When a seed germinates, crosses the layer of earth and manages, with its small sprout, to go outside, a difficult process begins for it with a single objective: to grow. For this, it needs all the nutrients that the soil can provide, but, many times, potted soils are not rich enough for them and an extra contribution is convenient. AND auxins are a key element.
To stimulate growth we can contribute hormones to our small plants. The hormones that are responsible for growth in vegetables are auxins (from the Greek, to grow). These phytohormones regulate the growth of plants. We can create ecological auxins at home, preparing an irrigation water rich in auxins and for this, we only need 100 grams of lentils.
Table of Contents
- 1 What are auxins?
- 1.1 Where are they synthesized?
- 1.2 What are they used for?
- 2 What do you need to create organic auxins with lentils?
- 2.1 Step by step
- 3 How to stimulate root growth?
- 4 When to use auxins?
What are auxins?
Plants are beings that can become very complex, especially with regard to their hormones, or rather, phytohormones. But they are also very useful for humanity, and if we talk about auxins, they are used by farmers and hobbyists with a clear objective: to get their plants to develop a healthy and strong root system, which in turn will translate into plants that they will reach a suitable size according to their genetics and growing conditions.
For this reason, auxins are much more than just any phytohormones: without them, plants would not be what they are. Without them, your cells would not be able to grow and, therefore, they would not be able to either.
Where are they synthesized?
At the apex of the stems is where they are synthesized, specifically in the meristematic regions that are in the area of division and expansion of cells.
What are they used for?
In addition to stimulating growth, it also are very important for flowering and subsequent fruit ripening, as well as to prevent these from falling prematurely.
What do you need to create organic auxins with lentils?
Image – Wikimedia / Sakurai Midori
It is highly recommended to prepare everything that is going to be needed before getting down to work, since this way we avoid having to make possible stops, and incidentally, we also save time. So let’s go. You have to see if you have the following:
- Mortar
- Jar
- A liter of water
- 100 grams of lentils
Surely it has not been difficult for you to achieve this, right? And it is that to obtain ecological auxins it is not necessary to complicate much, because with the things that we have at home we will obtain them.
Step by step
Now that it’s all on the table it’s time to follow this step by step:
- We soak the lentils in a glass of water for 8 hours. After this time, we strain them and reserve the water, as it is already rich in auxins.
- We put the lentils between slightly moistened paper napkins and leave them until they develop about 3 cm of roots.
- We cut the roots and discard the rest.
- We crush the roots in a mortar and immerse them in half a liter of water for 24 hours in a dark place.
- We strain them and add the water to the one reserved at the beginning.
And we already have a compound rich in auxins that, in turn, we will mix with 1 l. of water. The resulting mixture will be our irrigation water that stimulates the growth of the seedlings.
How to stimulate root growth?
Lentils are the most commonly used to create auxins, but they are not the only thing that will stimulate root growth. In fact, there are a few more things that might surprise you:
- Coffee: you have to boil a handful of coffee (it can be ground) in half a liter of water. It is then strained to discard the remains and allowed to cool before use.
- Cinnamon: add 3 teaspoons of cinnamon to a liter of water, and let it rest overnight.
- Wheat seeds: let them soak in water for 3 hours. After that time, keep that water in the fridge, and crush the seeds with new water. Filter them, and mix these crushed seeds with the water you have in the fridge.
Soya beans would also work for you. - Gravy: Take some willow branches with bark, wash them and let them soak for a month. After that time, put that water in the fridge and boil the branches in new water for a few minutes. Then filter them and let them cool. When it’s cold, add the water you have in the fridge and you can use it.
When to use auxins?
Image – Wikimedia / MartínezFlores // Cuttings of the white
Using ecological auxins, whether they are from lentils or other plants, can be of great help when we make cuttings for example, but also when we have planted a plant in the ground, me when taking it out of the pot has broken some roots.
Its use in diseased and / or weak plants is also very interesting, because the more roots they have, the more simple -as long as they start to be used as soon as possible, as soon as the first symptoms appear- it will be for them to recover.
We hope it has been useful to you
