Spring treatment of currants from pests and diseases

Currant yield and plant health are directly related to timely and effective spring treatment. This procedure cannot be delayed, as some methods are unacceptable after bud break.

Vegetable crops are treated to protect against infections and harmful insects, which emerge from dormancy before the first leaves appear. This is beneficial for gardeners, as they can use chemicals without fear of harming young plants.

When are currants processed?

Many farmers believe that treating their bushes in March will protect them from infections and pests. But they're not entirely right. In many regions, the first month of spring is characterized by wintry weather: the soil is covered in snow, and there are freezing temperatures at night. In such conditions, cultivating currants is pointless. After all, while fungi and insects remain under a reliable layer of snow, neither chemicals nor folk remedies have any effect on them.

Spraying timing is determined based on plant health and weather conditions. If the snow has melted, the ground is firm, and the buds haven't opened yet, you can begin spraying.

What diseases attack currants?

Every Russian dacha has two berry bushes: currants and gooseberries. While there aren't many infections affecting these crops, they're enough to destroy the fruit or the bushes themselves year after year. The most common are:

• spheroteka;
• gray mold;
• septoria;
• rust;
• reversion;
• striped mosaic;
• anthracnose.

Before treatment, it is necessary to clearly diagnose the disease.

How do you treat currants for ailments?

The practice of dousing berry bushes with harsh chemicals to rid them of infestations is a thing of the past. Now, gentler products are available in stores. The most popular are:

• 3% solution of copper sulfate;
• 5% solution of ferrous sulfate;
• 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture;
• Topaz;
• urea;
• ash infusion.

The last preparation is prepared as follows: 100 g of the substance is infused for three days, filtered, and 3 liters of water are added.

Urea (carbamide) is applied before the growing season and not only kills pests and pathogens, but is also a good fertilizer.

Currant bushes need to be treated in several stages, especially if signs of disease were observed last season, for example:

1. After the snow melts, remove fallen leaves from under the bushes, loosen the top layer of soil, and spray the bushes with iron or copper sulfate.
2. During the formation of buds, the bushes are treated with 3% Bordeaux mixture.
3. After harvesting, the bushes are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture.

Currant pests

Some insects love to eat berry bushes. They feed on leaves, buds, roots, and branches, giving the plant no chance to survive. However, if you carefully observe the plant, you can spot them right away.

Currants are often affected by:

• currant gall midge;
• sawfly;
• currant emmer;
• currant aphid;
• glass case;
• firefly;
• kidney moth;
• kidney mite.

How to treat currants early against pests?

Treatments for bush eaters come in both chemical and natural forms. The latter is suitable for prevention, but is ineffective in cases of severe infestation. Therefore, those who prefer organic produce should constantly monitor their bushes closely, remembering to pre-treat them.

Gardeners most often use:

• boiling water, which destroys kidney mites when the ground is frozen and the buds have not yet opened;
• soapy water;
• infusions of tobacco, garlic, celandine, onion peel, dandelion, and nightshade, with which the bushes are treated 4-5 times a week from the moment the buds open until harvest;
• ammonia solution, which protects the plant from aphids.

Scheme of currant processing with popular preparations

With copper sulfate

This product is primarily used against powdery mildew, which is caused by ectoparasitic fungi. While the disease is difficult to treat, prevention is easier. To do this, spray the bushes with a 3-5% copper sulfate solution in early spring, before the buds open. Apply the solution to both sides of each branch and to the soil beneath the bushes.

With iron sulfate

The substance is effective against pests. Treating currants in the spring with a 1-3% solution also helps against anthracnose. The procedure is performed twice, 30 minutes apart. This should be done before flowers appear, or, better yet, before bud break. Spray the bushes in the afternoon, when it's dry and windless.

Ferrous sulfate is not only a remedy for insects and diseases, but also a high-quality fertilizer that replenishes iron deficiency in plants.

Bordeaux mixture

To prevent currants from becoming infected with anthracnose, rust, and spot, use a 1% solution. Bordeaux mixture is an aqueous solution of quicklime and copper sulfate. Since the pathogenic spores are present in the soil beneath the bushes, it is necessary to treat the area around the trunk, clearing it of leaves and debris.

Urea

Experienced gardeners spray currant bushes with unblown leaves with a mixture of urea and copper sulfate. Dissolve 700 mg of urea and 50-100 g of copper sulfate in 10 liters of water. This mixture destroys pest larvae and eggs, fungal spores, and scab pathogens.

This mixture is a good nitrogenous root fertilizer. It is absorbed by swollen but not yet opened buds and the bark of branches, after which the plant awakens and the growing season begins. The treatment improves the flavor of the berries.

If the treatment is carried out after the specified period, the urea content is reduced by 10 times.

Boiling water

A powerful and completely free method that has been used for decades. It is used in several areas:

• aphid control;
• stimulation of awakening and development of the bush;
• improving yield and taste;
• increasing immunity throughout the entire development period;
• control of powdery mildew;
• elimination of currant mites living in buds.

Currant roots are carefully covered with boards, iron sheets, and other available means to prevent burns. Access to the bushes should be prepared in advance, as boiling water cools quickly, making it useless.

The branches are tied together with rope or wire to reduce water consumption. The bushes are watered with a metal watering can, as plastic ones can warp in high temperatures. A temperature of 70-80 degrees Celsius is required for this procedure.

Boiling water is poured into the watering can, where it cools to the desired temperature. To improve the results, add a little salt, potassium permanganate, or copper sulfate to the water. Water quickly. Don't miss a single branch, and linger near each one for more than 5 seconds.

When watering the top layer of soil where pests overwinter, do not touch the currant roots with boiling water, as this may kill the bush.

Each plant should receive 5-6 liters of hot water. However, this depends on the size of the bush. Watering should be done only once, as repeated watering can damage the currants.

By fire

At the end of February, before the snow melts, dormant bushes are disinfected using a blowtorch or torch. The torch is held 8-10 cm away from the plant. Don't linger in one spot, passing the torch over each branch only 2-3 times. This is an effective remedy against aphids, mites, and other pests.

Infusions

For preventive purposes, the following recipes are used:

1. Garlic infusion. Add 100 g of finely chopped garlic to a bucket of water and let it steep for 20-25 hours. Water the bush with the fresh solution.
2. Onion peel infusion. Soak 1.5 kg of the onion peel in a bucket of hot water and strain after 2-3 days. Dilute the solution 50/50 with water and spray the berry bushes three times, every 5-7 days.
3. Marigold infusion. Steep 30-40 grams of flowers in a bucket of boiling water. Apply the cooled infusion to the branches and soil beneath the bush.
4. Soap solution. Add 15 g of 72% laundry soap to 4 liters of water and apply it to the entire height of each bush.

With ammonia

This is an effective remedy against aphids. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water, 40 ml of ammonia, and 40 g of soap. The latter component is used for adhesion.

The preparation is applied to both diseased and healthy plants as a preventative measure. For maximum effectiveness, the treatment is repeated. Afterward, the plant should not be watered for several days.

General rules for treating currant bushes from infections and insects

To eliminate pests without harming themselves or their plants, gardeners should follow safety recommendations:

1. On the eve of spraying, cut off diseased branches from the bushes, remove fallen leaves under them, and loosen the soil.
2. Be sure to spray the soil in the area around the trunk (50-60 cm from the root system).
3. When handling plants, wear protective clothing only: a hat, gloves, a medical mask, and a gown.
4. Carry out the procedures only in the morning or evening of a windless day, when forecasters do not predict precipitation in the next 2-3 days.
5. Use the selected chemical preparations according to the instructions.
6. During spraying, remove children and pets from the area for 1-2 days.
7. Do not store any remaining medications, but dispose of them according to the instructions.

It's important to remember that currants require several warm days to recover from winter and allow their buds to open. Therefore, it's important to monitor them closely to ensure they don't miss the treatment deadline.