What to do if gooseberries are covered with a brown coating, how to save the harvest

To grow a good gooseberry crop, watering and fertilizing alone is not enough. It is important to regularly inspect the bushes for external damage - they signal emerging diseases. One of the most common signs of infection is brown spots on leaves, shoots and fruits. They indicate the appearance of powdery mildew, goblet rust, anthracnose or septoria on the bush.

The article will tell you what to do if there is a brown coating on the leaves and berries of gooseberries and how to cure diseased plants.

Why are the gooseberries covered with a brown coating?

Brown plaque on gooseberries is a sign of fungal and viral diseases. The plaque spreads locally or throughout the entire plant, depending on the degree of infection. Sometimes brown spots occur due to a lack of microelements or due to non-compliance with the rules landings and care.

Rust

Rust can be easily recognized by brown-orange spots on flowers, stems and leaves. The main types of rust are goblet (manifested by swellings) or columnar (spots). The disease occurs due to high humidity, frequent watering, and dense plantings.

Get rid of rust using contact fungicides or 1% Bordeaux mixture. First time gooseberries are processed during the period of leaf blossoming, the second - at the time of budding. Complete treatment after flowering.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases of horticultural crops. It affects all parts of the plant and actively manifests itself in late April - early May, when warm weather sets in. The disease first appears as a white coating, which soon turns into blurry brown spots.

The affected shoots are deformed, the leaves dry out and become distorted, and the fruits stop growing. Ammonium nitrate is used for preventive purposes against powdery mildew. For 10 liters of water there is 50 g of the drug; the resulting solution is moistened with leaves and shoots. Carry out processing before flowering on a windless day.

Mosaic

A viral disease occurs due to non-compliance with disinfection rules, heat and high humidity. Sometimes the cause of infection is insects and rodents that act as carriers of the virus. Because of the mosaic, the leaves are covered with a bright yellow pattern, which is located along the main veins.

Rain, dew and fog contribute to the development of the disease. If the mosaic is not detected in time and measures are not taken, the bush will slow down in development and soon die completely. The mosaic pathogen is frost-resistant and quickly spread by the wind. The fight against this disease is carried out from early spring to late autumn.

Septoria

The fungal disease primarily affects the leaves - dirty gray spots with a brown border form on the plates. After 3-5 days, dark spots appear - these are foci of infectious spores. The leaves dry out and curl, and then fall off.

If affected leaves are found, they are removed and burned. Otherwise, nearby plants will get sick. Septoria blight occurs due to weeds and fallen leaves that contain infected spores.That is why it is important to keep the soil clean and remove all weeds in a timely manner.

Anthracnose

Fungal spores overwinter on fallen leaves. A sign of anthracnose is small brown spots up to 1 mm in diameter that appear on gooseberry leaves. The latter quickly fall off, while anthracnose spreads to the shoots and fruits.

The disease affects leaf roots and stalks, which affects the yield. This happens especially actively in rainy weather. If measures are not taken in time, the disease will destroy up to 80% of the crop and infect other fruit trees and shrubs. Also, in bushes that are infected with anthracnose, the growth of young shoots is reduced.

Brown spots on gooseberries

The most common cause of brown spots on berries is powdery mildew in an advanced stage.. In this case, there is no point in fighting the disease; it is better to immediately remove the affected bushes and burn them away from the garden plot.

The remaining plants are treated with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate solution. For prevention, in early spring the bushes are watered with boiling water to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. It would be useful to spray the gooseberries with a solution of wood ash - 300 g of dry matter is required for 10 water.

On the leaves

Brown spots on leaves occur due to a lack of microelements. Signs of deficiency do not appear immediately, but after 1-2 months. The plant weakens and slows down in growth, the leaves change color, fruit formation decreases, and the root system weakens. The lack of microelements is compensated by adding into the soil humus or vermicompost. Also, complex garden fertilizers will come to the rescue - “Zdraven”, “Kemira Universal”, “Argicola Green”. They will eliminate the deficiency of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus.

Attention! The effectiveness of fertilizer depends on the correct application. Feeding gooseberries before watering, after loosening the soil to a depth of 5-7 cm. Afterwards, moisten with warm water, directing it to the root. This promotes faster distribution of nutrients and improves their absorption.

What to do, how to save gooseberries

Store-bought and folk remedies help fight fungal and viral diseases.

Purchased funds

Purchased products include chemical and biological agents. Chemicals are used if the plant is already sick and treatment requires effective measures. Biological products have a more environmentally friendly composition and are used for both treatment and prevention.

Gaupsin is used against brown spots. The product has an antimicrobial and fungicidal effect, is effective against diseases and insect pests. Efficiency in combating pathogens is 90%, the drug is non-toxic to humans and animals. The product is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:50 and the solution is left for 30 minutes. Treatment is carried out in the morning or evening at an air temperature of at least +10°C. The effect of "Gaupsin" is observed within 30 hours from the moment of spraying.

Fitosporin is also effective in use.. It eliminates fungal and bacterial diseases, suppresses the proliferation of dangerous microorganisms. Gooseberries are processed in dry weather, the interval between procedures is from 7 to 14 days. Fitosporin is used at any stage of plant development, including the growing season and fruiting period. To prepare the working solution, use 10 liters of water and 15 g of the drug.

Attention! Summer residents also turn to Bordeaux mixture for help.It is used for treatment and prevention and is valid for 30 days from the date of treatment. The procedures are carried out during bud break and before flowering. A spray bottle is used for spraying.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies are used to prevent the appearance of brown spots. Most products are prepared from available components:

1. 20 g soda + 1 tab. aspirin + 10 g of liquid soap + 5 liters of water. The product helps against rust, powdery mildew and anthracnose. Summer residents carry out treatment once every 3 weeks.
2. Mix 10 liters of boiling water with 3 kg of dry ash. Leave for 24 hours and strain. Spray gooseberries at intervals of 2-3 weeks. Dilute the ash sludge with water and pour it over the plant.
3. Mix 9 liters of water with 1 liter of sour kefir. Process gooseberries every 3 days.
4. Pour 200 g of onion peel into 10 liters of boiling water. Let it sit for two days and process the gooseberries until they bloom.
5. Mix 30 g of soda with 50 ml of liquid soap and dissolve in 10 liters of water. Apply before and after flowering.

How to properly process

A dry day is chosen for processing. The best time is morning (after the dew has dried) or evening (after sunset). If you spray gooseberries in sunny times, the preparations dry out quickly and become less effective.

Before the procedure, weeds and leaves are removed. If the bush is sprayed in the spring, then be sure to carry out pruning, remove all old and diseased shoots. During the flowering period, it is prohibited to process the plant.

Attention! When using chemical or biological agents, follow safety rules. Before use, study the information on the packaging, put on a protective suit - goggles, gloves and a respirator.

How to clean plaque

It is recommended to wash off plaque from gooseberries only if it appeared no more than one week ago. As a rule, it occurs due to powdery mildew. At first the coating is light, it is at this moment that it makes sense to wipe the gooseberries with a damp, clean cloth - leaves and stem, and then treat the bush with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate. After 4-5 days, the white coating turns into brown. Such berries are unsuitable for consumption.

You can also defeat white plaque with the help of manure. It is filled with water in a ratio of 1:3 and left for 3 days. Gooseberries are watered at the root, 1-2 liters are needed per bush.

Resistant gooseberry varieties

To facilitate gooseberry care, gardeners choose resistant varieties. For example, the varieties Malachite and White Nights are popular for cultivation in the North-West region of the country. They are distinguished by their immunity to fungal diseases and are unpretentious in cultivation. From one bush they harvest 3-4 kg per season.

In the Central region of Russia, the Salyut and Chernoslivovy varieties are grown. Gooseberries are winter-hardy and are rarely affected by septoria, rust and powdery mildew. Any gardener can grow a tasty and juicy harvest; the plant does not cause any trouble.

In the southern regions of Russia, summer residents choose the varieties Kazachok and Serenada. Plants are drought tolerant and rarely damaged by insect pests and diseases. The yield of varieties is up to 5 kg per bush.

Preventive measures

In addition to choosing a variety, gardeners pay attention to prevention:

• maintain a distance between bushes of at least 2 m;
• plant gooseberries in a sunny and dry place;
• disinfect seedlings and garden soil with a solution of potassium permanganate;
• water with boiling water in early spring;
• regularly loosen and mulch;
• in spring, prune affected and weak branches;
• form a crown;
• remove weeds and fallen leaves;
• contribute organic and mineral feeding;
• Regularly inspect the gooseberries for damage.

Conclusion

To prevent gooseberries from getting sick, they pay attention to preventive measures. Gardeners regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil, and with the arrival of spring, trim branches and form a crown. To protect the plant, it is sprayed with a soap or ash solution and watered with slurry.

If brown and brown spots have already appeared, summer residents use chemical or biological preparations. Fitosporin, Bordeaux mixture, and Gaupsin help get rid of diseases. It is important to follow the instructions and follow the recommended dosage.