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Garden roses are very delicate and heat-loving plants. For the winter they need to be covered, but before doing this, it is recommended to carry out preventive treatment against possible diseases. Of course, for these purposes there is a considerable range of modern preparations, however, experienced flower growers prefer to use a well-known and proven tool for processing – iron vitriol. Like any fungicide, it can only be beneficial if applied correctly. We will talk about how to process roses so as not to harm the plants in this article.
Feature means
Ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), popularly known as ferrous sulfate, is a crystalline substance (salt) formed by the interaction of two-phase iron with sulfuric acid at a concentration of 53%. Available as a granular free flowing powder of a bluish-green, sometimes with a grayish tinge, 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 the fungicides used in horticulture, iron sulfate is considered the least toxic to plants. Moreover, being a natural macronutrient, in 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. Why not an argument in favor of the drug’s advantage over other similar drugs?
As for the effect of iron sulphate on plants and soil, it should be noted that it is a contact fungicide, it does not penetrate into plant cells, and is quickly and easily washed off with water. For humans, it is safe even during processing. Of course, protective measures (gloves, mask) should not be neglected, but if, nevertheless, a drop of the product gets on the skin, nothing terrible, including a burn, will happen. It is enough just to rinse the skin with cold water, and not worry about the consequences.
Beginning flower growers often confuse copper sulfate with iron sulfate. You need to know that these are completely different means in composition, and, therefore, the principle of operation and purpose are also different for them. Iron vitriol is more effective in terms of strength, but its scope in horticulture is not so wide. For example, ferrous sulfate is not recommended for spraying vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc.) or indoor flowers, but only for the garden.
Video “Processing a rosary”
From the video you will learn how to properly process the rose garden.
What is it for
The scope of ferrous sulfate is quite extensive (industry, medicine), but in horticulture it is used as a fungicide designed to protect plants from fungal diseases, destroy neoplasms caused by fungal flora (lichens, moss, mold). In many sources, there is information that vitriol is a fertilizer, since after its use, plants have 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 healing 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 a preparation can delay, and for a couple of weeks, the beginning of the vegetative process. So, the use of iron 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 falling leaves are possible. However, when 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 iron sulphate, we can say that its main effect is antiseptic properties, in particular the effect on pathogens (mycoses).
Processing roses with a solution of iron sulfate helps prevent or stop the most dangerous fungal diseases: powdery mildew, anthracnose, gray rot, black spot.
Some flower growers use a solution of iron 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.
use Features
The first and most important thing to know when using the drug is that the treatment of roses with iron sulfate is carried out in the fall, and not in the spring, as not very experienced flower growers sometimes do. Spring treatment is acceptable for fruit trees, and then only before bud break. As for roses, spraying leaves and shoots leads to the formation of brown spots (burns), which are superficial and do not harm the stems, while the leaves are no longer subject to restoration. That is why the processing 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 preventive 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 smaller one simply will not have the desired effect on fungal spores.
If roses have been affected by black spot disease, and this happens, as a rule, at the end of spring, when the leaves have fully 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 remains 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 must 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 for whitewashing garden tree trunks, but rose growers should also be aware of this.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any fungicide, ferrous sulfate has not only advantages, but also disadvantages. The positive qualities of the drug include the following:
- profitability – the cost of the drug is one of the cheapest;
- high efficiency in the inhibition of fungal flora;
- minimum level of toxicity to humans, 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 the impact on pests is rather a fact, not a minus, since the drug is a fungicide, not an insecticide;
- limited period of use: before bud break, or after leaf fall;
- negative, more precisely aggressive effect on green shoots and leaves;
- difficulty in breeding – a 3% solution is considered effective for treating roses, but at this concentration the agent leads to burns, while a 1% solution does not harm the leaves, but does not have the desired effect;
- it is easily washed off – after rain, the effectiveness of the drug is zero and repeated, sometimes repeated spraying is required;
- iron sulfate quickly loses its fungicidal properties due to oxidation – the period of the protective effect of the drug lasts no more than 14 days.
The agent 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, under conditions of sudden temperature changes, allows you to adjust the vegetative process depending on the weather.
Video “Diseases and pests”
From the video you will learn how to protect your garden from various diseases and pests.
