Many gardeners grow grapes to make fresh drinks and fruit dishes. When growing grape bushes, they are often faced with the fact that they suffer from certain fungal pathologies. To protect the seedlings, you will have to treat them with colloidal sulfur for grapes. However, before this you need to familiarize yourself with the features of using this mixture.
Purpose of colloidal sulfur
Before you start processing grape seedlings, you will have to familiarize yourself with the description and purpose of the chemical.Gardeners use it to treat plants from diseases caused by fungi. Also, mixtures prepared from colloidal sulfur are used to prevent pest attacks. Regular use of a sulfur mixture helps eliminate fungi in the vineyards and also prevent their further development.
Experienced winegrowers identify several purposes for treating bushes with this substance:
- Prevention and elimination of diseases such as anthracosis, oidium, powdery mildew.
- Protection of planted seedlings from plant mite attacks and prevention of pest development.
The effectiveness of the fungicidal agent is based on the vapors released by the sulfur solution. After spraying, the treated bushes begin to be enveloped in vapors. They are absolutely safe for plants, as they do not penetrate their plant tissues. The components of the sulfur substance enter the pests and fungi, after which they are gradually destroyed at the cellular level.
Directions for use and doses
It is recommended to figure out in advance how to treat grape bushes with a fungicide. The instructions for using the drug will help with this, which will describe all the nuances of spraying.
First you will have to prepare a working solution, which will be used during processing. To prepare the spray liquid, 50-60 grams of sulfur powder are gradually added to ten liters of water. To make the solution more concentrated, the dosage is increased to 70-80 grams. The powder must be diluted in water so that the mixture becomes homogeneous.
When creating the working fluid, the mixture is thoroughly mixed so that there are no lumps or undissolved sulfur powder.Gardeners with many years of experience in using fungicides advise preparing a solution from heated water, since the powder dissolves better in it.
Spraying grapes carried out on the same day that the liquid was prepared.
At the same time, it is better to process grapes in calm weather, so that the fungicide does not get on nearby plants. The amount of spraying of the vineyard depends on how affected the bushes are. On average, they are processed at least six times a season. In case of serious damage to plants by fungal diseases, the number of treatments is increased up to ten times per season.
Precautionary measures
Many people believe that colloidal sulfur brings only benefits and is absolutely safe for humans, but this is not so. If you use a fungicide carelessly, you can harm your health. There have been cases when, due to improper use of a sulfur solution, people became poisoned and developed allergic reactions.
To avoid such problems, you will have to familiarize yourself with the basic precautions for using a fungicidal mixture.
Before you start spraying grapes, you need to take care of the personal protective equipment that is necessary to prevent liquid from getting on the surface of the skin. The best choice would be a special overall made of durable rubber. A respirator with goggles is suitable to protect your eyes and respiratory organs. You also need to make sure that there are no animals or people nearby when spraying plants.
When treating grape seedlings with sulfur, you should not drink, eat or smoke. When spraying is completed, the mouth, nose and hands are thoroughly washed. To wash away particles of fungicidal liquid that may have gotten on the skin, use laundry soap.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like most fungicides, colloidal sulfur has its advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages are the following:
- Duration of action. Sulfur is classified as a substance whose effective effect is quite intense and long-lasting. Therefore, one spraying is enough for 2-3 weeks.
- Good compatibility with other drugs. Experienced gardeners often use colloidal sulfur along with other insecticidal and fungicidal preparations.
- Safety. The vapors that are released during the processing of grapes are not able to penetrate the leaves or berries.
- Release form. Due to the fact that the drug is sold in the form of a loose powder, it is quite easy to control the dose.
- Versatility. A mixture made from sulfur is universal, as it is used for treatment and prevention.
The disadvantages of a sulfur solution are much less than its advantages. Among the main disadvantages are the unsafety of sulfur for humans, as well as the difficulty of spraying tall grape bushes.
Processing times
Before using colloidal sulfur, you need to understand the timing of its use.
It is recommended to adhere to the following processing times:
- The first spraying can be carried out in early March, when there are still no leaves on the bushes. In this case, non-concentrated mixtures are used.
- Experienced winegrowers recommend re-processing when the first open buds appear on the branches. Most often they open in mid-April.
- The grapes are sprayed for the third time in the first weeks of May, when the bushes are covered with young leaves.
- The fourth treatment is best done in July or June, before pollination.
Storage conditions
Prepared sulfuric liquid cannot be stored for a long time, as it quickly deteriorates. Therefore, you will have to use it within 5-7 hours after preparation. However, colloidal sulfur in powder form can be stored for a long time at home. Rooms with moderate air humidity and room temperature are suitable for this. With high humidity, the powder will begin to clump and deteriorate.
To store fungicides, select places that are reliably protected from children. It is better to place them in boxes that are locked with a key. Under optimal conditions, colloidal sulfur is stored for 1-2 years.
Conclusion
Grapes, like other plants, are often attacked by pests and suffer from dangerous pathologies. To cure it and protect it from insects, you can use colloidal sulfur. However, before this you will have to familiarize yourself with the description of this tool and the nuances of its use for grape protection.
