In the countryside there are always pests and plant diseases that prevent the growers from growing a good harvest. Therefore, in the spring and summer, to combat the diseases of almost all plants, spraying with Bordeaux mixture is carried out.
Currently, in specialized stores sell a ready Bordeaux mixture, which includes pre-packaged slaked lime and copper sulfate in the right proportions. But you can completely prepare it yourself, then we will tell you how to do it.
Self-preparation of the Bordeaux mixture
Gardeners in different periods of plant growth use Bordeaux mixture in different concentrations.
For preparation of 1% concentration it is necessary:
- 100 g of copper sulphate;
- 100-150 g of lime;
- 10 liters of water.
3% concentration:
- 300 g of copper sulphate;
- 400 g of lime;
- 10 liters of water.
0.5-0.75% concentration:
- 50-75 g of copper sulfate;
- 75-100 g of lime;
- 10 liters of water.
How to dissolve a ready-made or self-mixed Bordeaux mixture?
The mixing process is the same:
- Copper sulfate dissolved in 1 liter of hot water in non-metallic dishes;
- after complete dissolution of vitriol, add another 5 liters of water;
- in the second tank, dissolve the lime in 5 liters of water;
- solution of copper sulfate pour a thin stream into the lime solution (the order of infusion can not be changed);
- Filtrate before use.
The correctly prepared mixture will be bright blue. Prepare the Bordeaux mixture immediately before it is used.
Application of the Bordeaux mixture
The Bordeaux mixture is used:
in 3% concentration:
- for spraying fruit trees in early spring, before or during bud budding from scab, monolioze, curly;
- grapes from downy mildew (mildew);
- currants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and ornamental shrubs from various spots;
- Winter cereals from root rot, snow mold.
in 1% concentration
- for sprinkling of quince, apple and pear in the period of development against scab, patchiness and moniliosis;
- apricot, plum, cherry, peach, cherry - from curly, coccomicosis, moniliosis, gray rot ;
- grapes - against mildew;
- gooseberries and currants - from rust, septoriosis, anthracnose;
- potato - against phytophthora (potato fungus).
in 0.5-0.75% concentration
- for spraying vegetable crops (cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon, etc.) and ornamental plants.
One medium tree will need 10-16 liters of liquid, for potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetable plants, for 100 m2 of planting, 5-10 liters are needed.
Sprinkling of fruit trees is performed at the time of bud formation, then repeated after the petals fall and when the fruits become like a hazelnut.
Spraying of vineyards, potatoes and other plants (gillyflowers, tomatoes) should be started at the first appearance of diseases and repeated after 10-15 days and so until the disease completely disappears. It is obligatory to stop spraying fruit crops 2-3 weeks before harvesting.
Before you make and use the Bordeaux mixture, you should familiarize yourself with the necessary precautions, since it is poisonous to animals and humans:
- During the work, use personal protective equipment for the skin, eyes and nasopharynx;
- Before eating, the fruit should be thoroughly washed;
- The residual liquid must be buried in the ground, but away from the wells;
- sprinkled plants do not use for livestock feed;
- The dishes used during the preparation of the mixture are no longer suitable for cooking;
- After working with it you need to wash your face and hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Although the process of preparing the Bordeaux mixture is not very simple, but gardeners are slow to abandon its use in favor of new fungicides, since they have used it for many years and are confident of a positive result.