Features of processing roses with iron sulfate in autumn
Content
Characteristics of the product
Ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), popularly known as ferrous sulfate, is a crystalline substance (salt) formed by the interaction of biphasic iron with sulfuric acid at a concentration of 53%. Available as a granular free-flowing powder of bluish green, sometimes grayish color, readily soluble in water. The drug is hygroscopic, therefore it is recommended to store it in a dry place in a tightly closed container, under these conditions its shelf life is unlimited.
Of all fungicides used in horticulture, ferrous sulfate is considered the least toxic to plants. Moreover, being a natural macronutrient, on some soils with a lack of iron, it is simply necessary.
Sulfur is also not only a fungicide, but also a trace element necessary for normal plant growth. What is not an argument in favor of the advantages of the drug over other similar drugs?
As for the effect of ferrous sulfate on plants and soil, it should be noted that this is a contact fungicide, it does not penetrate into plant cells, and is rather quickly and easily washed off with water. It is safe for humans even during processing. Of course, one should not neglect protective measures (gloves, mask), but if, nevertheless, a drop of the product gets on the skin, nothing terrible, including a burn, will happen. You just need to rinse your skin with cold water and not worry about the consequences.
Novice flower growers often confuse copper sulfate with iron sulfate. You need to know that these are completely different means in terms of composition, and, therefore, the principle of action and purpose are also different for them. Iron vitriol is more effective in terms of strength, but its field of application in horticulture is not so wide. For example, it is not recommended to spray vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc.) or indoor flowers with iron vitriol, but only for the garden.
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What is it for
The scope of application of ferrous sulfate is quite extensive (industry, medicine), but in horticulture it is used as a fungicide designed to protect plants from fungal diseases, to destroy neoplasms caused by fungal flora (lichens, moss, mold). In many sources there is information that vitriol is a fertilizer, since after its use in plants there is an active increase in green mass.
It should be noted that such an effect is possible only some time after treatment, and it is associated, first of all, with the general health of the plant. And immediately after processing, only yellowing of the leaves can be observed. In addition, it is known that the treatment of trees with the drug can delay, and for a couple of weeks, the beginning of the vegetative process.So, the use of ferrous sulfate as a top dressing is not so advisable.
Of course, many cultivated plants suffer from a lack of iron: fruit trees, shrubs, garden roses. And if you do not feed them in time, then yellowing and leaf fall are possible. However, considering options for iron-containing dressings, it is necessary to give preference to complex fertilizers containing micro and microelements in a form accessible to plants. With regard to ferrous sulfate, we can say that its main action is antiseptic properties, in particular, the effect on pathogens (mycoses).
Treatment of roses with a solution of ferrous sulfate helps to prevent or suspend the most dangerous fungal diseases: powdery mildew, anthracnose, gray rot, black spot.
Some growers use a solution of ferrous sulfate to water the soil in the rose garden after digging in the fall. Considering that fungal spores from fallen leaves penetrate the soil and stay there safely until spring, such treatment can be very effective.
Features of use
The first and most important thing that you need to know when using the drug is that the treatment of roses with iron vitriol is carried out in the fall, and not in the spring, as not very experienced growers sometimes do. Spring treatment with the agent is acceptable for fruit trees, and then only before bud break. As for roses, spraying the leaves and shoots leads to the formation of brown spots (burns), which are superficial, and do not harm the stems, while the leaves cannot be restored. That is why the treatment of roses is carried out in the fall, after the removal or fall of the leaves.
Ferrous sulfate can be used for any fruit, berry crops, or flowers, but in each case it is necessary to adhere to a certain concentration of the agent. For prophylactic treatment of roses, according to the instructions, a 3% concentration of the drug is recommended - this is 30 g / 1 liter, or 300 g / 10 liters. It is this concentration that experts advise to adhere to when processing bushes in the fall. A higher concentration (5-6% as for fruit trees) will harm the delicate shoots of roses, and a lower concentration simply will not have the desired effect on fungal spores.
If roses have undergone black spot disease, and this happens, as a rule, at the end of spring, when the leaves have completely blossomed, then the bushes are sprayed with a weaker solution (1%) on the leaves several times with an interval of 7-10 days. The activity of the drug after treatment lasts for 10-14 days, but it must be borne in mind that it is easily washed off by rain, so the time for spraying should be chosen taking into account the weather.
It is not recommended to cover wet roses - after processing, the plants need to be given time to dry, and all fallen leaves must be collected and burned. It is not allowed to use ferrous sulfate simultaneously with other fungicides, as well as mixing with lime - this method is mainly used to whitewash the trunks of garden trees, but flower growers who grow roses should also be aware of this.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any fungicide, ferrous sulfate has not only advantages, but also disadvantages in the application. The positive qualities of the drug include the following:
- profitability - the drug is one of the cheapest in terms of cost;
- high efficiency in suppressing fungal flora;
- the minimum level of toxicity to people, plants and soil;
- contact effect - the drug acts only externally, without penetrating into plant cells.
The disadvantages of the drug include the following disadvantages:
- low effectiveness of exposure to pests is more likely a fact, not a minus, since the drug is a fungicide, not an insecticide;
- limited period of use: before bud break, or after leaves fall;
- negative, or rather aggressive effect on green shoots and leaves;
- Difficulty in breeding - a 3% solution is considered effective for treating roses, but at such a concentration the agent leads to burns, while a 1% solution does not harm the leaves, but also does not have the desired effect;
- easy to wash off - after rain, the effectiveness of the drug is zero and repeated, sometimes repeated spraying is required;
- iron sulfate, due to oxidation, quickly loses its fungicidal properties - the period of the drug's protective action lasts no more than 14 days.
The remedy also has one property, which can be called both positive and negative. Spraying plants with ferrous sulfate slows down the awakening of plant buds, which, in conditions of sharp temperature changes, allows you to adjust the vegetative process depending on the weather.
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