ingredients.

Chelates and their benefits

Iron is one of the constituent enzymes involved in the creation of chlorophyll. In case of its deficiency, the rate of photosynthesis processes in plants decreases, provoking the development of a disease such as chlorosis. Its obvious manifestation is the presence of light yellow, almost whitish leaves on young vegetative organs. It is noteworthy that the old leaves for a long time do not lose their green color, but new ones begin to turn yellow, get sick and eventually die.

With insufficient iron, the inflorescences become smaller and weaker. In addition, there is a delay in auxin synthesis, horticultural crops noticeably stunted in growth.

The most susceptible are tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, grapes, fruit trees, corn, citrus fruits, and raspberries.

In most soils, the iron level is 2-3%, which is a lot, but it has a poorly digestible form and is difficult for plant organisms to perceive. Iron chelate, made on the basis of complexonates, is a highly effective remedy for the treatment of chlorosis, as well as protection against pests of fruit crops.

Release forms

Chelated fertilizers are commercially available in tablet form. The composition contains binders and stabilizers, since in their pure form they are unstable in air. You can find bottles with a concentrated mother solution.

The shelf life of such fertilizing is one year, but provided that the container is quickly sealed after selecting the required portion.

The mother liquor based on iron chelate is dark brown in color, and the working liquid is light brown or orange in color. If the container with fertilizer is not tightly closed, the shelf life of the solution is only two weeks. It is recommended to use the prepared nutrient liquid immediately.

Benefits for plants

Iron, as one of the main microelements in plant life, ensures their proper development, vegetation and activation of all the required processes for full growth. If you regularly use microfertilizer, you can achieve the following results:

Strengthen plant immune forces and resistance to negative environmental factors.
Replenish the missing amount of microelements to increase the level of resistance to disease.
Improve respiratory function and photosynthesis.
Accelerate the growth and development of green mass.
Increase your iron levels.
Normalize metabolic processes.
Ensure sufficient chlorophyll levels in leaves.

This composition can be used for root and foliar soil treatment. In advanced cases, when signs of iron deficiency appear too pronounced, it is effective to carry out foliar irrigation of the affected leaves.

Description and chemical composition of iron chelate

To understand how microfertilizer works, you need to know what iron chelate is. This is a dark orange powder that is odorless and tasteless. The chemical structure of the complex is a divalent iron atom placed in a shell of molecules of weak organic acids (in most cases, citric acid is used).

Given that there is no covalent bond between the Fe ion and the ligand, iron in chelated form retains its valency as long as the ligand holds. Such a specific shell protects the substance from combining with other active molecules that can convert it into a trivalent form. Chelated iron, when decomposed, does not pollute the earth and does not harm environment.

Purpose of the product

Iron chelate fertilizer used for plants does not have a wide range of uses.

It is mainly used for foliar feeding in the fight against chlorosis, when active yellowing of leaves is observed due to disruption of the photosynthesis process in them.

Grapes are especially susceptible to this disease; when growing them, preventive measures should be taken more actively. Plantings that grow in unfavorable conditions (poor soils, sudden changes in temperature, deficiency or excess of ultraviolet radiation) also need this microfertilizer.

Signs of chlorosis in plants

Thanks to iron, the process of photosynthesis in plant organisms proceeds normally. If this element is contained in low concentrations, the synthesis of chlorophyll in the green mass is disrupted, and this is the development of chlorosis. This condition depletes, depresses the plants, and they eventually die. In order to react in time, it is recommended to know the main manifestations of the disease:

On the young sheet plates between the veins there is a change in color from green to yellow.
Leaves decrease in size and fall off.
The shape of the buds and color change, become deformed, and unopened specimens also fall off.
The leaves begin to curl at the edges.
The apical vegetative organs practically do not develop; they often dry out.
Root system is suspended in its development, and in advanced cases it dies.

But you should not use iron III sulfate for these purposes, since the rate of release of Fe++ does not coincide with the rate of absorption of this substance by plant organisms, part of it is simply lost.

Instructions for use of iron chelate

To eliminate the effects of chlorosis and increase immunity in cultivated crops, the drug is used for foliar and root feeding. The working solution should be applied under the bush in case of severe manifestations of the disease, and the leaves should be irrigated for preventive purposes.

For It is convenient to spray diseased plants using a spray bottle; the number of procedures is 4. To prevent chlorosis, two treatments are sufficient, the first is done after the leaves have fully opened, and the next ones at intervals of 2-3 weeks. fruit trees

the concentration of the working fluid should be 0.8%, and for berries, vegetables, ornamental crops, field crops and vineyards, a 0.4% solution is sufficient. Root feeding is carried out with 0.8% working fluid. It is used for watering directly under the roots of plantings or into planting holes 20-30 cm deep, which have been prepared in advance. The solution consumption per tree is 10-20 liters, per bush – 1-2 liters. To treat an area of 100 square meters. We will have to use 4-5 liters of diluted drug. Iron chelate can be prepared at home or purchased from.

finished form

DIY chelated fertilizers

Self-made iron chelate, unlike the finished product, costs half as much. It’s not that difficult to prepare, just follow the recipe:
Pour 2 liters of warm, settled water into a suitable container.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of iron sulfate in the same volume of liquid.
Slowly pour a solution of iron sulfate into a container with citric acid.
Add 1 liter of water in the same way.
The working fluid is ready for use.

In the process of dissolving iron sulfate in water, the formation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions occurs. Lemon acid acts as a chelating agent that captures divalent iron and feeds it to plant organisms. The product is effective for prevention purposes, but given the high Fe(III) content, it is recommended to strictly adhere to the proportions of the ingredients.

As a top dressing, homemade chelated fertilizer should be applied immediately. If the working solution loses its transparency and pronounced orange color, its usefulness is reduced to zero.

Best period for treatments – morning and evening hours. Preparing iron chelate does not take much time, but the result of its use is very quickly evident on green plants, they become stronger and more resilient.