How to treat strawberries after winter from diseases and pests?

Loved by children and adults, the aromatic sweet strawberry needs careful care throughout the growing season. As soon as the spring sun warms up, summer residents begin active work in the beds. Questions about how, when and how to process strawberries in spring so that the bushes do not get sick, the berries are ripe on time, and the pests do not bother, remain relevant all year round.

When and how to carry out the first treatment?

Spring practically throughout the entire territory of Russia means warm weather with frequent heavy rainfall. Whatever activities are carried out in the country, in order to maximally protect garden and vegetable garden crops from diseases, low strawberry bushes always risk the most.

In early spring, when the strawberry is still asleep, it is allowed to treat it with chemical fungicides and insecticides. Firstly, soil treatment will not harm the plants, and secondly, biological products do not work at low temperatures.

Before proceeding with the processing of the beds, they are cleaned of debris, old leaves, last year's mulch, they loosen the ground, huddle or raise bushes.

The first stage is hot watering (water with a temperature of 85-95 ° C). Thus, they get rid of pests wintering in the ground - adults and larvae that rise to the surface of the earth, closer to the spring heat.

The simplest antiseptics, which are purchased at any pharmacy (iodine, manganese), added to hot water, will complement the effect by destroying spores of fungi sleeping in the soil, and also effectively affect the eggs of spider mites. Manganese is taken so much that the water acquires a pale pink color, 10-15 drops of iodine per bucket are enough. Effective and the addition of soda (1 tbsp. L. Per 10 l).

The second stage is the disinfection of the soil with dry antiseptics, which simultaneously repel a number of pests, including slugs. You can process strawberries after winter:

• tobacco crumbs;
• mustard powder;
• ground hot pepper;
• wood ash.

All "seasonings" are useful in the form of infusions for spraying strawberry bushes during the period of growth and bud formation, as well as at the end of fruiting.

The use of wood ash to protect strawberries from pests and diseases allows you to simultaneously feed them without the risk of exceeding the permissible doses of fertilizers.

The third stage is the treatment with fungicides and insecticides. It is required if in the past season strawberries suffered from fungal diseases or were subjected to massive pest attacks.

Until the heat is established (above + 15 ° C), chemical agents are used - Bordeaux liquid, copper sulfate, urea. When the temperature rises, biological products can be used - they are environmentally friendly, have a wide spectrum of action (they destroy pests and pathogens). The latest generation products are simultaneously capable of feeding plants.

How and what to treat strawberries in spring for diseases

Common fungal diseases affecting strawberries:

1. rot (black, gray, white, late blight) affecting berries;
2. spots (black, brown, white), manifested on the leaves, leading to a violation of metabolic processes; berries become smaller, lose sweetness, do not ripen completely;
3. powdery mildew.

Chemicals

Before the leaves appear, the soil is treated with the usual preparations:

1. copper sulfate (5 g per bucket of water);
2. Bordeaux liquid prepared according to a typical recipe (sprayed on a leaf);
3. on the sheet, strawberries are treated with urea (40 g of the drug per 12 liters of water);
4. potassium permanganate (1.5 g per 10 l of water) is sprayed until the buds open.

Chemical fungicides of industrial production are also used: "Topaz", "Skor", "Horus", "Sulfarid" and others. Each tool is accompanied by an instruction, in strict accordance with which strawberry beds are treated against diseases.

Biological agents

They are used in warm weather. Dignity - the preparations are non-toxic, that is, they do not pose a threat to beneficial insects, people, birds. The most common are "Fitosporin" ("Fitodoctor"), "Trichodermin".

Treatment with biological products on the sheet is carried out after watering and soil treatment. Can be combined with Bordeaux liquid.

People's Councils

Hydrogen peroxide is the safest remedy for saving strawberries and strawberries from gray rot. The working solution is prepared from 2 tbsp. l. 3% peroxide and a liter of water. If the lesion is strong, take 3 tablespoons of peroxide. You need to spray the bushes early in the morning or in the evening, again - after 5-7 days. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide does not harm pollinating insects, birds, people, and pets.

Spring pest control

The most "popular" pests of sweet berries:

• slugs that gnaw at the beginning to ripen or fully ripe fruits;
• May beetle larvae (beetle) feeding on roots;
• sap-sucking parasites - aphids, spider mites, pennies;
• weevils;
• nematodes.

As noted above, hot watering neutralizes a significant portion of unwanted guests. In order to finally get rid of them, summer residents are forced to spray the berries with insecticides - chemical, biological or folk.

Chemical substances

"Karbofos" - an effective drug that quickly destroys almost all pests. Dilute at the rate of 50 g of powder per 10 liters of water. The product has a strong unpleasant odor and is toxic. All work with him is carried out in protective clothing. The toxins are completely decomposed in the berries after 30 days.

"Fufanon" - analogue of "Karbofos". A 5 ml ampoule is diluted in 5 liters of water.

"Inta-Vir" used only before flowering, the critical period is 7 days before the buds open. The drug is toxic, it is not used if there are apiaries or reservoirs nearby. The working solution is prepared from 10 g of powder or 1 tablet and 10 liters of water.

Biological products

Fitoverm effectively affects most pests, at the same time increases the immunity of plants. The drug is non-toxic, the active substance completely decomposes after two days. This drug is most often found in the arsenal of summer residents. In addition to it, use "Taurus", "Caesar", "Aktofit", "Nemabakt" (remedy against nematodes), "Iskra-Bio".

Biological agents are most effective at an air temperature of 18 to 28 ° C.

"Strawberry rescuer"

The drug of a new generation allows you to process strawberries and garden strawberries in one step from many misfortunes and at the same time stimulates its development.

"Strawberry Rescuer" consists of 3 ampoules, which contain:

• insectoacaricide effective against aphids, whiteflies, slugs and snails, weevils and ticks;
• fungicide that protects against late blight, powdery mildew, rot, spotting, verticilliosis, viral mosaic, bacterial cancer;
• growth stimulant.

The product is easy to use - it is simply dissolved in water and sprayed on the strawberry beds. Available in both liquid and powder form. Instructions for use are given on the packaging.

Indisputable advantages of the "Rescuer":

• effective even at high air temperatures;
• pests do not develop resistance to the drug;
• kills eggs, larvae, adult insects.

Traditional methods

The reluctance to use "chemistry" on the site is understandable, in this case, folk recipes are used to protect strawberries from pests.

Adherents of organic farming prepare an infusion of wormwood.For 1 kg of dry grass, take a large (10-12 l) bucket of water, pour the crushed raw materials and boil for about 15 minutes. A properly prepared infusion not only acts against pests, but also protects and heals plants from gray rot.

Tobacco dust is especially effective against aphids. The solution is prepared from 1/2 kg of raw materials and 10 liters of water. The mixture is brought to a boil and simmered over the fire for 2 hours.

A set of measures is used against the strawberry mite:

1. before planting, the seedlings are kept in water heated to 50 ° for 15 minutes;
2. before flowering, strawberries are sprayed with dandelion infusion (500 g of chopped roots and leaves are poured with 10 liters of water heated to 30 °, insisted for 3 hours).

In critical situations, you have to handle "Karbofos".

Can flowering strawberries be processed?

Traditionally, strawberries are processed only before flowering or after harvest. However, a number of drugs can be used during flowering, if there is an indication for this.

When strawberries are in bloom, use the following remedies.

1. A solution of 1/3 tsp. boric acid in a bucket of water helps with the first manifestations of diseases, stimulates fruit setting.
2. "Ovary" is a special agent that increases the resistance of bushes to pathogens and pests, increases the number of ovaries, accelerates ripening. The solution is prepared at the rate of 2 g of the drug per liter of water.
3. "AktoFit" is a biological product that affects the nervous system of pests. Contains safe substances that stimulate plant growth.

The listed drugs are non-toxic, they can be safely sprayed with flowering strawberries.

There is no doubt that the spring processing of strawberries from pests and diseases takes a lot of time and effort - but all the costs are justified. Abundantly fruiting bushes, delighting with large berries, filled with taste and aroma, are a worthy reward for their efforts.