How to treat tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture: composition and rules for treating tomatoes with this liquid in a greenhouse and open ground

Vegetable growing » Tomatoes

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Kira Stoletova

In order for tomatoes in the garden to grow healthy and actively bear fruit, it is important to provide them with proper care. One of the main measures is treating plants with fungicides. Most often, Bordeaux mixture is used for tomatoes.

Bordeaux mixture for processing tomatoes

This drug has a wide spectrum of action. It is used to control pests and diseases. In order for Bordeaux mixture to bring the desired effect, it is important to understand how to prepare the solution and process the culture.

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 spreads to tomatoes that grow 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.

Quality checking

If the proportions and technology are correctly observed, Bordeaux mixture has the following characteristics:

consistency resembling a suspension;
bright blue color;
reaction to the addition of alkali.

If the product has high acidity, the leaves of the plants will be damaged. As a result, a yellow net appears on the tomatoes, or the fruits crack. If the alkaline reaction is pronounced, then the drug will not stay on the green parts of the plants.

The presence of sediment in the solution, which is formed when there is an excess of lime, is allowed. This usually happens when the proportions are out of balance. Precipitation does not affect the properties of Bordeaux mixture, and this solution is completely ready for use.

You can check the acidity of a solution in the following ways:

litmus paper (should not change color);
phenolphthalein paper (turns crimson).

Advice! To check the quality of the solution, you can dip a nail or iron wire into it.

If a red copper coating does not appear on the item, then everything is prepared correctly. Then additionally dilute the solution with lime milk.

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.

Main advantages

The use of Bordeaux mixture solution has a number of undoubted advantages:

high efficiency;
suitable for combating a wide range of tomato diseases;
duration of action up to 30 days;
the quality of the treatment is monitored (after the solution hits the plant, its parts acquire a blue tint);
the solution remains on tomato leaves even after watering and rain;
availability in gardening stores;
safe for insects that pollinate tomatoes.

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.

Processing pear, apple, quince

You'll have to work harder here. In the spring, before full leaves appear, make about three approaches using a 3% solution. Then, during the growing season, the same amount, but already 1 percent. The consumption per tree is the same as in the case of stone fruits.

Mature, strong trees do not need to remove pests as often. It is enough to arrange a full spraying every three years.

Ornamental trees and shrubs are treated with Bordeaux mixture using the same scheme. Since they are not harvested, they are re-sprayed with a 3% solution in the fall.

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.

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.

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.

Precautionary measures

Bordeaux mixture contains toxic substances. If they penetrate inside, they can cause serious harm to the human body. Therefore, when working with the drug, safety precautions should be observed:

interact with the substance only in special protective clothing (gown, gloves, respirator, goggles);
use separate containers for preparing the solution (it should be disposed of after processing);
when spraying is done, you need to wash your face and hands well and change clothes;
do not allow the presence of animals and children in the treated area, avoid their contact with toxic liquid.

While tomatoes are being treated with Bordeaux mixture, it is dangerous to consume food and alcoholic beverages. If toxic components of the solution get inside the body, into the eyes or on the skin, you should drink a large amount of water and thoroughly rinse all affected areas of the body so as not to cause burns, and then consult a doctor.