Treatment of grapes from diseases and pests in the fall before the shelter: iron vitriol and other means

During cultivation, grapes are very often attacked by many harmful insects and diseases, which, as a result, reduce its yield, spoil its appearance, and deteriorate the quality of the fruit. What is even worse, except for the fruits, its roots, shoots, leaves, buds, flowers are damaged. Oppressed plants are stunted and may even die completely. In such conditions, crop protection, as well as destructive methods of pest and disease control, are of fundamental importance. Such a struggle takes on particular importance in the autumn period, before the grapes are sheltered for the winter.

We will tell you in our article about why, when and how to process a grape bush in the fall, as well as about what else is included in the autumn activities for caring for grapes and preparing it for winter.

Why spray grapes in autumn

Autumn treatment from diseases and pests is the next stage preparing grapes for wintering.

It would seem that the season is over, the plant goes into hibernation. What is this about? However, during the entire season you most likely had to deal with many diseases and pests, which means that a considerable number of fungal spores and various small pests remained to winter both on the bush itself and in the ground.

Interesting! Especially often they hide under the scales of the buds, in the cracked bark, and, of course, in the ground near the bush.

If you do not want them to wake up in the spring and begin their sabotage activity, then before cover bushes, should carry out the autumn spraying of the grapes.

Important! But this does not negate the need for processing grapes in early spring.

However! According to most experienced winegrowers, autumn processing is carried out only at the request of the gardener and, as a rule, solely for the purpose protection of vines from mold and mildew formation under winter shelter.

When to process grapes in autumn

It is necessary to spray the bushes only after the foliage has fallen and the buds are completely closed (so that they do not burn out after spraying). thereforeif desired, you can process it before trimmingto cut yourself already processed cuttings. But in this case, you need much more solutionthan when spraying after pruning, thereforeoften thrifty summer residents do the processing after the autumn shortening of the vine.

Attention! Processing grapes from diseases and pests in the fall should be carried out in dry weather. Of course, if the rainy season is in full swing, then this is quite difficult to do. In this case, it is necessary that at least 4-5 "dry" hours pass after spraying. This time is just enough to inkstone or other contact agents have had time to settle and be absorbed.

However! Experienced growers advise processing the grapes immediately after harvest (that is, when the foliage is still green). Moreover, it is systemic drugs with a long period of action, for example by making a tank mixture Ridomil Gold + Topaz... It will be kind of first preventive treatment.

Spraying grapes in autumn with iron sulfate

Most often, for the treatment of grape bushes in front of the shelter, they are used inkstone.

Interesting! In the spring inkstone often not used because it postpones budding on grapes (since it has a tightening effect), but some summer residents, oppositeusing this processing protect the buds from spring return frosts.

So why sprinkle grapes with iron vitriol in autumn, what diseases does it fight? But with which ones:

• oidium (and here copper sulfate frommildew and anthracnose);

Attention! The picture below shows an error.

• bacterial cancer;
• spotted necrosis.

Important! Iron vitriol is an excellent protection of grapes from mold and rot under cover during temperature fluctuations.

Advice! Initially, it is desirable to dissolve the vitriol in hot water (in a glass jar or plastic bucket).

A solution of ferrous sulfate for the autumn processing of grapes is suitable for 3-5% (300-500 grams per 10 liters of water).

If the grapes are very sick, then it is better to use a 5% solution (500 grams per 10 liters). If the season went almost without outbreaks of diseases and pests, then 3% (300 grams per 10 liters). But for very young plantings, it is better to use a 1% solution (100 grams per 10 liters).

Important! The vine will darken (blacken) after a while, but this is not terrible, do not be alarmed. It should be so.

Video: processing grapes with iron vitriol before shelter

By the way, in a solution of ferrous sulfate also (optional) you can add 100-300 grams urea 10 liters of water (100 g. - if not sick, 300 g. - if sick).

What is urea for in the autumn, if it is nitrogen fertilizer, which is used only in spring?

The fact is that urea has burning properties, therefore, the larvae, which were laid by different insects, will simply burn out after such spraying.

Important! Iron vitriol is a contact fungicide that protects against some of the main diseases, but not from pests, which is why urea is added for eradicating treatment.

By the way! It is necessary to process not only the vine itself (and as carefully as possible and better on both sides), but also the ground under it in order to destroy all the hidden spores of the fungi.

Advice! With the same solution you can handle cuttings before storage.

Is it possible to spray grapes with copper sulfate in autumn

Typically sprinkling grapes copper sulfate (or bordeaux liquid) is carried out precisely in early spring, when the plant is preparing for the beginning of the growing season. But some summer residents use it in the fall, since, in principle, it is believed that this is a relatively acceptable option.

To prepare a 1% working solution of copper sulfate for spraying grapes, dissolve 100 grams of the product in 10 liters of water (again in a glass or plastic container).

Think! In the next video, the winegrower claims that it is better to process grapes with copper sulfate in the fall. The bottom line is that, according to the grower, iron vitriol has a slight negative effect on the frost resistance of the shrub, while copper sulfate, on the contrary, even partially increases it. And since grapes often lack iron, it is better to use iron vitriol during spring vines.

Video: processing grapevines in autumn with copper sulfate

What else can you treat grapes in the fall from diseases and pests?

Of course, to combat and protect against diseases and pests of grapes, there are many different fungicides and insecticides of contact and systemic action, but they are mainly used in spring and summer, but in the fall a fairly narrow set of tools is already used, which most often comes down exclusively to spraying the vine iron vitriol (maximum with the addition of urea). And very rare summer residents use copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

So what else can you spray grapes in the fall before sheltering for the winter?

From the appearance of mold under the shelter, you can spray the vine 1% soda solution (100 grams per 10 liters of water).

For guard from mold in autumn you can also whitewash grapevine limeby preparing a solution (1 kg of quicklime per 10 liters of water).

Important! If your grapes are seriously ill this season, for example, oidium (powdery mildew) or mildew (downy mildew), then, without a doubt, it is recommended to carry out the treatment with special means and formulations against these diseases (so that the outbreak does not recur in the new season), all information about which you will find in the relevant articles.

What else needs to be done with grapes in the fall while preparing the shrub for winter

In addition to the fact that you will definitely need to process the grapes in the fall, in the composition autumn activities for the care of grapes and its preparation for winter also includes:

• top dressing;
• watering;
• pruning and parallel harvesting cuttings;
• shelter for the winter.

Undoubtedly, the protection of grapes from pests and diseases in the autumn is one of the main conditions for obtaining high yields and excellent fruit quality for the next year. Whatever one may say, but the most important in the fight against pests and diseases are both agricultural techniques - pruning, watering, fertilization, weed control, shelter for the winter, and folk, chemical and biological means of control. The main thing is their timely and systematic application.

Important! And yet it is necessary to deal with the misfortunes of grapes in early spring or during the period of its fruiting. And if the plant did not hurt at all, then it makes no sense to subject it to a test with pesticides, which means that you can cover it without treatment.