Pests in gardens, orchards, vineyards - a real scourge of the owners. In order to fight them, you have to spend a lot of time and effort. A good help in such a fight can be a Bordeaux mixture, the preparation of which is not at all difficult. And the effect is wonderful.
What is Bordeaux mixture?
Bordeaux mixture, or Bordeaux mixture, is a solution that contains copper sulfate and lime. According to experienced owners, its effectiveness is much higher than that of ordinary vitriol. It was first used at the end of the 19th century by P. Millard, a French gardener and botanist. He used this composition in order to protect the vineyards from such a dangerous disease as mold fungus.
What is it used for?
There is a large group of fungicides, that is, substances that help in the fight against fungal diseases. This is where the Bordeaux mixture comes into play. It has found wide application in horticulture. It is used to treat plants in order to protect against various fungal diseases, as well as to preventscab. She treats the wounds that remain after cutting the branches of trees. It is also effective to add this composition for whitewashing. Despite the fact that this substance has been used for more than a hundred years, gardeners and gardeners do not refuse it. The reason for this is ease of preparation and efficiency. You can purchase a ready-made solution for processing, but it is much better to prepare a substance such as Bordeaux mixture on your own. Its preparation is not difficult. The finished substance is a turquoise liquid.
How to cook?
The store usually sells not the finished substance, but its components in two separate bags. One of them contains copper sulphate, and the second contains lime. Following the attached instructions, a composition is obtained, which is called the Bordeaux mixture. Its preparation in this case is facilitated by the fact that the proportions of the constituent components are measured in advance. However, the amount of substance that will be obtained in the end is small. It may not be enough to process a large vineyard or orchard. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase separately the two substances that are part of it, and prepare the required amount of solution as needed. Moreover, lime and vitriol can be used in orchards and vineyards as part of other solutions, not only such as the Bordeaux mixture. The preparation of this composition has one subtlety: vitriol and lime are dissolved in water separately, and only then mixed. In order to get 10 liters of a one percent Bordeaux mixture, take 100 g of copper sulfate and the same amount of lime (it may be neededa little more, even 150 g). Dissolve them separately in a fairly roomy container made of plastic or glass (metal will not work). Vitriol must be thoroughly mixed in warm water. Lime, if necessary, extinguish in a small amount of water, then dilute in 5 liters of water to make milk of lime. It is desirable to strain it immediately. A solution of vitriol is poured into it in a thin stream, stirring. And then the total volume of liquid is adjusted to 10 liters. Bordeaux mixture, cooked correctly, should have a bright turquoise color.
It is important that the solution does not give an acid reaction, otherwise it may damage the green leaves. To check this, an ordinary nail is lowered into the finished liquid for 3 minutes. If it turns red, then add a little more milk of lime. If the question is being decided how to properly prepare a Bordeaux mixture of a higher concentration (for example, three percent), then you just need to change the content of its components proportionally. That is, for a three percent mixture, take three times as much (300 grams of vitriol and 300–400 lime). Use the resulting solution immediately, it will not be stored. And do not forget about protective equipment - the mixture is dangerous if it comes into contact with the skin.
Bordeaux mixture is a composition indispensable in gardening. It helps to save trees and bushes from many diseases. Do not forget about this simple and reliable, time-tested tool.
