Measures to combat powdery mildew on gooseberries using folk and chemical means

People who grow gooseberry bushes often encounter such a dangerous disease as powdery mildew. Pathology can not only worsen fruiting, but also destroy plants. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the most effective measures to combat powdery mildew on gooseberries.


Why does powdery mildew appear?

Powdery mildew is a disease that can infect not only gooseberries, but also many other plants. The most suitable time for the development of pathology is late spring, summer and the first half of autumn. In winter, the disease does not develop, since powdery mildew spores overwinter in the soil. Some gardeners believe that plants can only suffer from downy mildew outdoors, but this is not true. This pathology can destroy plants that are grown in protected soil.

Before treating an infected bush, it is necessary to determine the causes of the fungal disease. These include:

  • Thickened planting of gooseberry seedlings. This is the main reason why symptoms of the disease begin to appear. Bushes that are planted too close do not have enough fertilizing. This leads to the weakening of plant protection against fungal and viral diseases.
  • Incorrect watering. Some gardeners water the berries too rarely, which leads to depletion of the bushes.

Factors influencing the development of powdery mildew

There are several factors that cause powdery mildew to develop. If the berries are grown in a greenhouse, then a fungal disease may appear due to high temperature and high humidity. Fungal pathogens actively develop when the air temperature exceeds 20 degrees and the humidity level is 85-90%. These are the most favorable conditions under which gooseberry infection begins.

powdery mildew

When growing shrubs in open ground, the rate of development of the disease depends on the season and climatic characteristics of the region. Most often, the root and ground part of the bush are affected by downy mildew in the southern regions.

In such an area it often rains, which increases humidity and creates suitable conditions for the development of fungus.

Another factor due to which the disease can affect plants is the planting location. If the bushes are planted in the lowest places in the garden, the likelihood that they will get sick is extremely high. The soil in the lowlands does not allow oxygen to pass through well and gradually accumulates moisture, which contributes to the appearance of fungi.

How the disease spreads

It is recommended to study in advance the main ways of spreading fungal disease. Quite often, downy mildew spores spread to neighboring plants when they begin to water the infected bush. The causative agents of the disease, together with splashes of water, fall on healthy leaves, after which the infection process begins.

powdery mildew

Dry, windy weather also contributes to the spread of the disease. Fungal spores spread with the wind to plants that grow near the affected gooseberry.

Symptoms and signs of the disease

In order to promptly determine that the bushes have symptoms of a fungal disease, you need to familiarize yourself with the most common signs of downy mildew. There are several symptoms that indicate that the berry is infected:

  • White plaque. First, a light and loose coating appears on the shoots and leaves, which can be cleaned with a cloth in the first days after infection.
  • Dark colored spots. Gradually, the lower and upper leaves begin to become covered with darkish spots, which eventually turn brown.If treatment is not started promptly, gray spotting will cover the fruits and stems.
  • Deformation of bushes. After a week, the infected bushes begin to look unhealthy. Their main stem and side shoots are bent and deformed. In this case, the deformation is accompanied by the drying out of some branches.
  • Curling of leaves. During the period of active development of downy mildew, each affected leaf curls and turns yellow. They also become brittle and crumble if accidentally touched.
  • Slow ripening of berries. Each infected fruit, which is covered with a dense crust, stops developing and ripening. Gradually, cracks appear on the surface of the berries, due to which they fall from the bushes.

powdery mildew on gooseberries

How to deal with powdery mildew

When the first signs of the disease appear, you must immediately save the infected gooseberry. To do this, you will have to familiarize yourself with common methods of treating downy mildew in order to choose the most effective one.

Store chemicals

Some people are interested in how to process gooseberries in summer. When fighting many diseases, highly effective chemicals are often used, which begin to act immediately after treatment:

  • "Topaz". This is the most common chemical used in the treatment of fungal diseases. The drug is used to spray seedlings at least three times a month.
  • "Tilt." A protective agent that contains propiconazole. This substance quickly destroys pathogens and prevents infection of gooseberries.

powdery mildew

Folk remedies

Some people do not want to spray seedlings with chemicals and use traditional methods of treatment instead.

Ash

Using ash is a common method of eliminating the symptoms of fungal diseases.To prepare a mixture for processing berries, add 800-900 grams of ash to 10 liters of water. The bushes are treated with the prepared mixture 2-3 times a week.

ash as fertilizer

Soda

Sometimes gardeners use a mixture of laundry soap and baking soda. When preparing the solution, the following dosage is used: 50 grams of soap are added to 7-8 liters of water, after which soda is poured out.

Sodium hydroxide

Another effective remedy against fungi is sodium calcine. To create a mixture for spraying gooseberries, add 10 grams of sodium and 200 milliliters of milk to half a liter of water. Each infected leaf and bud is sprayed with the created mixture.

"Aspirin"

The most affordable medications include Aspirin, which is found in almost every home. Three tablets of the drug and copper sulfate are added to 700 milliliters of water. The solution helps get rid of the early stage of downy mildew.

powdery mildew on gooseberries

Mullein

Until flowering begins, a mixture of mullein is used to eliminate the disease. The substance is diluted with warm water in a ratio of one to three, after which it is infused for 4-5 days. Before spraying, the liquid is filtered with gauze.

"Isopropanol"

A medicinal composition is prepared from “Isopropanol”, which is sprayed on the berries. To create it, add 50 grams of cinnamon to 650 milliliters of the drug. Spraying is carried out at least once a week.

Physical and agrotechnical measures

Some use agrotechnical and physical measures to treat the disease. In this case, instead of spraying, the infected bushes are pruned. If the plant has not been treated for a long time and is completely covered in spots, it will have to be disposed of. Such bushes are dug up with roots and burned.

powdery mildew on berries

What to do with crops affected by powdery mildew

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to eat gooseberries with powdery mildew. Some people claim that such fruits should not be eaten, but this is not true. Gooseberries are harvested even if all the berries are covered with bloom. All harvested crops will have to be washed and cleaned of plaque before use.

Prevention of the disease

To grow and harvest a healthy crop, you will have to familiarize yourself with basic preventive measures.

Selecting disease-resistant gooseberry varieties

There are several varieties of gooseberries that are not affected by powdery mildew. These include:

  • Neslukhovsky. This is a high-yielding variety that bears fruit in autumn. It is resistant to fungal diseases and low temperatures.
  • Cossack. A large-fruited gooseberry that rarely gets sick and is not attacked by pests. The only serious drawback of the Cossack is the large number of sharp peaks on the stems.

ripe berry

Proper care of gooseberry bushes

Summer is the time when planted gooseberry bushes need to be carefully looked after. When the flowers begin to bloom and the first berries begin to form, it is necessary to increase watering. You will also have to trim and remove excess shoots.

Carrying out preventive treatments

Preventative treatments are needed to protect berries from downy mildew. Experts recommend using fungicidal preparations “Fitosporin” and “Prognoz” for treatment, which prevent the development of fungi. A solution containing iodine and baking soda is also considered an effective remedy.

gooseberry processing

Timely application of fertilizing

Without fertilizing, the plant will weaken and begin to hurt, so fertilizers are regularly added to the soil.Most often, fresh humus and wood ash are poured into the soil. Mineral fertilizers are also added, which contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.

Conclusion

The most common disease that affects gooseberries is powdery mildew. To cure infected bushes, you need to familiarize yourself with how you can get rid of powdery mildew on gooseberries and what means to use.

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