liz durkan asked 14 years ago
My Turnips for last two years have been hollow in center .look perfect untill you cut. I have been told to use boron on them when young .what is Boron ,Where can it be got and how do you apply it. My other root veg are perfect
Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
If you use fertiliser, you can buy borinated fertiliser from farm coop stores, or liquid feed the plants when small with Miracle grow or similar complete feed, which contains traces of boron. The plants need just a tiny amount and a liquid feed each month should be enough, starting at the seedling stage.
If you can find a pharmacy that sells boric acid, also called boracic acid, (it has been used in the past as an antiseptic), you can spread this at the rate of 5gm per 10 square metres, that is one teaspoon to 10 square metres, diluted in hot water first and then in 10 litres of water, a full watering can. Do not apply excess as this can cause toxicitiy problems.
