When to pour currants with boiling water

The agrochemical industry offers a wide range of preparations for the protection of berry crops from pests, and prevention plays an important role in the fight against parasitic insects. Processing currants with boiling water in the spring will help destroy the wintering larvae and speed up the vegetation process.

Why water currants with boiling water

Processing currant bushes with boiling water in spring is a multifunctional procedure. It will help eliminate harmful insects and speed up sap flow. Berry culture is grown throughout Our Country, the shrub is undemanding to care, it is highly frost-resistant. Many varieties have strong immunity to infection, but pests affect everything, regardless of the color of the berries.

The list of insects parasitizing on the berry crop in each climatic zone is different, but there are species for which harsh or warm winters do not become an obstacle to reproduction. These include varieties of ticks. Insect larvae overwinter under the bark, in buds, dry leaves near the berry bush or in the upper layers of the soil. Heat treatment is carried out for the following purposes:

• for the destruction of mite larvae and spores of the powdery mildew fungus;
• to improve the resistance of currants to the disease;
• to speed up sap flow;
• processing in the spring has a positive effect on the level of fruiting;
• after the procedure, the size of the berries increases and the taste improves.

Watering in the spring with boiling water is especially relevant for blackcurrants. All varieties have a smell peculiar only to blackcurrant, it is he who attracts pests.

Heat treatment causes stress, the plant comes out of dormancy, and the mechanism of biological processes starts. The buds will begin to bloom, the bush will begin to gain strength for further vegetation. And also watering currants with boiling water in early spring will protect the plant from possible return frosts.

When to process currants with boiling water

In each climatic zone, the time of the onset of spring is different. Currant processing in the European part falls approximately in April. In the Middle lane in the middle or end of the first month of spring. In the southern regions, processing is possible even in February.

The main requirement for heat treatment is that the plant is at rest before the onset of sap flow. The condition is determined by the kidneys, if they have increased in size and become lighter, then they will soon bloom. This time is not suitable for watering currant bushes with boiling water, processing will only bring harm, damaged buds can crumble, the bush will not produce a crop.

It is better to spill currants with boiling water on a sunny day. Heat treatment will destroy pests, and warm weather will accelerate the onset of sap flow.

It makes no sense to water currant bushes with boiling water at the end of the growing season. Treatment in late autumn will only be effective against aphids; it will not harm the kidney mite. Not all ticks are on the plant, the larvae go deep into the bark of the bush and the kidneys, the surface of the kidneys is covered with a hard shell, perhaps even a layer of ice and hot water cannot harm the insects.

How to spill currants with boiling water

Currant processing in the spring is carried out after the snow melts and certain preparatory work:

1. All berry bushes are inspected and sanitized.
2. Remove bent old branches.
3. Cut off frost-damaged stems and dry areas.
4. Abnormally large kidneys are removed, in them there will be the main accumulation of ticks.
5. After pruning, the branches are pulled into a bundle and fixed with a rope.

Handling a compact bush is much easier. It is necessary to protect the root from burns, it is covered with any improvised material.

It is recommended to spray currants with boiling water in the spring with a watering can with small cells.

If there is no watering can, processing can be carried out using a ladle, water should be poured in small portions, but quickly so that the temperature does not drop. But this does not mean that currants need to be scalded with boiling water in spring. The water temperature should be between 60-80 ⁰C.

This moment is important, if the temperature is lower, there will be no positive result either in terms of destroying pests or to speed up the growing season. Too high a temperature will kill the insects but burn the buds and stems. The plant will recover for a long time and will not produce a crop.

It is recommended to measure water with a thermometer, if the bushes are at a great distance from the building, it is necessary that there is spare hot water, with which you can adjust the temperature. Processing sequence in spring:

1. Pour water into a watering can, measure the temperature, if above the norm add cold, below – hot.
2. Water should be poured only on the shrub, the treatment should cover the crown completely so that there are no dry places left.
3. Time of watering of each site no more than 4-5 sec.
4. The distance from the branches to the watering can or bucket is 10 cm.

Hot water consumption is 1 bucket per 2 bushes. The norm is average, the amount depends on the diameter of the currant. The main task is to ensure that the treatment covers all areas and does not harm the plant.

Tips from experienced gardeners

The preventive method of watering currants with boiling water in spring is not innovative. It has been used for many years by more than one generation of gardeners. The method of pest control is environmentally friendly, not materially expensive, and gives good results. If the procedure is carried out correctly in the spring, it turns out to get rid of ticks and spores of the fungus, increase the number and quality of berries.

A few tips from gardeners with years of experience in growing crops will help achieve the best result in spring treatment of shrubs with hot water:

1. Preliminary carry out sanitary pruning of currants.
2. For the effectiveness of heat treatment, manganese can be added to the water to make the solution turn pale pink, copper sulfate or baking soda.
3. Be sure to observe a certain temperature indicator, water below 60⁰ no benefit, above 80⁰ injure the currant.
4. Processing must be fast.
5. You can not pour water under the root, at the same time it is recommended to shed the soil near the bush.
6. It is better to use a metal watering can, not a plastic one.

Swollen buds are removed from the bush, there will definitely be an accumulation of ticks in them. Processing should be done in early spring.

Conclusion

Processing currants with boiling water in spring is an effective method against ticks, wintering larvae, fungal spores. The plant quickly reacts to a sharp change in temperature, comes out of dormancy, resumes sap flow. The procedure strengthens the resistance of the berry bush to infection, increases productivity, and relieves the gardener of the need to use chemicals in pest control.