Why would I talk about Boron for your garden? Many people are adding "Rock Dust" to their gardens for additional minerals but why? I get it we need to have good stuff for our plants to grow but what do we need from our plants to keep us healthy? In some of my recent research I found it interesting how the body needs Boron. Boron is naturally occurring in many vegetables but is it enough? Some of the common body issues with a low Boron are: arthritis, osteoporosis, and tooth decay....All things that happen in the country as we get older.
I'm not hear to sell you one way of another but if you want to research further start with this article by Walter Last.
The Borax Conspiracy by Walter Last
What does your research show?
My research told me to put Borax on my garden!
Rock dust? Who's the boron that came up with that one? LOL!
Sounds strange, but I will look into it.
I have heard some people take it as a vitamin supplement.
in capsule form?
And here, there are some people who won’t use it in their detergents because it’s dangerous. But I’ve seen articles explaining that borax and whatever else it was are two different things.
This can be used to control ants. ???
Never tried it, just remember hearing about it...
...and wood ash when I burned wood.
I'm going to have to look into borax more...
Yeah, it is commonly used for killing ants. They mix it with sugar water or honey water, and leave little dots of liquid bait traps. Have to put it on a smooth surface that will not absorb water.
Good information on the ants, thank you!
Some gardens do need boron. It is one of the nutrients that leaches out readily. But I would suggest not putting it down if you've not done a soil test that indicates it is needed.
I speak from experience. I thought my celery seedlings would benefit from boron, so I added a very small amount to their drench feeding. Well, they are VERY unhappy campers. :((
So I'd be careful using boron in the garden without some sort of knowledge of what is, or is not, there already....
Edit: 3rd reading of this indicated I was not clear. The seedlings were still in pots, not planted. I do soil testing and add the correct amount to the gardens of boron and other micronutrients. But these seedlings had not been planted yet, so no soil test...
Thank you for your comments based on your experience! I guess taking a sample will not be a bad idea.