Copper sulfate: methods for treating cucumbers from insects and diseases

Copper sulfate is sold as powder or dark blue crystals. It is produced on the basis of copper sulfate. The product has a contact effect on harmful insects and pathogens; it is a protective fungicide. The solution can be used to treat any garden, garden, or even indoor plants.

Copper sulfate crystals or powder are very strong poisons. They cannot be used in their pure form. To spray plants, an aqueous solution of CuSO₄ is made according to the instructions. This substance, no matter in what proportion it is diluted, has high acidity. In order to reduce it, it is advisable to add 3-5 grams of laundry soap to the solution per half liter of liquid.

The product begins to have an effect within 2-4 hours after use. The time of its effect on aphids, other insects and microorganisms depends on the ambient temperature. So, at 15 degrees the solution is valid for 12 days, and at a temperature of 25 degrees no more than a week.

Cucumbers are treated with copper sulfate solution only in dry, windless weather. If it rains soon after spraying, there will be no sense in the work - the substance will be washed off from the cucumber leaves and stems. Repeated treatment is strictly prohibited, since too much toxic copper sulfate will accumulate in the soil.

Application of the solution

CuSO₄ solution is used not only for treating plants. A small amount of it is mixed with fertilizers and used to feed cucumbers or other garden crops. Greenhouse tomatoes are watered with a solution of copper sulfate, manganese, and boric acid.

Plus, a solution of copper sulfate is an excellent means for disinfecting greenhouses and soil. This procedure is usually done in the spring, long before planting begins.

The larvae of some harmful insects overwinter not only in the soil, but also inside outbuildings.

Treating such premises with a solution of copper sulfate leads to the death of larvae and harmful microorganisms that have settled in the pantry or barn. Summer residents also use iron sulfate to treat wooden buildings.

The product is used only in spring and summer. It makes no sense to cultivate the area for the winter, as this can lead to an excess of copper in the soil, that is, to its poisoning.

Cautions

Copper sulfate is a substance of hazard class 3. You can work with it only in protective clothing, goggles and a respirator.

If copper sulfate gets on your skin, quickly wash it off under a tight stream of water.

If it gets on the mucous membrane, severe inflammatory processes, even burns, can occur.

Too concentrated a solution causes burns on plants.

Description of the disease and the causes of its occurrence

Rotting of roots and root collars is caused by parasitic microorganisms - fungi of several genera: Ascochita, Fusarium, Sclerotinia, Rhizoctonia, Pythium. Sometimes damage in the lower part of the cucumber stem is formed due to the harmful activity of the Erwinia bacterium (bacterial rot). Pathogens live in the ground and soil substrates, and sometimes on plant debris and seeds. These microbes do not pose a serious threat to healthy and strong cucumber bushes.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

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IMPORTANT! Harmful fungi penetrate weakened or damaged roots of cucumber plants. There, parasites feed on cell juices and actively reproduce.

The root zone - the base of cucumber stems - also suffers. Underground and near-ground plant tissues are gradually destroyed and cease to conduct nutrient fluids, which leads to the death of cucumber bushes.

Most susceptible to root infections:

• cucumber shoots, young seedlings;
• newly planted seedlings (especially when transplanting with an open root system);
• cucumber plants in the initial phase of fruiting (the roots have not yet grown enough, but are forced to work with maximum load).

Reasons for the activation of cucumber root infections:

1. Air and soil temperatures are below +17 degrees or above +28 degrees.
2. Watering plants with cold water.
3. Sudden changes in temperature and soil moisture.
4. Drought or excessive soil dampness.
5. The air humidity in the cucumber greenhouse is too high.
6. Heavy and dense soil, stagnation of water in the root zone.
7. Increased acidity of the soil substrate.
8. Excess of mineral salts in the soil, excess dosage of mineral fertilizing.
9. Excessive soil disinfection (copper sulfate, potassium permanganate, etc.). All soil microflora first dies, and then active pathogenic fungi settle.
10. Ignoring crop rotation.
11. Lack of drainage holes when growing cucumber seedlings.
12. Injury to roots during transplantation.
13. Deep planting of elongated cucumber seedlings.
14. Rough loosening of cucumber plantings.

How to make your own Bordeaux mixture

This is perhaps the very first fungicidal chemical that began to be used for plant protection. It contains copper sulfate and is sold ready-made, but many gardeners prefer to prepare the liquid themselves.

For cooking, you cannot use metal utensils, even if they are enameled. Usually glass or plastic containers are used for this.

Bordeaux mixture is prepared in two versions. The first is a gentle aqueous solution with 1 percent copper sulfate. The second option is strong and contains three times more vitriol.

Strong Bordeaux mixture is prepared in this way. Take 300 gr. copper sulfate, dissolve it in a small amount of very hot water. After the crystals are completely dissolved, cold water is added to the container so that the total volume of the solution is 10 liters.

After this, 400 grams of milk of lime are poured into another glass or plastic container. This is strained slaked lime. Then the prepared solution is poured in a thin stream into a container with lime milk, while stirring continuously.

The gentle version of the liquid is done in exactly the same way. The only difference is that 100 grams are taken to prepare the solution. copper sulfate per 10 liters of water and the same amount of milk of lime.

During the growing season and fruiting of cucumbers, only gentle Bordeaux mixture can be used.

The second important point is that the prepared liquid cannot be used immediately. It should sit for 3-4 hours. After this, it needs to be filtered so that there is no sediment at the bottom of the dish.

Preventing plant infection

Prevention should begin in early spring, treating the seeds before planting, because one of the ways the infection spreads is through poor-quality planting material.

The simplest and most affordable way to disinfect (seeds, soil) is a solution of potassium permanganate. This is an old and time-tested method, but for reliability, you can purchase the drug “Fitosporin” and treat the seeds with it before planting. This is much better than treating root rot in cucumbers.

Potassium permanganate and Fitosporin can be used to treat the planting soil. Do this not on the day of planting, but a week or two before. Disinfecting the soil will save cucumbers from many diseases and pests.

Proper care of the greenhouse

Annual autumn cleaning of the greenhouse prevents the accumulation of harmful fungi in the soil and structural elements. Mandatory measures to maintain the structure:

1. Treating wooden structural elements with copper sulfate.
2. Using a solution of laundry soap to wash metal and galvanized parts.
3. Wash greenhouse glass or polycarbonate with soapy water and rinse with a hose.
4. Carefully remove all plant debris, mating and other functional debris that has accumulated in the greenhouse over the summer.

If there were sick plants in the greenhouse in the summer, disinfection can be carried out in the fall using a sulfur bomb, taking into account the fact that beneficial microorganisms in the top layer of soil die in the same way as harmful ones. In the spring, to restore the microflora, treat the soil with any modern biological product.

Follow the cucumber planting pattern

We must not forget about crop rotation. If you plant the same vegetable crop in the same place every year, an infection will accumulate in the soil - an outbreak of the disease is inevitable. Reuse of the plot for cucumbers is possible only after 3 years. In greenhouses, the top layer of soil is changed every two to three years. They take soil from the beds where the following plants grew:

• onion;
• early cabbage (white cabbage);
• garlic;
• salads;
• beet;
• potato.

Failure to follow the cucumber planting scheme recommended by the manufacturer is the most common mistake made by summer residents. In pursuit of a large harvest, cucumbers are planted too densely, provoking diseases. Due to the close proximity of the bushes, both pests and diseases spread through them at high speed. It is very difficult to treat dense plantings; even early diagnosis of diseases is difficult.

Using copper sulfate when growing cucumbers

A solution of copper sulfate is used when preparing cucumber seeds for planting in order to disinfect them. Gardeners explain in videos how to do this correctly. To do this, you can use a 2% solution in which the seeds are soaked for 8-9 hours. Then the seeds are washed with clean water and dried. In addition to disinfection, this event promotes earlier seed germination.

CuSO₄ can also be used to disinfect the soil before planting cucumbers. This can be done both in open beds and in greenhouses. To treat the soil, a 3% solution of copper sulfate is used. You can water the soil no later than a week before planting cucumbers.

If there is insufficient copper content in the soil, you can also use fertilizers containing this element. Copper deficiency is typical in sandy or peaty soils. The best way to enrich the soil is to use copper sulfate once every five years. The consumption of copper sulfate per 1 m2 of soil should be no more than one gram.

Morphology

Pathogens:

• Pythium spp (Pythium debaryanum, Pythium ultimum, Pythium aphanidermatum);
• Fusarium spp (Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium culmorum);
• Rhizoctonia solani;
• Ascochyta cucumis;
• Sclerotinia sclerotiorum[1].

Pythium spp (Pythium debaryanum, Pythium ultimum, Pythium aphanidermatum) - belong to the class Oomycetes, order Peronosporales, family Pythiaceae [7].

Pythium debaryanum

:
The mycelium is unicellular, highly branched, with sporangia[13].

Sporangia are terminal or intercalary[13].

Pythium ultimum

:
The mycelium is non-septate, cobwebby, hyphae up to 10 µm thick[6][12].

Zoosporangia are terminal, intercalary, round, barrel-shaped. Dimensions: 14–17x23–28 microns[12].

Gival swellings are round, intercalary, less often terminal. Size 15–35 µm[3][12].

Oogonia are terminal, less often intercalary, spherical, with a smooth shell. Diameter 15–25 mm[12].

Antheridia (organs of sexual reproduction) are monoclinic, less often hypogynous or diclinic. Oogonia has from one to three pieces. The antheridial cell is sac-shaped, club-shaped, curved, and usually has a beak-shaped apex in contact with the lower part of the oogonium[12].

Oospores (organs of sexual reproduction) are aplerotic. The shell is smooth, 1–2.8 microns thick. The diameter of oospores is 12–20 µm[12].

Pythium aphanidermatum

:
Mycelium – hyphae, 2.5–8 µm thick[12].

Sporangia are sac-like swollen, branched, arranged in groups with a total size of 50–1000 µm in length and 4–20 µm in width. Sporagnia germinate into zoosporangia or growth tubes. Cyst with a diameter of 7.5–12 µm[12].

Oogonia are terminal, spherical with a smooth shell, 20–25 µm in diameter [12].

Antheridia are monoclinic, less often diclinic, intercalary, terminal, sac-shaped, barrel-shaped, cylindrical, club-shaped, 1–2 in the oogium[12].

The oospore is aplerotic, with a smooth shell 1–2 µm thick. The diameter of the oospore is 18–22 µm. Oospores germinate using a germ tube or to form zoospores[12].

The genus Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium culmorum) are imperfect fungi. They belong to the class Hyphomycetes, order Hyphomycetales, family Tuberculariaceae [7].

Fusarium oxysporum

:
The mycelium is airy, filmy-cobwebby, low, colored in various shades of pink-carmine-lilac, sometimes light yellow or white[10].

Macroconidia - are formed in aerial mycelium, sometimes in sporodochia and pionnots. The shape is fusiform-crescent-shaped, elliptically curved or almost straight. For the most part, the diameter is the same, the shell is thin. The upper cell is not elongated, gradually and evenly narrowing. The macroconidia are narrowed towards the base and have a clearly defined stalk or nipple. Partitions from 3 to 5. Dimensions: 25–50x3.7–5 microns[10].

Microconidia - formed in the mycelium, often in false heads. Always plentiful. Oblong, unicellular, colorless[10][8].

Chlamydiospores are abundant, intermediate, apical, smooth or rough, unicellular or bicellular, uncolored[10][8].

Microsclerotia are dark[10][8].

Fusarium solani

:
Mycelium is airy, fluffy or filmy, white, white-pinkish, whitish-creamy-yellowish[10][8].

Macroconidia - are formed in aerial mycelium, sporodochia and pionnots. The shape is fusiform-crescent-shaped, elliptically curved, less often almost straight. The upper cell is slightly narrowed and obtuse. Macroconidia at the base with a stalk or papilla, usually with 3–5 septa. The diameter is the same over most of the length. Dimensions: 20–60x4–7 microns. In mass, macroconidia are creamy-yellowish, blue-green, brownish-white or clay-colored[10][8].

Fusarium culmorum

:
The mycelium is aerial, white, pale olive-yellow, ocher-dark red, fluffy, densely or loosely fluffy, well developed [10].

Macroconidia - in sporodochia and pionnots, less often only in mycelium. The shape is fusiform crescent-shaped, crescent-shaped, elliptically curved or straight and unequal, less often parabolically curved, sometimes almost cylindrical, fusiform. In the middle part, the conidia are usually concave. The central cells are larger in diameter than those of related species. The upper cell suddenly narrows in the form of a papilla or is only slightly compressed, sometimes it can be slightly elongated and curved. The pedicle is more or less clearly expressed or there is a papillary base. The shell is thick with 3–5, less often with 6–8 distinct septa. In general, macroconidia are yellowish or pink, then ocher, light brown or red-ocher. The size of macroconidia is 15.0–100.0x3.70–14.0 µm[10].

Microconidia are rarely formed in aerial mycelium and have a one- or two-cell structure[10].

Chlamydiospores are intermediate[10].

Rhizoctonia solani

- basidiomycete fungus.
Belongs to the class Basidiomycetes, order Polyporales, family Corticiaceae [7]. Teleomorphic stage of development of Rhizoctonia solani – Thanatephorus cucumeris[5]. Mycelium - develops in the soil, saprophytic, parasitizes the underground organs of plants and forms more or less noticeable plexuses and sclerotia on them. The hyphae are brownish, in places almost colorless, 6–10 µm thick, branched in a T-shape [14][10].

Sclerotia are dark brown or black, crusty, firmly attached to the substrate, often fused. On wheat, barley, rye, and triticale, spots form on the surface behind the stem wrapper and leaf sheaths[5][10].

Ascochyta cucumis

– an imperfect fungus, belongs to the class Coelomycetes (Coelomycete) in the order Sphaeropsidales or Pycnidiales, family Sphaeropsidaceae. Marsupial stage (teleomorph) – Didymella bryoniae [7] [1].
The mycelium is initially dimorphic; after the formation of the third leaf of the culture, a full-fledged mycelium is formed [1].

Pycnidia are light brown, submerged, semi-submerged or superficial. The shape is spherical-flattened. Diameter 100–200 microns. The pycnida has a porus (round opening) with a diameter of 20 microns. The porus is surrounded by dark small cells. On the leaves, pycnidia have a thin shell, on other parts of the plant they have a thick shell [1].

Conidia are colorless, two-celled, cylindrical, some club-shaped or elongated ellipsoid. Dimensions 11–20x2.5–4 microns[1].

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

– a marsupial fungus, belongs to the class Euascomycetes, order Helotiales, family Sclerotiniaceae [7].
The conidial stage does not have its own name[9]. The mycelium is dense, cotton wool-like, white, never grey, airy[9].

Sclerotia are irregular in shape, often flattened, rounded. Sizes vary depending on the conditions of formation and the type of host plant. Most often, the sclerotia are gently tuberculate, black on the outside and white on the inside. Diameter 1–3 cm[9][11].

Apothecia are light brown, funnel-shaped with a depression in the center. Diameter 4–8 mm. The legs are cylindrical, 2–10 cm long[9][11].

Asci are cylindrical. Dimensions: 120–150x6–10 microns. They contain 8 ascospores[9][11].

Ascospores are elliptical, uniseriate, colorless. Dimensions: 7–13x4–6.5 microns[9][11].

Treatment of cucumber diseases with copper sulfate

To combat various diseases, the solution is mixed with certain components.

• To treat powdery mildew on cucumbers, dissolve 7 grams in 10 liters of water. crystals or powdered copper sulfate and 100 gr. liquid soap. The solution should be thoroughly mixed and sprayed on the cucumbers.
• Cucumbers can be cured of downy mildew (penosporosis) by spraying the foliage and stems with Bordeaux mixture.
• To treat ascochyta, 5 grams are diluted in 10 liters of water. copper sulfate and 10 gr. urea. This solution can be used to treat cucumbers only twice per season with a week break.
• To treat root rot of cucumbers, dissolve 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate, the same amount of zinc sulfate and 1 tablespoon of superphosphate in 10 liters of water. This solution should only be used fresh. They water the soil under cucumbers at the rate of 5 liters per 1 m2.
• To treat gray rot, you can prepare a dry powder. To do this, mix 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate powder with 1 tablespoon of sifted wood ash. The resulting mixture is sprinkled on the affected areas.

It should be remembered that after treating cucumber beds with copper sulfate, the fruits can be eaten no earlier than 5 days later. In addition, cucumbers do not absorb copper sulfate. It remains on the skin of the fruit. Therefore, wash the cucumbers thoroughly after processing.

Olga Danilina

By what signs do summer residents recognize root rot of cucumbers?

Let's figure out what signs can be used to calculate root rot in cucumbers. On seedlings, signs of root rot appear extremely rarely. Symptoms appear after transplanting cucumber seedlings into a greenhouse or soil. Droopy leaves on cucumber vines are a reason to think.

The mistake is made by the summer resident who runs for a watering can and waters fading plants in large quantities. Always check the condition of the roots of cucumbers before watering. You need to make sure there is no root rot. To do this, carefully scrape the soil away from the stem with your hand and go slightly deeper into the ground in the area around the stem.

Cucumbers are affected by root rot with the following symptoms:

1. The stem at the base becomes thinner and acquires a yellow or brown tint.
2. The plant has cracks at the bottom of the central shoot.
3. The cucumber has brown roots that have begun to soften.
4. Yellowing of leaves in the lower zone of the stem.
5. Frozen, fading ovaries (advanced stage).

The presence of these signs in plants indicates that the cucumbers have root rot and treatment must be started immediately.

White rot (sclerotinia): what is it?

White rot, or sclerotinia, is an infectious fungal disease, the external manifestation of which depends on the life cycle of the fungus.

Thus, at the sclerotial stage, the fungus develops on the surface or inside the plant in late summer - early autumn. It forms sclerotia - bodies that, at rest, endure the winter in soil or plant debris.

When high humidity sets in and the air temperature rises to +16°C, sclerotia germinate and create fruiting bodies - thin stems with cups at the ends, 5-15 mm in diameter. They contain many ascospores that fall on damaged plants through the air. This is how the development of a fungal infection begins.

Symptoms

White rot has a number of symptoms that make it difficult to confuse it with other diseases:

• the appearance of a large number of wet spots on different parts of the plant;
• wateriness, sweetness of the affected areas;
• the formation of a white flocculent plaque on the foci of infection;
• wilting and death of leaves and shoot tips;
• development of black sclerotia on the affected parts, visible on the cut.

The manifestation of external signs depends on the stage of development of the disease.

Distribution routes

The primary source of infection is soil and plant debris in which sclerotia overwinter. In a plot or greenhouse, spores spread through the air, through insects and the gardener’s hands.

Danger

Sclerotinia is an insidious disease. Its main danger is:

• the ability to affect both young seedlings and fruit-bearing bushes, which leads to a drop in yield;
• long life of the fungus in the soil and on the remaining parts of the diseased plant;
• the likelihood of fungus being introduced when updating the soil or watering;
• damage to all parts of the plant.

In addition, the fungus can affect not only cucumbers, but also any other crop: its spores spread quickly, which entails disease of all plants, especially in a greenhouse.

What is this substance

From a chemical point of view, copper sulfate is copper sulfate. The substance appears as blue crystals or powder. The compound is highly toxic, so many gardeners are afraid to use it.

Copper sulfate is truly poisonous to humans. It causes severe poisoning when ingested. But this compound is beneficial for plants, as it protects them from pathogens and pests.

In gardening, copper sulfate is not used in its pure form. This corrosive substance can burn plants. An aqueous solution of copper sulfate is used to treat cucumbers and other garden plants. It has high acidity. To reduce it, laundry soap, ash or milk of lime are added to the composition.

Copper sulfate begins to destroy bacteria and harmful insects within 2 - 4 hours after application. Its duration depends on weather conditions. The lower the air temperature, the longer the substance acts.

Treatment of cucumbers with vitriol should be done only in dry weather. Otherwise, rain will wash the substance from the green parts of the plant. Repeated spraying is unacceptable, as this can lead to an excess of copper sulfate in the soil.

Precautions and Limitations

You need to use the drug carefully

Considering the toxicity of copper sulfate, it is recommended to be careful when working with it and avoid spraying the powder.

Operating rules

When preparing solutions, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment to prevent the drug from entering the respiratory system and mucous membranes - masks and respirators, eye protection, goggles and gloves.

Storage rules

Store the substance in a dry, dark place in plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids, avoiding contact with food and medicines.

Limitations in use

If the dosage is exceeded during the preparation of working solutions and if the frequency of treatments exceeds the recommended one, it leads to:

• to plant burns, damaging vegetative parts, incl. flowers and fruits;
• to a slowdown in the development and loss of quality characteristics of vegetables;
• active growth of lateral roots, slowing down the normal development of the cucumber bush.

Copper sulfate is not applied as a fertilizer in the fall, because Over the winter, it oversaturates the soil and significantly increases its acidity.

The active substance can accumulate in soil layers and, with prolonged continuous use, disrupts the biological balance in the soil.

Compatibility

The use of the drug is limited by its incompatibility with organophosphate insecticides and other substances that decompose under the influence of the alkaline environment created by copper sulfate.

It has a suppressive effect on the process of absorption of iron, which is necessary for plant growth, therefore it is recommended to alternate fertilizing with copper with the addition of iron-containing nutritional compounds, for example, iron sulfate.

Combines with soap and wood ash, which increase the effectiveness of use and soften its active effects.

Types of rot

Rots vary in color, location and cause of occurrence. Rot happens:

1. White. It appears at any phase of cucumber development. The affected parts of the plant become covered with a white, cottony, wet coating and dry out. If the fungus develops inside the stem, the entire infected cane becomes covered with mucus.
2. Gray . It affects all parts of the plant, including the roots. The first signs of the disease appear in the form of light brown, slippery, blurry spots on the stems and leaves. Subsequently, the infection spreads to the ovary. Young fruits become covered with a gray fluffy coating, soften, become watery and flow.
3. Brown. Brown spots appearing on young fruits. As the fruit grows, the size of the spots increases, covering the cucumbers with a swamp-green coating.
4. Black. Round black spots appear on the stems, which turn brown as the infection progresses and eventually turn white.
5. Root. The first “bell” that the cucumbers are sick with root rot will be a strong drooping of the cucumber vines, as if the crop is very thirsty. If you scrape the soil away from the root collar with your hand, you will see a thin brown stem at the base with signs of rotting roots.
6. Summit. Affects young ovaries and fruits. Appears in the form of single gray or brown dry spots on the fruits, which, growing, turn into a continuous thick dark gray pubescence. Over time, the plaque completely covers the fruit, which becomes watery and soft. The plants themselves stop growing, the leaves begin to wither, curl and dry.

Most often, rot is caused by various types of fungi. But there are also those that arise due to plant damage by pests.

Diseases of cucumbers. Gray rot

Leaves, ovaries, small cucumbers rot

If the stems, ovaries or even small cucumbers are covered with a gray or whitish fluffy coating, and brown or gray spots of irregular shape appear on the leaves, then we are dealing with rotting processes. You should not make hasty conclusions without accurately identifying the pathogen and understanding how and where it came from on the plants.

Benefits and effectiveness for cucumbers

The prepared solution begins to act after 2-4 hours. At a temperature of 15°C it works for two weeks, 25°C for a week.

• fungi control;
• seed dressing to destroy fungal spores;
• processing of greenhouses, wooden structures, soil;
• copper/iron-sulfur fertilizer, which increases the immunity of the crop and increases the yield and soil fertility.

Use copper sulfate for cucumbers in compliance with the dosage and timing. Only in this case can you benefit.

Instructions for use

Copper sulfate is often combined with lime to form a Bordeaux mixture. It is less toxic because the concentration of the designated drug is reduced. You can reduce the dose of copper concentrate by adding wood ash or laundry soap to the solution. In addition, fruits from the treated plant cannot be eaten for 2 weeks.

It is strictly forbidden to mix iron sulfate with preparations related to organophosphorus insecticides and preparations that easily dissolve in an alkaline environment. The combination of iron sulfate with various substances that have an alkaline composition is prohibited; lime is also included here.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of white rot in the greenhouse, it is recommended:

• thoroughly treat and disinfect the soil;
• additionally treat the soil before planting seedlings by pouring a solution of potassium permanganate (5 g per 10 liters of water) into each hole;
• plant cucumbers at a sufficient distance from each other;
• promptly remove and burn plant residues from the beds.

Recurrence of the disease will help to avoid:

• air humidity level control;
• regular ventilation of the greenhouse;
• timely removal of rotting stems, fruits and young shoots;
• watering the bushes once with Planriza solution (0.01%) during flowering.

It is also important to follow the rules of watering and fertilizing and use only clean tools when pruning bushes.

Description of the drug

To characterize it, you will have to remember school lessons and chemical formulas. Copper sulfate is a crystalline or powdery substance, odorless. According to the chemical formula - CuSO4 * H2O, other names are used:

• copper sulfate;
• copper sulfate.

Bright blue crystals are stirred in heated water and used to treat plants, disinfect equipment or greenhouse structures.

Copper sulfate is part of the group of contact fungicides, caustic, with high acidity. It belongs to toxicity class III and has a number of useful properties:

• antifungal;
• astringent;
• antiseptic.

On a note! Do not confuse copper and iron sulfate, as the substances differ in composition and purpose.

According to the instructions, it is low-toxic for bees, but it is recommended to isolate insects for a day after treatment. If the dosage is observed, it is not phytotoxic.

How to apply the product as a fertilizer

Copper sulfate is often recommended for use in soils such as sandstone or peat, as well as soils that have a poor composition. To eliminate the lack of copper in the soil, it is necessary to add the designated chemical substance at the rate of 1 gram per 1 square meter. But the indicated fertilizing should be carried out no more than once a year. For soil that has a different composition, it is advisable to apply such fertilizer approximately once every 5 years.

It is not recommended to apply iron sulfate directly to growing bushes, as it can burn the root system. The best option would be to add iron sulfate along with compost when digging the soil in the fall. Thus, the soil will be saturated with the designated microelement over the winter and will be able to provide the plants with the necessary substances in the spring.