Copper sulfate, as is known, is a 5-aqueous sulfate of 2-valent copper CuSO4x5H2O and is a hygroscopic blue or blue powder or crystals. It goes on sale for agricultural purposes in small private farms packaged in 50-100 g or in bottles, see fig. Copper sulfate is poisonous, belongs to 3 hazard class, because has a toxic effect when in contact with mucous membranes or ingested. The lethal dose of a 5% solution is 30-50 ml, but copper sulfate in solution or powder is able to penetrate into the body through the skin when sweat is reabsorbed. Therefore, all work with copper sulfate must be carried out in compliance with safety precautions, see below. People are accustomed to this drug, but if handled carelessly it is far from harmless.
Copper sulfate has long been widely used in gardening and still does not lose its position. There are quite objective reasons for this:
- At correct use Copper sulfate is safe because does not have a cumulative effect, does not give side and/or long-term undesirable effects.
- It has a biocidal and, especially, fungicidal effect; Copper sulfate is a very effective and widely used anti-mold remedy.
- Does not cause resistance, because addiction and increased resistance in harmful targets.
- It is also copper-containing - Cu(II) ions are necessary for plants to synthesize a number of important phytohormones.
- It is inexpensive compared to synthetic drugs for similar purposes.
Concentration of solutions
The use of copper sulfate in agriculture is possible different ways depending on the season and purpose of processing. In all cases, solutions of any of 3 concentration levels are used:
- "Scorching" 3%-5%, i.e. 300-500 g per 10 liters of water - treatment in exceptional cases to disinfect a plot of land or combat mold in building structures on her. In the first case, after cultivation, the land is taken out of agricultural circulation for at least a year;
- Treatment and prevention 0.5%-1%, i.e. 50-100 g per 10 liters of water - to combat fungal diseases and insect pests (anthracnose, clasterosporiosis, coccomycosis and other spots, moniliosis, septoria, phyllostictosis, scab, various rots, curls), as well as for trees (spraying and treatment of wounds on trunks and branches);
- Feeding-fertilizer-preventive 0.2%-0.3% (2-3 g/10 l of water) – when symptoms of copper starvation of plants appear (chlorosis of leaves, curling of shoot tips, intensive tillering without the formation of productive shoots) and for preventive purposes.
For use according to paragraphs. 2 and 3, it is better to prepare a 10% stock solution in advance (it can be stored in a tightly sealed container and in a dark place for a long time) and dilute it with water as needed. How to dissolve copper sulfate, see below.
When to treat with copper sulfate?
In the spring, treatment is carried out with therapeutic and prophylactic solutions of copper sulfate:
- In early spring, when the average daily temperature rises above +5 Celsius, water the soil with a 0.5% solution at the rate of 3.5-4 l/sq.m. m. Against yellowness (fusarium) of root crops, white and gray rot of tomatoes, black leg of cabbage.
- Before the buds of fruit trees and shrubs open, against the diseases mentioned above, as well as fruit rot and black cancer, spray with a 1% solution.
- Disinfection of the roots of seedlings - immersion for 3 minutes in a 1% solution, followed by abundant rinsing with water. If there is no running water or large water consumption is undesirable, intensive rinsing in 3 changes of water for 3-5 minutes each.
- Spraying potato tubers before planting with a 0.2% solution - effective way protect yourself from late blight.
- Warm 0.2% solution - soaking seeds to obtain early shoots. Cucumbers – 8-10 hours, others – 20-24 hours.
- Treating tomato and pumpkin seeds suspected of having “hereditary” diseases (say, if it is not possible to purchase obviously healthy seed) – a solution of 1 g of copper sulfate, 2 g boric acid and 10 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. The seeds are soaked for 15 minutes in a solution at room temperature and then washed abundantly with water (if not from the tap - 5 shifts of 5 minutes with continuous intensive stirring).
In the summer, the following treatment is carried out with copper sulfate:
Note: Spraying with copper sulfate is unacceptable during flowering!
In autumn, solutions of copper sulfate are used mainly for prevention. In autumn, after leaf fall, treatment with copper sulfate is generally preferable. Firstly, the copper sulfate solution has an acidic reaction, because in copper sulfate, even the highest grade of medical category A, there is a noticeable admixture of free sulfuric acid, see table. on right. At autumn processing chemical burns of leaves, flowers and fruits are excluded.
Secondly, the need of plants for copper as a microelement is maximum during flowering, and by the time the fruits ripen it disappears. Thirdly, copper sulfate does not penetrate plant tissue and, accordingly, affects only the sporangia of fungi, without affecting their mycelium. Therefore, if by the time the growing season begins the plants are already protected and provided with copper, the effect of treatment with copper sulfate will be greatest.
Autumn spraying with copper sulfate is carried out with a 1% solution according to the standards indicated in the first table, and roses against black spot and powdery mildew– 0.5% solution. And yet, all types of treatment with copper sulfate in any season should be carried out in the morning or evening at an air temperature of +5 to +30 in dry, windless weather.
Note: if you suspect root rot trees are also watered in the fall trunk circles 0.5% solution of copper sulfate.
How to spray?
In view of the above-mentioned effect of reverse absorption with sweat, it is impossible to neglect precautions when working with copper sulfate; you need to use full set PPE, see fig. Animals, children and in general unauthorized persons Shouldn't be nearby. Under no circumstances should the residual solution enter water supplies or drainage systems.
If copper sulfate solution gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately with plenty of clean water, keeping them open. If ingested, drink 2-3 raw eggs or 300-500 ml of milk and consult a doctor immediately. Pumping water, with or without potassium permanganate, to induce vomiting will only worsen the poisoning!
How to prepare the solution?
Copper sulfate does not generate dust and is not volatile, so it can be diluted without special precautions; Disposable plastic gloves will suffice. Prepare a stock solution in glassware, which must be marked so as not to be used later for food purposes. It is not advisable to use metal enamel utensils, because... Copper sulfate solution corrodes enamel.
It is unacceptable to dissolve copper sulfate in the kitchen, pos. 1 in Fig. Copper sulfate is highly soluble in water, but if diluted at room temperature, then due to the admixture of sulfites, the finished solution will turn out to be cloudy, pos. 2, and it will sit for a very long time, up to a month or more.
Copper sulfate is dissolved in hot water, from 50 degrees, but use thin-walled chemical dishes and an electric stove for this, pos. 3, undesirable: copper sulfate solution is a strong electrolyte and if the vessel bursts or the solution spills, a serious accident is guaranteed. Dissolve vitriol in a water bath, pos. 4. The cooled solution is stored for a long time, up to a year or more, in PET or glass bottles, pos. 5.
Bordeaux mixture
The acidity of copper sulfate is its serious drawback. It can be reduced by adding 0.2-0.5 liters of hot water to the working solution, in which 3-5 g are dissolved (before foaming begins) laundry soap. This additive will also improve the adhesion of the solution to the leaves.
But Bordeaux mixture is much more effective - a combined solution of copper sulfate and slaked lime. It is known in 2 varieties: strong 3% (300 g of copper sulfate and 400 g of lime per 10 liters of water) and gentle 1% (100 g of both for the same volume). Strong Bordeaux mixture is used for autumn and possibly early spring treatment, and gentle liquid is used during the growing season. Bad in Bordeaux mixture only that it is completely incompatible with any other drugs or soap. And its substitute with soda ash– Burgundy liquid is much less effective.
Note: For processing grapes, Bordeaux mixture is recommended to be used only in the fall. In other cases, it is advisable to use formulations based on iron sulfate for this crop.
To prepare Bordeaux mixture, you need to pour the required volume of water in half into 2 containers. Lime milk is dissolved in one; into another copper sulfate. The blue solution is gradually poured into the white one, stirring, see fig. on right. The finished solution is allowed to stand for 3-4 hours, filtered and poured into a sprayer. The shelf life of freshly prepared solution is one day.
Note: Prepackaged mixtures for preparing Bordeaux mixture are available for sale. How to prepare a working solution from the finished mixture, see next. video:
Video: preparing Bordeaux mixture from the finished mixture
Copper sulfate in a greenhouse
The use of copper sulfate in greenhouses is limited. Firstly, in the absence of its free migration into the soil, excessive accumulation of copper and sulfur in the greenhouse soil is possible, which will lead to plant oppression. Secondly, soil acidification with traces of sulfuric acid is possible. Therefore, copper sulfate is rarely used in greenhouse conditions, only for disinfection of a heavily contaminated greenhouse, see for example. video clip:
Video: treating a greenhouse with copper sulfate
It is much more justified to use copper sulfate in a greenhouse locally in dry form to combat gray rot of cucumbers. To do this, take 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate powder (the crystals need to be crushed) and mix with a tablespoon wood ash. The mixture is sprinkled on sore spots.
Another option for using copper sulfate in a greenhouse is to use it as an impregnating fungicide during its construction, but this is already a topic about building a greenhouse with your own hands. A finished moldy wooden greenhouse can be treated with copper sulfate to remove mold in the same way as the method for ridding a living room of midges, see for example.
Video: disinfection with copper sulfate against mold
Vitriol and weather
Weather is of great importance for the success of copper sulfate treatment. The effect of the solution begins 2-4 hours after treatment and lasts 7-12 days at an outside temperature of 25-15 degrees, respectively. If this time will pass rain, the effect will disappear, but the treatment cannot be repeated; excess copper will form in the soil.
Another application
A good way to protect trees from attack by pests is also to whitewash the trunks with lime with the addition of copper sulfate. In this case, copper sulfate can be replaced with methylene blue, in the same way as walls are whitened with blue to protect against fungus.
The gardener's main enemy is scab - fungal disease, striking fruit trees. This disease can destroy everything: branches, leaves, inflorescences, shoots and, of course, the fruits of pears and apples. As a rule, scab comes to the garden as an uninvited guest in cold spring, when the leaves and flowers do not have enough warmth and sun to fully bloom. This is the most favorable environment for this fungus. When a tree blooms, if it is infected, the ovaries will no longer be able to form, the leaves gradually become covered with spots and, as a result, the leaves, which cannot be nourished by the sun, age and fall off. If scab has affected a pear, you should expect that the bark will begin to peel and crack, and the fruit will usually turn black, change shape, and split.
How to fight this disease and save the garden from destruction? Copper sulfate comes to the aid of the gardener - a fungicide that is intended for spraying fruit, ornamental, berry plantings, shrubs and other plants. The drug is able to stop tree diseases such as scab, anthracnose, etc. Copper sulfate can be used both as a preventive measure and for disinfection purposes various damages at fruit trees. The active ingredient of this drug is copper sulfate, 980 g/kg. Available in powder form. What can we achieve by spraying trees with copper sulfate?
Copper sulfate has two purposes:
- Serves as a fertilizer to replenish the soil with missing copper. The drug is especially recommended on peaty soil, where there is practically no copper.
- Used for preventive purposes against various diseases, pests and insects.
Copper sulfate can be used by gardeners as a separate independent means for spraying, or in combination with lime, forming a Bordeaux mixture. If you decide to fertilize your fruit plantings, vitriol (copper sulfate) is applied once over a period of 5-6 years. The drug is thoroughly crushed and mixed well with the soil. When the mixture is ready, it can be used. Spraying is usually carried out in early spring or in the fall.
As a preventive measure, copper sulfate is used in combination with lime Bordeaux solution. In this combination, vitriol acts as a poison, completely harmless to apple trees, pears and other plants, since lime neutralizes the acid, thereby protecting the leaves from burns during spraying. This mixture of drugs - copper sulfate and lime - copes well with scab, completely destroying its spores, protecting the leaves and fruits of trees.
However, gardeners should take into account that scab that has penetrated and affected the tissues of leaves and fruits cannot be destroyed by spraying with copper sulfate. Therefore, it is necessary to observe calendar dates and treat the garden in early spring to prevent this disease.
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In scientific terms, copper sulfate is an inorganic compound of copper salt of sulfuric acid. Occurs in the form of crystalline granules of blue color, which are easily soluble in water. Good antiseptic, disinfectant, fungicide and first-class fertilizer - these are all the qualities of such a product as copper sulfate. Many summer residents do not know how to breed it correctly. We will definitely tell you about this, but a little later.
Finds application in the following industries:
- cottage and garden;
- medicine;
However, even with all its positive qualities this substance has one side effect. In particular, for an orchard, its use threatens the fall of leaves. Before you learn how to dilute copper sulfate for treating trees, you need to talk about what time of year to spray.
When to use blue stone?
The most favorable time Spring is considered the year for processing trees and shrubs. Many experts recommend starting the first treatment in mid-March, when the daily temperature does not drop below +5 degrees. Spraying is done after preparing the trees. It includes:
- pruning old and diseased branches;
- cleaning the trunk of dead bark and lichens;
- cleaning the soil under the tree;
- sealing all cracks on the trunk.
The very first and important processing carried out until the kidneys appear. This will help get rid of insects and pests that have not woken up after hibernation. Don't know how to dilute copper sulfate for spraying? Then here is a simple recipe for you: dilute 100 grams of the substance in 10 liters, mix everything thoroughly - and you can get to work. This treatment helps preserve young foliage. However, it is worth considering in more detail the question of how to dilute copper sulfate.
Summer period
- In the summer heat, apple, pear, and apricot trees suffer from aphids. This causes the leaf to curl and fall off. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to dilute 50-100 grams of copper sulfate in 10 liters of water.
- Stone fruit trees - plum, cherry - are attacked by the cockchafer, which eats young fruit ovaries. This can be avoided if you treat everything with a solution of copper sulfate. To do this, dilute 20 grams of blue stone in 2-3 liters of water. This dose is indicated for spraying one tree.
- Raspberries and black currants often suffer from aphids and the appearance of various spots on the leaves. For prevention and treatment, spray one bush with 2 liters of water, in which 15-20 grams of vitriol are diluted.
When processing, it is worth remembering one thing: 15-20 days before harvesting, all spraying should be stopped. There are many recipes for diluting copper sulfate. It all depends on what, how and when you want to process.
Autumn period
Before wintering, the tree should be well treated. This is done no earlier than October or November, when the foliage has completely fallen. Prepare the tree, remove all excess - and you can start spraying.
Protecting vegetables
Not only orchard cause damage various diseases. They suffer and vegetable crops, in particular tomatoes. Mostly tomatoes suffer from late blight. If it was not possible to protect vegetables from it, then it is worth starting treatment with the help of a blue stone. To keep your tomatoes healthy and happy with your harvest, you should know how to grow copper sulfate for tomatoes. It is enough to water the soil with a solution prepared according to the following recipe: dilute 10 grams of powder in 5 liters of water. This portion is for one bush. You can also sprinkle copper sulfate under each root in the amount of 1 gram.
For reference
So, when you have learned how to dilute copper sulfate, at what time of year to spray, we will tell you in what weather and temperature conditions the following procedure must be followed:
- The best time of day is early morning or late evening.
- There shouldn't be any wind.
- Recommended temperature is from +5 to +30 degrees.
When diluting the solution, you should take some precautions:
- Copper sulfate should not be prepared near pets and children.
- It is better if the solution is not mixed in an iron bucket. For example, glassware is suitable for this.
- To prevent burns to trees and other plants, it is better to dilute copper sulfate with the addition of slaked lime.
- When working with the prepared solution, avoid contact with open areas body and eyes. If necessary, rinse the mucous membranes with warm water.
- Under no circumstances should you pour any remaining copper sulfate into a well or pond. Remember that this is an aggressive substance.
Finally
In our article we raised important questions and gave detailed answers to them. Now you know how to dilute copper sulfate for treating trees and other plants. With the help of this remedy, your vegetables and fruits will be forever free from insects and diseases and will delight you with a rich harvest.
The main condition for excellent fruiting of apple trees and other fruit trees is the timely and correct implementation of preventive measures to protect plants from pathogens and pests. Copper sulfate is most often used for these purposes. From this article you will learn how to treat apple trees in the spring so that they do not get sick during the season.
The most important action that any gardener should take in his garden is spraying fruit trees (apple trees, cherries, plums, etc.) chemicals or folk remedies. Why is this being done?
If you use effective means and perform spraying correctly, you can protect your garden from the most common diseases and insect pests. The use of copper sulfate can effectively protect plantings from scab, moniliosis and various types of spots.
When to treat
Spring processing of apple trees is most important. The trees should be sprayed for the first time before the buds begin to bloom. To do this, the overgrown moss is removed from the trunk and preventive pruning is carried out. When treating trees with solutions (for example, copper sulfate), you need to pay attention Special attention cuts and damage. They are the gateway for pathogenic microflora and pests to penetrate into the apple tree. Subsequent spring treatments are carried out within the following time frames:
- the second spraying is carried out after the buds appear. You need to spray before the leaves develop;
- the third spraying is carried out after the foliage appears;
- The fourth time the plantings are treated during the formation of buds. This spraying can be divided into two stages. There should be about 2-3 weeks between surgeries.
Each time it is advisable to use different means for treating trees. For example, iron or copper sulfate is taken during the first spraying. Subsequent times, other chemicals must be used.
In summer, you can additionally treat the garden when the first symptoms of disease development or the appearance of insects have been noticed. During this period, such manipulations are performed only if necessary.
How to make a solution
The most commonly used product for treating apple trees in any season of the year is copper sulfate. It is sprayed on any fruit crops: trees and shrubs. However, for the procedure to bring the desired effect, it is necessary to properly prepare the solution. At the same time, depending on the type of disease and plant, a solution of different concentrations is prepared.
Copper sulfate (copper sulfate salt) - blue or blue color. To spray apple, quince and pear trees, you need to dissolve 100 g of this substance in 10 liters of water. To disinfect the roots of seedlings, plants are dipped into this solution for 3 minutes. If the soil around fruit plantings is being disinfected, then 5 g of the blue substance should be dissolved in 10 liters of water. To improve the solubility of the powder, add it to water gradually.
Before you start preparing the solution, you need to make sure that the drug has not expired. Trees are treated only with freshly prepared solution. It is not recommended to use a previously prepared solution.
Instructions for use
Copper, like iron sulfate, has instructions for use. You should definitely read it before using the product to spray plants.
When working with this substance, you should follow following rules given in the instructions for it:
- mandatory compliance with safety precautions when working with the substance;
- The spray solution should be used in the evening or in the morning;
- the weather on the day of treatment should be calm and dry;
- temperature range of use – +5–30 degrees;
- the remaining solution must not be poured into a well or reservoir, since copper sulfate is a toxic and poisonous substance;
- Treated trees should be sprayed evenly.
Precautionary measures
Using copper sulfate as a treatment for apple trees and other fruit crops Please remember the following precautions:
- processing is carried out only with protective gloves and glasses. You must wear a respirator on your face;
- Children and animals are removed from the site;
- do not eat, smoke or drink while spraying;
- After work, hands and face are washed well with soap.
Video “Treatment of apple trees with copper sulfate”
From this video you will learn how to properly treat apple trees with copper sulfate.
Preface
Spring has finally arrived and gardeners are rushing to their summer cottages. Now they have a lot of work to do, including early spring spraying of the garden. But before that there is one more thing to do.
Pre-spring work in the garden
Now is the time to shake the snow off the trees. It is wet, heavy and may well break branches. Nature wakes up after winter. Therefore, in early spring it is necessary to carry out a certain set of measures on the site.
Carefully inspect the branches of fruit trees to see if there are any pests that have overwintered on them. Now is the time to think about trimming broken and dead branches, so bring along. You can also shape the crown of trees.
But the main work still lies in spraying the trees. As soon as the average air temperature reaches + 5°C, and the buds have not yet had time to bloom, it is necessary to fight diseases and feed the trees.
Video: Clearing snow from fruit trees
Protecting trees from spring burns and pest control
In early spring the weather is quite unstable. It can be high during the day and drop sharply at night. Under these conditions, the bark on the trees warms up unevenly. Let’s say that on a warm March day the temperature of the trunk in the sun will be 12 degrees higher than on the shaded side. Lime whitewashing of the trunk helps to get rid of this difference.
In this case, the readings will differ only within 3 or 5 degrees. Overheating of the bark followed by freezing can cause early spring burns. And they will lead to the death of the tree, especially if it is a young seedling. It is necessary to restore the whitewash if it was damaged during the winter period.
When pruning in early spring garden trees, you need to get rid of damaged branches. They should not be left under a tree, because they are probably infected with: cytosporosis, scale insects, bark beetle larvae, black cancer or other pests and diseases.
At the same time as this work, it is necessary to treat existing wounds on the trunks and branches. The damage is cleaned, smoothed with a knife until living tissue appears, then disinfected with a 1% solution of copper sulfate, in a ratio of 10 g per 1 liter of water, and the area is thoroughly coated with garden pitch.
How to spray trees in early spring
Modern industry offers gardeners many different means for spraying trees at the very beginning of spring. For these purposes the following is used:
- copper sulfate;
- mineral oil emulsion;
- Bordeaux mixture;
- emulsion “Preparation-30”;
- nitrophen and others.
The cheapest drug is copper sulfate. But don’t look at its low cost, it is quite effective, so most gardeners prefer it. It is used against scab, fruit rot, leaf curl, black cancer, brown leaf spot and other diseases.
Mineral oil emulsions are liquid mixtures mineral oil with water and emulsifier. The emulsifier usually contains:
- soap;
- glue or kaolin;
- iron or copper sulfate.
Emulsions fight pests such as aphids, scale insects, and help destroy the eggs of codling moths, copperheads and other insects. They should be used in early spring, before the buds open. In summer, at temperatures above 35℃, the emulsion can cause severe burns on the tree.
Bordeaux mixture is an opaque, sky-blue solution. Gardeners have been using this liquid for more than a hundred years in the fight against garden pests. It is recommended to use it until the buds open. The mixture destroys scab and fungal diseases trees or shrubs. It is also used as disinfectant for wounds of fruit trees. It is not recommended to store it; it must be used immediately after preparation.
Emulsion “Preparation-30” is an oil-oil emulsion of white or light gray color. It is packaged in 2-liter jars and has a shelf life of 2 years. In spring, all fruit and berry crops can be treated with emulsion against wintering herds of scale insects, spider mites, leaf rollers, minnows, moths and other pests. And in the summer, spray the trees and ornamental shrubs from stray first and second generation scale insects
Nitrophen is a drug against the wintering stages of pests and diseases. This pasta Brown, packaged in tin or glass jars or polymer bottles. The shelf life of nitrophen is 2 years. It works well as a disinfectant for wounds on fruit trees.
Video: Spraying trees and shrubs in early spring
Treating trees with copper sulfate
Before spraying, you must first clean the trunk of lichens with a brush. When processing trees you can use hand pump, they are sold in special garden stores. But it is advisable to have an automated sprayer. It is much more convenient and easier to work with. For those gardeners who already have mature trees, you need to have one that can be extended different ways. Most likely, you will have to tie it to a stick so that you can reach even the very top branches or use special telescopic rods.
You should also worry about your own safety. Robe, gloves, hat and glasses. These items will protect you from getting the solution on bare areas of your body. A respirator will not allow solution vapors to enter the upper respiratory tract.
Before processing begins, the solution must be stirred. This is done as follows: 100 g of copper sulfate is diluted in a bucket of water. IN cold water vitriol dissolves less well. Therefore, you can dilute it at home hot water, say, in a three-liter jar, and then pour the contents into a bucket.
The solution must be poured into the sprayer through a funnel and several layers of gauze. Content filtering is mandatory. This is done to prevent the sprayer nozzle and hose from becoming clogged with undissolved particles. Now you should pump air into the balloon, hang it on your shoulder and go ahead.
This article describes the process of treating trees with copper sulfate. But you can use any products that you like best or have already purchased. Each package contains detailed instructions how to use it.
How to spray trees correctly
Wood processing must be carried out carefully from all sides. The jet must be directed from the edge to its central part. It is best to do this one by one with each large branch. Only in this case is it possible to achieve maximum effect.
Don't forget to spray the soil around the tree. If there are still last year's leaves on it, they will rot much faster. Also, using the solution, spores of harmful fungi or the pests themselves will be destroyed. The remaining solution can be used on nearby shrubs, grapes or other plants.
After you have treated the trees, you need to carefully rinse the device with water. To do this, pour into the sprayer clean water and send her away. In this case, the nozzles and hoses will not become clogged with remaining dried solution particles. Change your clothes and be sure to wash your hands and face with soap.
Video: Spraying trees in spring
What is needed for spraying trees and shrubs
Trees can also be treated with a combination of products in early spring. They will help you deal with several types of pests at once, which will give you the opportunity to avoid several cycles of spraying trees and at the same time fertilize the plant. An example is urea. You can learn about this from our other materials.
In order for the tree spraying work to be carried out efficiently and have good efficiency, you must have everything necessary tools and fixtures.
