We treat and prevent tomato diseases: how to treat tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture - step-by-step instructions for beginners
Tomatoes, like many other cultivated and wild plants, are susceptible to disease. Most often, vegetables become infected with fungal infections. Late blight, powdery mildew, and Alternaria affect the crop, gradually killing it. To combat fungi, experienced gardeners advise using Bordeaux mixture. What it is and how to use the liquid correctly, we will consider further.
What is this mixture
Bordeaux mixture is an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide and calcium sulfate. In simple words, the mixture consists of water, quicklime and copper sulfate. The fight against fungus occurs at the cellular level.
When to use the solution
The liquid is used mainly as a prophylaxis against viral and fungal diseases. It is important to follow the proportions and recommendations for use. The drug copes especially well with the following diseases:
- Late blight. The fungus is capable of infecting a huge number of tomato bushes in a short time. Appears in the form of brown spots and white plaque. The pest quickly destroys a large number of bushes and infects neighboring beds. To combat late blight, treatment with Bordeaux mixture begins immediately.
- Brown spot most often applies to tomatoes growing in a greenhouse. Brown spots appear on the lower part of the plant, and light ones on the upper part. Before processing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is important to remove and burn all affected parts of the plants.
- Streak. The disease quickly eats the leaves and root system of the tomato. Because of it, the fruits lose their taste and the stems die.
Important! In addition to preventive and therapeutic effects, the drug improves the quality of tomatoes in the future and improves their shelf life.
Advantages and disadvantages of the product
Like many other drugs, Bordeaux mixture has its strengths and weaknesses.
Advantages of the drug:
- has a noticeable effect against many pathogens and microbes;
- protects plants for a month;
- is not washed away by rain and watering;
- quickly comes into contact with the plant;
- supplies tomatoes with calcium.
Disadvantages of the drug:
- if there is an excess of it, the tomatoes crack and the leaves fall off;
- may be toxic to other plants;
- accumulates in the ground over the years, which has a bad effect on berry bushes and trees in the future;
- Copper can enter water bodies along with groundwater;
- precision in dosages is required, since copper is a poison for humans;
- severe side effects when entering the human body;
- cannot be used during the flowering period;
- Possible side effects in the form of burns on the leaves.
How to cook properly
In cooking, it is important to follow exact proportions and rules. Under no circumstances should you prepare Bordeaux mixture “by eye”.
Components and Rules
For preparation you will need copper sulfate, quicklime and water. Buy them at specialized gardening stores. The shelf life of copper sulfate should be no more than two years, and lime should be worked in a room with a minimum level of humidity.
In addition to the main ingredients, you will need a sieve, gauze, large and small saucepans, scales, a wooden stick and a nail.It is best to take containers made of plastic or glass. Make sure they are free of chips.
The cooking process looks like this:
- pour hot water into a five-liter saucepan;
- pour vitriol;
- add cold water to the top and stir with a wooden stick;
- pour 2 liters of water into a ten-liter saucepan;
- add lime and stir;
- add cold water so that the pan is half filled;
- pour a solution of copper sulfate;
- fold the gauze and strain.
Important! Do not mix components dry or use components at different temperatures. Solutions in pans must be cold.
After preparation, experienced gardeners advise checking the chemical reaction. To do this, a nail is lowered into the solution. If the solution is prepared incorrectly, a red coating will remain on the nail. The liquid can burn the plant because it contains an increased dose of copper sulfate. To correct the situation, add lime milk to the solution until the nail is no longer coated with copper.
Proportions
Be sure to follow the proportions. The concentration of the mixture for spraying is 1% or 0.75%.
For a 1% solution you will need:
- 10 liters of water;
- 150 g quicklime;
- 100 g of copper sulfate.
Mixture composition 0.75%:
- 10 liters of water;
- 100 g quicklime;
- 0.075 kg of copper sulfate.
Important! Both in a greenhouse and in open ground for 10 square meters. m requires 2 liters of mixture.
Using ready-made Bordeaux mixture in bottles
A ready-made solution of Bordeaux mixture has gained popularity among gardeners. According to the instructions on the bottle, water is mixed with liquid in the required proportions. For example, to obtain a 1% liquid, combine 100 ml of water and 100 ml of Bordeaux mixture.
This solution also has a preventive and therapeutic effect on tomatoes. It is easy to use; you do not need to waste time and effort preparing the drug yourself.
The plant is sprayed in spring or autumn. Operations are performed carefully, strictly according to the recommendations on the bottle. The slightest inaccuracies can damage the tomatoes and cause burns on the bushes.
How to properly treat tomatoes with this liquid
How to treat tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture? The procedure does not tolerate errors, so it is recommended to study the rules before using the mixture.
Step-by-step instruction
When the liquid is ready and the consumption of the drug has been calculated, start processing the tomatoes:
- Choose the right time. The best day is when there is no dew, rain or wind.
- Prepare rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator. The most convenient is a sprayer with a small tip.
- Start the procedure. Treat only those parts of the bushes that show signs of disease.
Read also:
The best varieties of tomatoes for the greenhouse, resistant to late blight.
A guest in the garden, named after a star: the Canopus tomato.
Treatment Frequency and Precautions
Treatment frequency is no more than four times per season. It is better to carry out the procedure three times with an interval of 10 days. You cannot spray the bush when it is blooming or forming fruits, or if there are other vegetables nearby that you plan to harvest in 2 weeks. If the disease has affected the seedlings, treat them 14 days before planting.
Important! Bordeaux mixture can not only help, but also harm. During the procedure, eating, drinking and smoking is strictly prohibited.After treatment, you must thoroughly rinse your face, hands and tools. Also, children and animals are prohibited from being near you during the procedure.
Features of use in greenhouses and open ground
When processing in a greenhouse, it is recommended to moisten the bush generously and evenly so that the liquid flows down the stem and leaves. This way it will penetrate into all the cracks, and this is where dangerous pathogens are contained. After this, open all the doors and windows in the greenhouse - the structure should be ventilated.
In open ground, it is recommended to treat the plant in early summer. A 1% solution is especially suitable for this. This way you will protect the bushes from dangers at the very beginning of the growing season, that is, during the ripening period.
Popular questions
On thematic forums, gardeners often discuss the use of Bordeaux mixture. This is what gardeners are especially interested in.
Which is better: Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate?
Copper sulfate is a mixture of warm water and vitriol. It is used not only for the prevention of bushes, but also for the treatment of wooden structures. Most gardeners are confident that Bordeaux mixture is still better than copper sulfate.
The fact is that it is safer for plants and humans. Also, the likelihood that copper sulfate will burn the leaves is much higher.
How soon after processing can tomatoes be eaten?
Tomatoes can be used after processing no less than 2 weeks after the last operation. The same rule applies to nearby vegetables and fruits. As expected, mature vegetables should be washed well before use.
Tips and tricks
If you don’t want to prepare the liquid yourself, purchase the dry mixture at a specialty store and simply dilute it with water. In the concentrate format, the mixture is more convenient, but also costs an order of magnitude more.
If Bordeaux mixture enters the body, coughing, sneezing, weakness, and chills may occur. In this case, call an ambulance immediately; do not hope that the side effects will go away on their own.
If the drug gets into the respiratory tract, take diuretics or antipyretics. In case of contact with skin, rinse thoroughly with plenty of water. And if the liquid gets into the gastrointestinal tract, but gastric lavage and activated charcoal are required.
Important! In addition to tomatoes, flower, berry, fruit bushes and trees are treated with liquid.
Conclusion
Prepare the mixture only according to the recipe. Bordeaux mixture is used in greenhouses and in the open air. Since the mixture is toxic, be sure to prepare rubber gloves, a respirator and goggles before working with it.
If the solution enters your body, immediately call an ambulance or take the above medications.