got its name from the place of its creation - the city of Bordeaux. In France, this liquid has been successfully used since the 19th century. You can make your own Bordeaux mixture. From this article you will learn how to do this, how to dilute Bordeaux mixture, methods of its use and safety measures.
Composition and principle of action of Bordeaux mixture
Compatibility with other drugs
Bordeaux mixture according to the instructions for use is not compatible with soap and other chemicals insecticidal action, with the exception of colloidal sulfur. It is not advisable to mix the liquid with karbofos or organic phosphorus compounds. The liquid may interact with systemic fungicides to enhance the protective effect and destroy infections in severe cases, but there are exceptions - drugs containing thiram. The mixture is used with such fungicides as Oxadixil, Allet, Cymoxanil, Metalaxil.
Did you know? Copper sulfate is used not only as a fungicide, it is used in the food industry, medicine, metallurgy, construction, paint and varnish products, animal husbandry and many other industries.
How to prepare a solution of Bordeaux mixture
Let's figure out how to prepare Bordeaux mixture. To treat plants, a one-percent and three-percent mixture is used; we will consider both options. To prepare a 1% mixture you need to prepare 100 g copper sulfate and 120 g of quicklime. Copper powder per liter is dissolved in a glass or clay container. hot water. Then cold water is poured into the solution - five liters. In another container, the lime is quenched with a liter of hot water and also diluted with five liters cold water. Both mixtures are filtered and carefully mixed: copper sulfate is poured into the lime, stirring. The mixture is ready.
Important! It is unacceptable to use plastic utensils when working with lime; they will melt and you may be injured. Do not use metal containers to prepare copper sulfate.
Prepare a three percent liquid. For this you will need: 300 g of copper sulfate and 450 g of lime (quicklime). The preparation principle is the same as in a one percent solution. To prepare both types of liquid, it is advisable to take lime in a closed, sealed container. Open lime loses its qualities by reacting with oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Safety precautions at work
When working with Bordeaux mixture, it is important to observe both your own safety and the safety of your plants. Spraying trees with Bordeaux mixture after the flowering period leads to sad consequences: burns of foliage, shedding of ovaries, cracking and deterioration in the taste and quality of the fruit. If treatment with fungicides is necessary during this particular period, use preparations that do not contain copper: “Kuproksat”, “CHOM”, “Oksikhom” or “Champion”. Recommended spring treatment garden with Bordeaux mixture, thus preventing fungal infection. Moreover, Bordeaux mixture stays on plants even in conditions of frequent rain. Gardeners are justifiably interested in the question of when to spray with Bordeaux mixture. Optimal conditions for processing - morning or evening, in cloudy and windless weather.
Attention! It is forbidden to use Bordeaux mixture in extreme heat or rain. This will leave burns on the foliage and shoots. It is advisable to avoid contact with the soil during processing.
For your own safety, it is advisable to adhere to the following rules:
- When preparing and working with Bordeaux mixture, you need to wear a protective suit, respirator, hat, and gloves.
- It is unacceptable to eat, drink, or smoke while using the mixture or during short breaks between work.
- You should pay attention to the wind; it is important that the splashes do not get on you, as well as on plants that you did not intend to treat.
- If it starts to rain, work with the fungicide should be stopped.
Bordeaux mixture is harmful to the human body; it is prohibited to consume the fruits immediately after processing. You can eat vegetables 20 days after treatment, fruits - 15 days, berries - 25 days. But in any case, before consuming previously processed vegetables or fruits, they should be washed under running water.
Storage conditions
The prepared solution of Bordeaux mixture can be used immediately; you can preserve it for 24 hours by adding sugar to the solution (five grams per ten liters). Bordeaux mixture is stored in airtight packaging, the storage temperature is not lower than -30 degrees and not higher than +30. Do not store in open packaging, near food products or animal feed. In order not to make a mistake with the shelf life, do not tear off the factory label: it indicates the date of manufacture and how long the Bordeaux mixture can be stored. If all rules are followed, it is suitable for up to two years.
Many gardeners are familiar with Bordeaux mixture and actively use it when growing crops. But the very name of this drug confuses beginners. The product is a fungicide. Very effective against fungal infections. Various garden and flower crops are sprayed with it. But for the product to be beneficial, you need to be able to prepare it and use it correctly. The article will tell you how the treatment with Bordeaux mixture is carried out.
What is the drug?
Among the many fungicides, Bordeaux mixture is the most popular. It has been used for plant protection for many years. This solution is recognized as universal. Because it is suitable for all types of plants.
Composition of Bordeaux mixture
The liquid is pale blue. Prepare a mixture of water, slaked lime and copper sulfate. Copper, which is part of the Bordeaux mixture, is a trace element, without which the culture will not develop properly. Copper deficiency exists in acid sand and peat soils. It manifests itself as growth retardation and chlorosis. Bordeaux mixture allows you to quickly fill the deficiency useful substances and protects against illnesses. It is difficult to do without such a solution when growing vegetable and garden plants.
Advantages of using the drug
Many gardeners speak positively about such a preparation as Bordeaux mixture. The solution has proven effective in many cases. He has a lot of positive qualities.
For example, the drug Bordeaux mixture has the following advantages:
Disadvantages of Bordeaux mixture
Like every product, Bordeaux mixture has some disadvantages, you need to know them so as not to harm fruit trees, berry bushes and ornamental crops.
By using the drug correctly, it is easy to avoid problems. True, the solution of Bordeaux mixture has some disadvantages:
Are there analogues of Bordeaux mixture?
Knowing all the difficulties of using Bordeaux mixture, beginners are afraid to use it. They often have a question about how to replace Bordeaux mixture so that the processing is simple and the effect is high. In fact, there are a huge number of analogues.
A good substitute for Bordeaux mixture is Abigo-pik, Hom and Kuproxat. These drugs are no worse in action, and are even much more convenient to use. Their cost is quite affordable. There are also more advanced analogues. These include Oxychomus and Polychomus. They cauterize the sores from above, and also penetrate inside the plant and treat from the inside. But the Bordeaux mixture is not capable of this.
The substitutes listed above are allowed to be mixed with insect poisons. They are combined with many stimulants and fertilizers. So one treatment can solve several problems. But Bordeaux mixture cannot be mixed with anything. The drugs Strobi, Kvardis, Skor, Ridomil, Akrabat and Vectra are very strong. They are many times more effective than Bordeaux mixture.
Where is Bordeaux mixture used?
The use of Bordeaux mixture in gardening has been practiced for a long time. Stone fruits are processed for the purpose of prevention and treatment of coccomycosis, curl, molinosis and perforated spot. It is important to understand that plums, cherries, apricots and peaches are very sensitive to copper. Due to an overdose, the fruits crack.
By watering apple, pear and quince trees with Bordeaux mixture, you can save plants from fruit rot, scab, black cancer, spotting various types and phyllosticosis. This product quickly eliminates rust, leaf spot and anthracose from currants and gooseberries.
But treating grapes with Bordeaux mixture allows you to get rid of a number of fungal infections. True, you need to use copper very carefully for such a crop. After all, frequent spraying contributes to the deterioration of fruit quality and suppresses the appearance and development of new shoots. 
By following all the rules of use, Bordeaux grape liquid will solve many problems in as soon as possible and will not cause harm.
Spraying potatoes and tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture is effective against macrosporosis and late blight. Bordeaux mixture is indicated for strawberries and raspberries that are affected by leaf spot. Melons, cucumbers and watermelons will not suffer from bacteriosis, spotting and anthracnose after using a copper-based product. Bordeaux mixture is actively used for spraying ornamental shrubs and flowers. Gives excellent results in the fight against rust and spotting.
How to prepare the solution?
There are two ways to prepare Bordeaux mixture at home.
The first method is to use a ready-made kit, which includes a 100 gram bag of copper sulfate and a 100 gram package of slaked lime. Both components have a powder consistency.
The main active element is copper sulfate. However, this is a very aggressive substance. And even with strong dilution with water it can burn the plant. To neutralize the acid you need an alkali. For this, slaked lime is used.
Different proportions of Bordeaux mixture are used: in gardening, 1% and 3% solutions are usually made. It is possible to prepare about 10 liters of mixture from one bag. The dosage must be chosen taking into account the time of year. For example, if you plan to treat with Bordeaux mixture in the spring, then you should prepare a 3% solution. This means you will need 3 packets of copper sulfate and the same amount of lime. The contents are diluted in 10 liters of water.
Bordeaux mixture is used in the spring before the buds open. And this is approximately the period from the end of March to the beginning of April. In the future - in summer, early autumn, late spring - a 1% mixture is prepared for spraying.
The peculiarity of the Bordeaux preparation is that vitriol and lime must be separately dissolved in water before mixing. Copper sulfate is diluted in this way. Take two 10-liter enamel or plastic buckets. Wooden and glass containers are also suitable, but galvanized and iron containers are not suitable. Pour the bag into a bucket and fill it with 500 milliliters of water. Stir thoroughly: to do this, rotate the bucket in a circular motion, and then put it down. This operation is carried out until the powder is completely dissolved. Next, add 4.5 liters of warm water.
Lime for Bordeaux mixture is diluted as follows. First, put on protective equipment: gloves and a mask. Pour the contents of the bag into the second bucket. Fill with 5 liters clean water. Stir with a wooden stick until dissolved. The result is milk of lime.
After this, both solutions are combined. Copper sulfate is poured into the lime in a thin stream. Under no circumstances should lime be poured into vitriol. Allow the liquid to cool. Then filter and filter, otherwise the sprayer will constantly become clogged during processing. The finished product is poured into the spraying device and processing begins. The product should be used freshly prepared. The next day, Bordeaux mixture is not suitable for trees, bushes and flowers.
It is important to note that the bags of Bordeaux set come with detailed instructions manual. It is worth reading it carefully and acting in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. After all, the weight of the active substance may differ.
Let's look at how Bordeaux mixture is prepared using the second method. To do this, buy lime and vitriol separately. IN financially This is much more economical. It is important that the lime is slaked. In gardening stores they sell it as fluff. To prepare, take 100 grams of copper sulfate and 75 grams of slaked lime. Dissolve in 10 liters of water. For a 3% solution you need 300 grams of vitriol and 225 grams of lime. 10 liters of water are also taken.
There is a simple way to check that the concentration is correct. To do this, you need to take any iron object, for example, a knife, a nail. Stainless steel is not suitable in this case. The object is dipped into liquid. If there is too much copper, the knife blade or nail will become covered with red spots. This means there is a risk of burning the plants. To reduce it to a minimum, you need to add milk of lime until the iron object stops being coated with copper. There is also another method, the essence of which is to use litmus paper. But it is used much less often. 
If, after dipping into the solution, the paper turns blue, then the mixture is slightly alkaline or neutral. But if red spots appear, you will have to bring the solution to readiness by adding a little milk of lime.
The quality of Bordeaux mixture is influenced by the following factors:
- Temperature. It is important that the solution is cool when mixing. Then the smallest crystals of substances are formed.
- Adding water. In already ready mixture It is prohibited to add water.
- Shelf life. After preparation, the solution can be stored for no longer than 24 hours.
How to use it correctly?
The question of when to treat with Bordeaux mixture interests many gardeners and gardeners. The effectiveness of the drug and the condition of the crops depend on the correct timing.
Typically, the garden is treated in the spring with Bordeaux mixture no more than 6 times per season. This applies to sick plants. But for strong and healthy shrubs and trees, one spray every 3 years will be enough.
Fruit bushes are processed early spring and during the growing season. Apply no more than 3 times per season. Vegetable crops are sprayed 4 times per season. For protection, the product is used during the growing season. Ornamental plants They are sprayed again in the fall because they are not harvested. In this case, Bordeaux mixture is needed in the fall at a concentration of 3%.
After correct processing trees are covered with a blue coating, which is why spraying is often called blue. The use of Bordeaux mixture in the spring is indicated before the buds swell and leaves appear. In this case, use a 3% solution. And if the buds are already swollen, the mixture in such a concentration can burn the crop. Here you need a 1% remedy. If the green cone period has been missed and buds have already begun to bloom, it is better for beginners not to take risks and use more gentle preparations than Bordeaux mixture. For example, something like this would do mild remedy like copper oxychloride. We must also remember that too frequent spraying, or the use of Bordeaux mixture after the flowering phase has completed, increases the likelihood of network formation on the fruits, and the ovaries may partially fall off.
The greatest effectiveness from the use of Bordeaux mixture can be achieved in early autumn. To prevent the spread of infectious diseases 
It is useful to reapply the mixture in the summer season.
To achieve good result and reduce negative impact chemical composition, it is required to comply with the deadlines for the last treatment:
- Berry, citrus and fruit crops, grapevines, beets, potatoes, alfalfa and hops last time should be processed 2-3 weeks before harvesting.
- Watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons are sprayed 10 days before harvesting.
- Medicinal crops are allowed to be processed three weeks before harvesting for storage or use.
Bordeaux mixture is an indispensable drug against fungal diseases. No matter what “sores” appear on our plants, “experienced” gardeners immediately say that Bordeaux mixture (or Bordeaux mixture) is needed. Previously, there were simply no other drugs. But even now it has not lost its relevance. How to properly prepare Bordeaux mixture and when to use it?
WHAT DOES BORDEAU MIXTURE TREAT?
Bordeaux mixture is a truly universal preparation. Judge for yourself, it helps:
When fighting scab and spots on apple and pear trees;
Against mildew on grapes;
Against moniliosis and coccomycosis on stone fruits (plum, cherry, sweet cherry and apricot),
Protects them from curliness and klyasterosporiosis.
On berries and ornamental shrubs Bordeaux mixture is used against various leaf spots, and this list includes: currants, raspberries and gooseberries; roses, hydrangeas and viburnum; add strawberries here.
On vegetables, Bordeaux mixture is used against late blight, downy mildew and similar diseases. In a word, all garden crops can be cured with the help of Bordeaux mixture.
HOW TO COOKBORDEAUX MIXTURE?
Bordeaux mixture is a fungicide with a fairly strong effect. Moreover, the protective effect lasts for a long time and even after precipitation. It's all explained chemical composition Bordeaux mixture.
It consists of two components: copper sulfate and quicklime (calcium hydroxide). In the package, these two powders are in different bags (photo 2).
Bordeaux mixture is easy to make. However, to obtain a high-quality drug, a number of conditions must be met.
1. Bordeaux mixture is prepared only in wooden, clay, glass or plastic, but not metal containers.
2. To obtain 10 liters of Bordeaux mixture of 1% concentration, dissolve 100 g of copper sulfate in a small amount of warm water and add water to 5 liters of volume.
In another container, quench 100 g (or 150 g) of lime and also add water to 5 liters. Then the resulting milk of lime is filtered through a sieve or fine cloth and, stirring constantly, a solution of copper sulfate is poured into it in a thin stream. The solutions must be cold when mixing.
Please note that the blue solution of copper sulfate must be poured into the milk of lime, and not vice versa!
3. With the correct ratio of components, you get a homogeneous liquid of beautiful blue, similar to diluted jelly.
A properly prepared working mixture has a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. You can check it with a litmus strip, which is sold in stores.
If the red litmus paper turns blue, but the blue one remains unchanged, the Bordeaux mixture is prepared correctly. If litmus paper is not available, you can dip a nail into the liquid. If after a couple of minutes a red coating of copper forms on it, it means that the liquid is acidic and is not suitable for spraying, as it can cause burns on plants.
Such a suspension can be easily corrected by adding a little milk of lime until its reaction becomes alkaline. True, its quality will be much worse if it is cooked correctly right away.
Under no circumstances should the solution be diluted with water, as in this case the Bordeaux mixture may separate!
4. The working solution should be used immediately on the day of preparation, since it loses its properties during storage. The drug will not stick evenly to the plant, but will flow off in large particles, and its effect will be worse.
The freshly prepared solution has a bright sky blue color. As a rule, this color changes during storage, indicating a change in the properties of the working fluid.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE?
Before the buds open, trees are sprayed against scab, coccomycosis and moniliosis, grapes - against mildew, roses - if they have not overwintered well and traces of mold and stains are visible on them.
Plums, cherries and other stone fruits must be processed, as recently they suffer from coccomycosis and moniliosis every year!
Before the buds open, a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture is used. The preparation method is the same, but the number of components is slightly different: 300 g of copper sulfate per 5 liters of water and 400 g of lime per 5 liters of water; strain, mix and spray. A small number of plants can be processed from plastic bottle with sprayer. Trees and large plantations of vegetables - from a garden sprayer.
Most effective means combating numerous diseases of fruit, berry and vegetable crops remains Bordeaux mixture.
Its solution is used to treat apple and pear trees against scab and fruit rot, stone fruits - against hole spot and gray rot, raspberries - against purple spot, currants and gooseberries - against anthracnose and septoria, tomatoes - against late blight, peach - against leaf curl, grapes – from mildew, etc.
The most best results gives early spring spraying. Before buds open (on bare branches and grapevine) spray with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture, and during the growing season (on the leaves) prepare a 1% solution so as not to burn the foliage.
Spray on the leaves no more than 3 times, and stop spraying on berry bushes 25-30 days before picking berries, on apple trees - 15 days before picking the fruits.
During the flowering and fruiting period, Bordeaux mixture is not used and copper-containing preparations are not used, since they cause the fruits to become covered with a brown net and crack.
In the autumn, it is used after the final harvest.
Preparation of the solution
The effectiveness of spraying plants largely depends on the quality of the solution. A properly prepared working solution has a light blue color, a uniform consistency (without flakes) and a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction, which is checked using indicator paper or any metal product(bolt, nail, nut, strip of metal) without rust.
Litmus paper turns red in an acidic environment, and turns blue in an alkaline environment. Metal object in an acidic environment it becomes covered with a reddish-copper coating, and in an alkaline environment it becomes blue.
To ready solution bring the Bordeaux mixture with an acidic reaction to a neutral or slightly alkaline state, add a lime solution (lime milk) little by little, and check its reaction after each addition.
When using an acidic solution for spraying, there is a high probability of burning the leaves, which will then fall off. It is best to use a solution with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
Contains two main components in a 1:1 ratio: copper sulfate and slaked lime. To prepare Bordeaux mixture, they are dissolved in water, each in a separate container, and then a solution of lime is poured in a thin stream into a solution of copper sulfate and constantly mixed with any wooden object.
At the time of connection, both solutions should be cold. And the colder the better.
The quicklime is poured with water and the container is immediately covered with a lid, because a violent reaction occurs. 100 g of lime is poured into 1 liter of water, and after slaking, diluted to the required volume. The solution is allowed to cool.
You can extinguish more lime at once, because it will be useful during the season. Unused slaked lime can be stored until next year in a room with above-zero temperatures. Frozen lime loses its properties.
To prepare solutions, use any glass, wooden, ceramic, or enamel container, except for metal containers (the exception is copper, but in our time such containers have become very rare).
In most cases they use 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture: for 10 liters of water 100 g of copper sulfate and 120-150 g of slaked lime.
100 g of copper sulfate is diluted in 1 liter of water and the volume is adjusted to 5 liters. It dissolves well in water, so there is no need to use hot water.
In another container, dilute slaked lime in a small amount of water (2-3 l), stir well, and then bring it to the required volume - 5 l.
The solutions are combined as described above, and the reaction of the finished mixture is checked.
More concentrated 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture prepare in the same way: for 10 liters of water, 300 g of copper sulfate and 400-450 g of slaked lime.
The finished solution is filtered and used immediately. It should not be stored for more than a day, as it quickly changes its composition.
The mixture settles easily, so it must be filtered to remove sand particles and stir well immediately before use.
Knots for memory
- You cannot mix concentrated solutions of Bordeaux mixture components and then dilute them, or pour a concentrated solution into a weak one.
- Do not pour quicklime under any circumstances. hot water, because you won’t have time to cover it with a lid and get burned. Can be used lightly warm water (room temperature or slightly warmed up to 25-35°C).
- After preparation, Bordeaux mixture should not be diluted with water, because it will begin to separate.
- It is best not to mix the Bordeaux mixture solution with other drugs.
- It is best to buy a ready-made Bordeaux mixture, dilute it according to the instructions and not do it yourself. The industrial packaging contains copper sulfate, lime and indicator paper.
Experienced summer residents use many drugs, wanting to get rid of diseases and pests on their site. One such remedy is Bordeaux mixture. Although the remedy has been around for a long time, it is still widely used today. The fungicidal properties of the drug were discovered in the 19th century. Initially, Bordeaux mixture was used for processing vineyards, and then began to be used for other crops.
Bordeaux mixture is an effective and inexpensive remedy for the treatment and prevention of diseases of garden and vegetable crops. The popularity of the drug is due to the availability of ingredients and the ease of preparing the solution at home.
Area of application of the product and its composition
Bordeaux mixture consists of slaked lime. The drug is prepared by adding copper sulfate to a liquid solution of calcium hydroxide. When the components interact with each other, copper sulfate is formed, which kills harmful microorganisms.
The product is used to combat fungal infections and pests. Bordeaux mixture in gardening copes with many diseases that affect the leaves and bark of trees. Fruit and berry plants actively bear fruit after using the product, and coniferous trees grow much faster. The use of Bordeaux mixture in the fall is necessary in order to preserve the immunity of plants during the winter.
The drug has found widespread use in the fight against the following diseases:
- septoria, anthracnose and peronospora (cucumbers);
- mildew (grapes);
- scab, powdery mildew, rust, fruit rot (fruit and berry crops);
- late blight and macrosporiosis (potatoes and tomatoes);
- spotting (raspberries and strawberries).
On the shelves garden stores You can buy a ready-made concentrated solution that needs to be diluted with water. It is packaged in bottles (0.5 l) and vials (100 ml). But it’s better to make the remedy yourself. Preparing Bordeaux mixture does not take much time and does not require special skills. Do not neglect safety measures - you should wear a protective suit, gloves and a respirator. It is necessary to allocate separate containers for the solution, which will not subsequently be used for other needs. The remaining mixture must be disposed of.
It is necessary to prepare the composition before use. If work needs to be postponed to the next day, add 20 g of sugar to the mixture. This way the solution will not lose its properties.
Often 1 or 3 percent solutions are used. To prepare a 1% mixture you need:
- Take two glass or clay containers (metal ones are prohibited). Their volume must be at least 10 liters.
- Dilute 150 g in one liter of water. Gradually add 4 liters of water.
- In another container, mix 100 g of copper sulfate and 2 liters of hot water. After the mixture has cooled, add 3 liters of cold water.
- Mix both compositions well.
- Add copper sulfate to the lime in a thin stream (not vice versa). Stir the resulting solution of Bordeaux mixture.
Preparation of a solution of 3% concentration is similar to the previous one. You just need to increase the amount of dry ingredients and take 0.3 kg of copper sulfate and 0.45 kg of lime.
The instructions for using Bordeaux mixture indicate that it cannot be mixed with other products and used simultaneously with other fungicides.
Treatment of trees with the drug is carried out in the spring and autumn.
In the spring they spend preventive spraying. It is allowed to use a solution of 3% concentration when the buds are swollen or have just begun to bloom. If the tree has already developed leaves, a 1% solution should be used.
In autumn, treatment is carried out only with a 3% solution. This is because the foliage has already fallen and there is no risk of burns. Using Bordeaux mixture in gardening in the fall will help protect against fungi fruit trees: pear, cherry, apple, plum, quince, apricot.
Bordeaux mixture is widely used for the following crops:
The main factor in preparing the solution is strict adherence to the dosages of the components. If their concentration is low, the spraying procedure will not have an effect and will not get rid of the disease. When adding more substance, you can burn the roots or even kill the plant.
