Borax and Garden Plants

Borax contains boron, an essential micronutrient that helps plants transport sugar. The trick to using boron in the garden is getting the amount just right. It acts both as an herbicide and a plant food depending on the amount used and the type of plant.

Herbicide

• Borax is an effective herbicide against creeping charlie (Glechoma hederace), also known as creeping jenny, ground ivy and gill-over-the-ground. Lawn grass may brown temporarily but it recovers quickly. To make a spray, first dissolve of 10 ounces of borax in 4 ounce of warm water.Dilute this solution with 2 1/2 gallons of water. Use the spray to cover 1,000 square feet. If you have less area to cover, cut the recipe accordingly.

Cautions

• Using borox as an herbicide more than once a year for two years kills grass and leaves a buildup in the soil. Established lawns tolerate a slight excess of boron, but new lawns and gardens don't, so limit the use to established lawns. Use borax no more than twice a year for two years.

Plant Food

• Use borax in small amounts to treat a boron deficiency in garden soil. Some plants need more boron than others. Broccoli develops hollow stems and beets develop internal black spots when boron is deficient. Treat these deficiencies with a tablespoon of borax dissolved in 3 gallons of water. Use this solution to treat a 1,000-foot row. If your rows are shorter, cut the recipe accordingly.