Every gardener knows that it is almost impossible to grow a rich and he althy crop without the use of numerous preparations. This is due to diseases and harmful insects that threaten plants at almost any stage of growth. Today, the shelves of hardware stores and markets are littered with the widest range of various drugs that help in the fight against diseases and pests. But how to choose a drug that combines high quality and reasonable price? Today we will tell you about one such affordable tool that has been tested for years. It will be about the use of ferrous sulfate for the preventive treatment and treatment of plants.
Composition and properties
The formula of ferrous sulfate is nothing but ferrous sulfate. It is also called iron sulphate. The process of obtaining this s alt is the interaction of sulfuric acid with ferrous iron. At room temperature, this substance looks like medium-sized crystals of turquoise or green color. The content of active substances in these crystals is about 53 percent. Most often it can be found in the formpackages weighing 200 or 250 grams. Iron vitriol is an effective antiseptic fungicidal agent that helps to cope with various fungal diseases. And this drug is an excellent source of iron, which can be used as a fertilizer. Recognizing a lack of iron in a plant is quite simple - by prematurely dying and turning yellow shoots.
It is extremely important to distinguish between copper sulfate and iron sulfate. Iron sulphate is not involved in the preparation of Bordeaux mixture, and it is also unacceptable to spray tomatoes and potatoes.
Indications for use
Spring and autumn are considered the most active periods for the development of various diseases. Iron vitriol is one of the best solutions for developing diseases that won't hit your budget too hard. But it is worth remembering the rather high level of acidity of this drug, which causes chemical burns on young leaves.
Iron vitriol in horticulture is used for the following purposes:
- Prophylactic treatment of basement walls intended for crop storage.
- Healing wounds and treating shoots after pruning.
- Spraying fruit and berry crops from the development of moss, lichen.
- Prophylactic and therapeutic spraying of grapes.
- Fight against harmful insects.
- Fight against powdery mildew, anthracnose and rot.
Iron vitriol is used not only for processing plants, but also for the purposeelimination of an unpleasant smell in the garden and country toilets located on the street. To do this, prepare a solution of 10 liters of water and 500 grams of ferrous sulfate, which is used to treat the toilet and its surrounding area.
Features of use
When processing young seedlings, it should be understood that their bark is thinner than that of adults. Therefore, they need to be processed only once - in the spring. Older trees and shrubs are processed twice - in autumn and spring.
An important feature of the use of iron sulfate is its combination with other garden preparations. For example, it is unacceptable to mix iron sulfate with organic insecticides containing phosphorus. "Fufanon" and other agents of this kind dissolve in an alkaline environment, and therefore the high acidity of vitriol will be detrimental to them. Another forbidden combination is a mixture of iron sulfate and lime.
Fight against fungal diseases
The main reason for the development of fungal diseases in both autumn and spring are the remains of old leaves and fallen branches on the surface of the soil around the trees. Therefore, during spring processing, it is necessary to spray not only the tree itself, but also the area around it. But in the fall, a much more effective method of struggle will be the collection and burning of fallen leaves and branches. After that, the near-trunk area is dug up and the tree is sprayed with ferrous sulfate. If the plant is affected by fungal infections, it should be treated with a solution of ironvitriol, prepared at the rate of not more than 30 grams of ferrous sulfate per 10 liters of water. Spraying with this composition is done twice or thrice, with a break of 7-8 days between each treatment.
Spraying against chlorosis and lichens
If the plant is under-fertilized or iron-deficient, it may be affected by chlorosis. To combat this disease, you should use a solution in the following concentration: dissolve 50 grams of iron sulfate in 10 liters of water, mix thoroughly until the crystals are completely dissolved and start spraying the plant. This treatment is carried out every 3-5 days until the leaves return to their he althy appearance, with a clean surface and a green tint. For preventive spraying, the concentration of the solution must be reduced by at least five times.
Very often old trees are affected by mosses and lichens. Ferrous sulfate will also help get rid of these diseases. To do this, dilute 300 grams of iron sulfate in 10 liters of water - this dosage is suitable for spraying fruit trees. Pome trees are treated with a more concentrated agent - 500 grams of the drug per 10 liters of water.
Disinfection and spraying of berry crops
A weak solution of ferrous sulfate (100 grams per 10 liters of water) can be used to treat various injuries, wounds and cuttings of shoots after pruning. This drug is able to disinfect damaged areas of the plant,preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
To protect berry crops such as raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries and currants, a 3% solution of the drug is sufficient. To prepare it, dilute 300 grams of ferrous sulfate in 10 liters of water and spray the plants with it before the start of the growing season.
Iron vitriol and grapes
Iron sulphate is used to protect grapes, but taking into account a certain feature - it slows down the process of bud break for 7-8 days. But this feature can be turned into an advantage. The delay in bud development after treatment with ferrous sulfate in a solution concentration of 3-4% helps the culture survive spring frosts and temperature changes. Therefore, it is optimal to carry out processing a week after removing the winter shelter.
Recommended concentrations of ferrous sulfate solution for grapes:
- spring processing after shelter removal - from 0.5 to 1%;
- destruction of pests (mildew, oidium, grape cushion) - 4-5%;
- treatment against moss and lichen - from 3 to 5%;
- fight against chlorosis - 0.05%;
- treatment in the fall, before shelter for the winter - from 3 to 5%.
Interesting recipe
If a fungal disease struck a plant during the period of active growth of greenery, then a pure solution of vitriol cannot be used. But there is a recipe for an effective substance that will not only cure your plant, but also not damage it with its effect.
To prepare thisyou will need a solution: 10 liters of water, 50 grams of vitriol, 30 grams of urea and 20 grams of lime (necessarily slaked). Such a composition in diluted form should be stored for no more than a day. Apple, plum and cherry trees should be sprayed at the stage of bud break, strawberries and strawberries - in the process of developing young greens, and tomatoes and potatoes should be sprayed with this solution in the active vegetation phase.
The advantage of this mixture is its lower acidity, which does not burn the plant. Minimal toxicity along with enriched mineral and organic compositions allows you to enhance the action of the components in combination with each other. And better adhesion to the surface of the plant provides longer protection against harmful influences. After spraying with this composition, the plant allows you to get a rich and he althy harvest.
Precautions
Ferrous vitriol is a fairly dangerous chemical, so it is important to take certain precautions when working with it to avoid harm to both humans and plants.
The basic rule of using the drug is to comply with the concentrations used. The high content of iron sulfate in the solution can only be used in autumn, after the leaves have fallen, or before the start of the vegetative period. If there is an urgent need for treatment with the drug during the active growing season, then it is worth reducing the concentration of iron sulfate to 1%.
Dilution of the drug should be carried out in containersonly glass or plastic. Be sure to wear gloves to avoid contact of ferrous sulfate with the skin and mucous membranes. In general, the toxicity and danger of copper sulfate is much higher than iron sulfate, but this does not negate the observance of all precautions.
In conclusion
Today we introduced you to such a simple, inexpensive and incredibly effective multifunctional tool as iron sulfate. Take precautions when working with this chemical and you are sure to get a he althy and bountiful harvest that even the most severe diseases and pests cannot damage.
