Image – 100cia at home
Our plants can be affected by a multitude of fungi that can seriously damage them to the point that, if not controlled, they could wilt. To avoid this, it is highly recommended to apply Bordeaux mixturea powerful bluish fungicide that we can prepare at home.
Here we explain how you can obtain this fantastic broth to protect your plants and how to use it.
What is Bordeaux mixture?
Copper sulfate powder. Picture – Ecological Alternative
Bordeaux mixture is a mixture of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) that was accidentally discovered by Bordeaux winegrowers. They used this product to fight against thieves, as they prevented them from eating the fruits. It is a very easy to prepare bluish fungicide that protects plants from fungi that can affect them.
How do you prepare?
To get it, just you have to mix 10 grams of copper sulfate and 20 grams of calcium hydroxide in a liter of water. Once done, stir well so that everything is well dissolved, and then fill a spray with the resulting liquid. Thus, you will have your fungicide ready for use.
How is it used?
Depending on the species you have to treat, you can use the Bordeaux mixture at a certain time, for example:
- Fruit trees: in autumn, before the leaves fall, or at the end of winter. Repeat every two weeks.
- Horticultural plants (strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, etc.): starting in spring, every two weeks.
- Ornamental plants (except carnivorous and acidophilic): starting in spring, every two weeks.
The use of this mixture should not exceed a copper concentration of 6 kilograms per hectare / year.
Precautions
Leaf with mildew, a fungus that is controlled quite well with Bordeaux mixture.
If used excessively, the plants could suffer. Under the action of copper sulfate the leaves can wilt since it is not quickly eliminated from the soil and, therefore, its concentration can be very high, of 200mg / kg of soil when the ideal is not to exceed 60mg / kg.
In addition, cannot be used during the flowering period or when the harvest period is approaching. It is also very important to bear in mind that Bordeaux mixture is toxic to animals, including humans, so it must be kept away or hidden from children, as well as animals.
For the rest, if the necessary precautionary measures are taken, it is one of the most effective ecological fungicides.
