How to process grapes Bordeaux mixture?

Beautiful bunches of delicious, juicy, grapes filled with the hot southern sun are the adornment of any summer cottage. In order for the plants to be healthy and every year enjoy a bountiful harvest, they need to be properly maintained. In the list of mandatory events, the first is spring spraying of grapes bushes from diseases and pests. The most commonly used drug is Bordeaux liquid. How effective it is, and how to choose the right dosage of the drug, so as not to harm the grapes - find out in this review.

The first time to process the grapes should be in early spring, immediately after it is opened and tied to the trellis. Why precisely in these terms? Because bacteria and harmful disputes are at rest after winter and have not yet had time to begin their destructive activities. It is important to have time to destroy them at the very beginning and not give a chance for development. Before spraying, the vine opened after winter is carefully examined. If necessary, cleaned of mold, sanitary pruning carried out - remove damaged and broken branches, shorten shoots. After that, you can proceed directly to the processing.

Bordeaux liquid is used in the treatment of the following dangerous diseases of grapes:

• mildew (downy mildew);
• gray rot;
• anthracnose;
• rubella;
• chalcosporosis;
• melanosis

When using the drug is important to adhere to the following scheme.

• At the very beginning of spring, for unblown buds, the grapes are treated with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Carefully doused the vine, all the branches, bends, and the soil under the bushes and around them. This procedure is called eradicating, because the activity of pathogenic organisms is suppressed, as they say, "at the root."
• The second treatment is carried out before the very beginning of flowering, while trying to ensure that the mixture gets into all parts of the emerging brushes. For this treatment, a 1% blend is prepared.
• The third time the procedure is carried out after flowering has ended, 1% liquid is also used here.
• In the period of growth, development and ripening of the grapes, the grapes are sprayed once more. Terms here depend on weather conditions. If it rains, the humidity is high, then it is processed after 4-5 new leaves grow. When it is dry and hot weather, you need to wait for the growth of 10 leaves.
• In late autumn, grapes are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid only if during the growing season it was severely affected by mildew disease.

Bordeaux liquid has long been successfully used by gardeners and gardeners in the treatment of various crops from the whole complex of diseases. It received its name from the French city of Bordeaux, around which it was invented and first used in the XIX century.

The advantages of Bordeaux mixture:

• a wide range of actions on pathogens of various bacterial and fungal diseases (to do this, it is enough to carry out spring processing along the "green cone" and autumn after the completion of leaf fall);
• the drug is kept on plants for a long time, it effectively protects them for a month;
• provides a quick and visual effect on the infected areas;
• it is spent much more economically than other similar means;
• due to the presence in the composition of the lime plants at the same time receive additional feed calcium.

Recently, however, some gardeners are beginning to abandon the use of Bordeaux liquids. There are several reasons for this:

• time-consuming and lengthy process of preparation (it is necessary to adhere to the exact observance of proportions, the solution must be carefully filtered, several large volumes of non-metallic containers will be required);
• while working, be sure to wear waterproof clothing, gloves, a mask and goggles to protect the respiratory organs and eyes from a toxic solution;
• The prepared liquid is not subject to storage, it must be used immediately, which is not always possible due to weather conditions, which means a waste of time, effort, materials and resources;
• the increased content of copper compounds in the composition of the drug can lead to inhibition of the growth of young shoots, deterioration of the taste and quality of fruits;
• such an excessively abundant treatment contributes to the accumulation of harmful substances in the soil, plants and fruits, which adversely affects the body and human health, as well as damage to the environment;
• even if you completely exceed the concentration or be late with spraying, you can bring serious harm to the plants instead of good - burn the leaves badly.

Therefore, instead of Bordeaux plant treatment liquid, summer residents often use other preparations with similar properties and similar effects. For example, such as copper oxychloride (HOM), Champion, Blue Bordeaux, Kuproksat and some others. Their undoubted advantage is a simple and fast solution preparation process, ease of processing, and, more importantly, less toxicity.

In order for the Bordeaux liquid treatment to bring maximum benefit, it is necessary to observe the sequence of actions during the preparation of the solution and not to change the number of ingredients.

Set for the manufacture of Bordeaux mixture consists of quenched lime (lime milk) and copper sulfate (copper sulfate). At different concentrations, their ratio in the solution changes.

To obtain a 3 percent solution of Bordeaux mixture, you need:

• take 300 g of fine powdered blue vitriol, pour it into any non-iron container;
• pour 1-2 liters of hot water and mix thoroughly with a wooden spatula, ensuring the most complete dissolution of the crystals of the substance;
• put 300 - 400 g of lime into another container and pour 1-2 liters of hot water (lime is more quickly and better extinguished in it), stir with a wooden stick or spatula until a homogeneous consistency is obtained;
• dilute both solutions with cold water, bringing the volume of each to 5 liters, mix again;
• further strain the lime mortar through two layers of gauze or thin fabric (old nylon stockings or tights work well), while constantly stirring the mixture to dissolve the remaining lumps;
• the same must be done with the solution of vitriol;
• Dissolved copper sulfate is gently and gradually poured into the lime solution, often stirring the mixture, resulting in an opaque solution of the consistency of a sky-blue suspension.

To prepare a 1 percent solution, take 100 g of copper sulphate and 100-150 grams of lime. Next, do exactly the same as in the manufacture of a 3 percent mixture. Currently, in specialized gardening stores ready-made packages with components for preparing a solution of different concentrations are available. They are accompanied by instructions, which describe in detail how to make the mixture. Diligent manufacturers put litmus papers in the packaging - they are used to determine the reaction of the solution.

The composition of this mixture includes aggressive substances, it refers to toxic compounds. In order not to harm their health, contact with them must comply with certain safety rules, namely:

• avoid contact with the ingredients on the skin, preparation of the solution and processing should be carried out in overalls, gloves, goggles and respirator;
• when working with lime, do not bend low over the container, do not inhale evaporation, this can cause burns to the eyes and respiratory organs;
• plants should not be treated with a mixture with a concentration of more than 3% (in early spring and after leaf fall) and more than 1% during the period of active growth.

High-quality Bordeaux mixture should be slightly alkaline. Using litmus paper check the reaction of the prepared liquid. When staining in dark blue, the medium is slightly alkaline, if it does not change, it is neutral (you can add quite a bit of dissolved vitriol), red indicates excessive acidity and high copper content (you need to pour in lime solution and check it again).

If the litmus paper is not at hand, you can proceed as follows: put a nail or iron wire in the mixture, they must first be degreased. If the metal turns red within 2-3 minutes, add milk of lime.

After preparing Bordeaux liquid in due form and checking for compliance with safety requirements, the bushes should be immediately processed. Spraying is carried out only in dry, windless weather, when there is no strong heat, and rain is not expected in the near future. Since the increased temperature and humidity can cause severe leaf burn.

It is important to thoroughly moisten the whole plant, even pour it over. The solution should drain from the branches and trunk, fill all cracks that exist on the bark. This is the only way to achieve the greatest effectiveness in the use of this drug. Shrubs receive reliable protection against pathogens of various diseases, which will last about a month. After processing, when the solution dries, the leaves and branches of the plants turn blue, so this method is also called blue spraying.

Use the advice of experienced gardeners.

• In the Bordeaux mixture can not add any other substances, except those that are provided according to the instructions.
• In order for lime to not dry out any longer and not lose its properties, it should be stored in a tightly closed container.
• If the copper sulfate is finely ground, it will dissolve faster.
• Already prepared mixture can not be diluted with water, as the effectiveness of the drug decreases, its properties change. One of the indicators that water was added to the mixture is its separation.
• Sprayed grapes spray to achieve the most complete coverage of the most inaccessible places. When using a broom, the treatment becomes ineffective, and the consumption of the drug increases significantly.
• In extreme cases (for example, if it started to rain and the treatment cannot be carried out), the prepared solution can be left for storage. But no more than a day and in a tightly closed container. Some gardeners are advised to add 5 g of granulated sugar to the mixture during storage.
• Be sure to adhere to the timing of processing, strictly follow the recommendations on the ratio of ingredients and the concentration of the solution.
• During work, use protective equipment - waterproof clothing and shoes, tight headgear, goggles adjacent to the face, a respirator or at least a gauze bandage.

• Approximately 20-25 days before the intended harvest, it is necessary to stop the treatment. Harvested grapes before they should be washed thoroughly, preferably in running water or at least changing it several times.
• It should be remembered that the Bordeaux liquid contains a toxic and dangerous compound - copper sulfate or copper sulfate.
• With constant and abundant spraying copper accumulates in the soil and plant tissues, then goes into the berries, and from them into the human body.

As they say, the benefits and harm "in one bottle." What is more important is to maintain the health of the vines or still care more about their own health, everyone decides for himself.

How to treat the vineyard Bordeaux mixture, see the video below.