How to treat roses with iron sulfate in the fall: proportions, advantages, and disadvantages

Rose

The queen of flowers, the soda rose, is a jewel in any front garden. This luxurious shrub often requires help in the form of antifungal treatment, pest control, and fertilization. Copper sulfate, a time-tested remedy, is convenient for this purpose. Since roses are not particularly resistant to various diseases, it's best to carry out preventative treatments on a regular basis. A comprehensive approach, including treatments in the fall and winter, will prevent the development of dangerous diseases that can kill the shrub.

Main characteristics and purpose

Iron plays a role in oxidative and energy metabolism, ensures chlorophyll formation in plants, and is involved in respiration. Ferrous sulfate is recommended for use in the following soils:

salted;
carbonate;
with acidity greater than 7;
calcified;
with increased content of magnesium and phosphorus.

Copper sulfate is the only source of iron in high concentrations, which is readily absorbed by rose roots. In gardening, 53% sulfate, a green powder, is used. This product has a wide range of applications and is often used to provide additional nutrition.

Attention!

In the fall, roses are treated with iron sulfate to prevent fungal infections after the bushes have been insulated for the winter.

The list of indications for use includes:

prevention of fungal infections by irrigating the soil and above-ground parts of crops;
treatment of fungal infections;
prevention and treatment of non-infectious chlorosis;
treatment of land and plants to prevent the vital activity of pests and larvae;
disinfection of cracks and damage to the bark.

Autumn treatment of roses with a solution of iron sulfate prevents root rot and other plant diseases over the winter. Spraying and treating roses should be done according to the recommended dosage. Using concentrated solutions can lead to indefinite cessation of root growth and development.

Purposes of application

Copper sulfate has a wide range of applications. It is widely used in industry and medicine. In amateur gardening, it is often used as a fungicide, preventing and preventing fungal diseases. Some sources report that a working solution of low concentrations of iron can be used as a fertilizer. After watering, rapid growth of above-ground foliage is observed. Frequent use in high doses can be dangerous for flowering plants due to lack of flowering. Concentrated solutions can damage the root system and cause leaf burn, so roses should be treated with caution.

Stimulation of plant growth appears some time after treatment, so this effect should be attributed to the overall health of the rose bush. Immediately after using copper sulfate, the plant's leaves may turn yellow and fall off. Spring treatment results in a slight deviation of the growing cycle—1-2 weeks from the norm.

When feeding garden roses with copper sulfate in the fall, remember that in addition to iron, the plant needs other microelements and nutrients. Therefore, it is better to use complex formulations, and use copper sulfate for fungal and pest control.

The solution is used to combat the following diseases:

mycoses;
powdery mildew;
gray mold;
black spot;
anthracnose.

Gardeners recommend watering the rose garden with a weak solution before wintering the plants. The soil contains spores of various fungi and other pathogens, which can become active after the shelter is installed.

Features of the drug

Roses can only be treated with copper sulfate in the fall. Using the product in the spring is dangerous for the plant, as it causes brown spots to form on the leaves. These spots don't harm the bush itself, but the leaves cannot be restored. Fall treatments are carried out after the foliage has fallen or has been removed. As a preventative measure, the bush should be treated before winter with a 3% solution, which requires dissolving 30 g of the product in 1 liter of water. High concentrations can burn young shoots, and low concentrations are ineffective against fungal infections.

In emergency situations, 1% solutions can be applied after the rose leaves and buds open. Protect the buds from liquid, and carefully distribute the solution over the leaves using a spray bottle. Apply twice at 10-day intervals. The effectiveness of the solution decreases after rain, as it washes off the leaves.

When preparing your rose garden for winter, remember not to cover the flowers until they dry out. The solution needs two days of dry weather to work. Fallen leaves must be removed and burned. Do not use copper sulfate mixed with other fungicides or lime.

Advantages and disadvantages

The antifungal agent has the following advantages:

low price;
high destructive power against fungi;
non-toxic to humans;
does not change the qualities of the soil mixture;
stimulates crop growth and increases immunity to diseases;
acts externally, does not penetrate into cells.

Disadvantages of the product:

low effectiveness as an insecticide;
restrictions on the period of use (before bud break and after leaf fall);
destruction of green mass of a plant;
it is difficult to select concentrations;
It is washed away after precipitation and stops working.

Attention!

Ferrous sulfate is declared as a fungicide, but is actively used to kill pests.

Preparation of working solution

To effectively combat fungal infections, rose bushes are treated with a 3% solution. Spray the bush thoroughly. This should be done on dry days so the solution can dry on the leaves. If it rains, repeat the treatment.

If treatment was not carried out in the fall, it should be carried out in the spring. A 1% solution is used for this purpose. To prepare a working solution with a 3% concentration, dissolve 30 grams of the product in 10 liters of water; to obtain a 1% solution, dissolve 10 grams. Pour the dry mixture into cold, clean water and stir vigorously until completely dissolved. Do not use this product in combination with other fungicides. Use the prepared solution immediately; it loses its potency upon exposure to air.

How to treat the above-ground part and the soil

Treatment should be carried out by spraying in the fall, but since rose disease occurs regardless of the season, iron sulfate is used in small concentrations during the growing season.

Processing of shoots in spring and summer is carried out according to the following scheme:

use a solution with a concentration of 1%;
it is distributed over the leaves and shoots of the plant using a spray bottle;
rose flowers are removed before processing;
fallen leaves are collected and burned;
The treatment is repeated 3 times every 10 days.

Autumn processing scheme:

autumn pruning is carried out;
remove fallen leaves;
prepare a 3% concentration solution and spray the rose with it;
The bush can be covered on the 3rd day after the manipulation, but no later than the 14th day.

Attention!

After treatment with a fungicide, the bush is covered for the winter immediately after the composition dries to prevent re-infection.

You can water the soil with copper sulfate before the plant's wintering, as fungal spores can form in the soil. Be sure to water the prepared mulch with the mixture.

Features of working with mortar

Experienced gardeners recommend treating the plant with a fungicide after the leaves have fallen. If the plant wasn't sprayed in the fall, it should be done in the spring, but before growth begins. The intended uses and methods of application vary. A copper sulfate solution is used for drenching the soil and spraying the above-ground parts.

In case of fungal infection

Fungal infections often enter rose gardens with newly acquired varieties, so before planting new bushes in the front garden, they should be inspected for fungi and pests.

Common fungal infections of roses include:

spheroteka;
downy mildew;
gray mold;
rust;
infectious burn;
septoria.

Ferrous sulfate is used to prevent and treat these diseases in seedlings. A 3% solution is applied to the shoots using a sprayer. This will cause leaf loss. The solution's effectiveness lasts for two weeks.

Insect control

For pest control The working solution is applied in the fall, before covering the rose garden for the winter. Before spraying the above-ground portion of the plant, perform sanitary pruning and remove all fallen leaves and removed stems from the garden. Before spraying, water the soil and feed the rose before wintering.

Additional nutrition

Treating a rose garden with copper sulfate in the fall can be done not only for health purposes but also as a fertilizer. To do this, dissolve 30 g of the solution in 3 liters of soft water. Apply 10 liters of the working solution per 100 square meters. Water in dry, windless weather. This method is not used in the summer.

Comparison with other fungicides

The comparison table shows popular copper sulfate analogues:

Preparation	Description
Ridomil Gold	A product safe for roses that not only acts by contact but also penetrates the stem. It doesn't wash off after rain, making it more effective than kuparas due to its long-lasting action.
Oxychom	It can be used to treat rose gardens against fungal infections at any time of year. There are no strict contraindications for use during the flowering period.
Abiga peak	It's water-washable, so it stops working after rain. It doesn't harm greenery.
Bordeaux mixture	It is widely used in gardening, but it is difficult to prepare a working mixture.

Attention!

New, more effective products are constantly being developed, so there's no need to abandon their use in favor of the familiar copper sulfate. These products are tailored to the plant's needs and are less harmful.

Answers to questions about use

There are some specific considerations when using copper sulfate in gardening. The same guidelines for garden crops don't apply to roses. For example, 5% solutions are used in the spring to treat fruit-bearing trees, while such a concentration will simply kill a rose bush.

A few days after treatment with iron sulfate, the shoots and leaves of the rose under cover turned black - what should I do?

Even low concentrations of the solution are harmful to the plant's soft tissues, immature shoots, and foliage, so blackening after treatment is natural. You need to wait until spring. Then remove the cover and observe the bush's progress. If the roses have been chemically burned, prune them back to the soft tissue and treat the cuts with crushed activated carbon. Don't expect vigorous growth and flowering in the coming season; the main goal is to save the weakened bush, so avoid using fertilizers.

Is it possible to treat rose cuttings with ferrous sulfate before storing them?

After treatment with the solution, rooting and germination of cuttings may be impaired after planting, as the solution slows bud growth. If desired, a gardener can treat the plants with a 1% solution, but it's better to use phytostimulants and adaptogens.

In conclusion

Copper sulfate is a popular fungicide used for treating rose gardens before winter. It helps prevent fungal infections and boosts plant immunity. It should be used with caution, adhering to guidelines for concentration and application. Low-concentration solutions are necessary for prevention; if available, the active ingredient content can be increased to 3%. Compared to other fungicides, copper sulfate is inexpensive and widely available, so it's a good choice for a gardener's first aid kit.