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The agrochemical industry offers a wide range of drugs to protect berry crops from pests; prevention plays an important role in the fight against parasitic insects. Treating currants with boiling water in the spring will help destroy overwintering larvae and speed up the growing season.
Why pour boiling water over currants?
Treating currant bushes with boiling water in spring is a multifunctional procedure. It will help eliminate harmful insects and speed up sap flow. The berry crop is grown throughout Russia; the shrub requires little care and is highly frost-resistant. Many varieties have strong immunity to infection, but all varieties are affected by pests, regardless of the color of the berries.
The list of insects that parasitize berry crops is different in each climate zone, 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 the buds, dry leaves near the berry bush or in the upper layers of the soil. Heat treatment is carried out for the following purposes:
- to destroy mite larvae and powdery mildew fungus spores;
- to improve currant resistance to disease;
- to speed up sap flow;
- treatment in spring has a positive effect on the level of fruiting;
- After the procedure, the size of the berries increases and the taste improves.
Watering with boiling water in spring is especially important for black currants. All varieties have an odor unique to black currants, which is what attracts pests.
Heat treatment causes stress, the plant comes out of dormancy, and the mechanism of biological processes is triggered. The buds will begin to bloom, the bush will begin to gain strength for further growing season. 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 climate zone, the onset of spring is different. Currant processing in the European part occurs approximately in April. In the middle zone 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 be at rest until sap flow occurs. The condition is determined by the buds; if they have increased in size and become lighter in color, it means they will bloom soon. This time is not suitable for watering currant bushes with boiling water; treatment will only cause harm, damaged buds may fall off, and the bush will not produce a harvest.
It is better to pour boiling water over currants on a sunny day. Heat treatment will destroy pests, and warm weather will accelerate the onset of sap flow.
There is no point in pouring boiling water over currant bushes at the end of the growing season.Treatment in late autumn will be effective only against aphids; it will not cause harm to bud mites. Not all mites are found on the plant, the larvae go deep into the bark of the bush and buds, the surface of the buds is covered with a hard shell, perhaps even a layer of ice, and hot water cannot harm the insects.
How to properly pour boiling water over currants
Currant processing in the spring is carried out after the snow has melted and certain preparatory work:
- All berry bushes are inspected and sanitary cleaned.
- Remove bent old branches.
- Cut off frost-damaged stems and dry areas.
- Abnormally large buds are removed, where the main accumulation of mites will be.
- After pruning, the branches are pulled into a bundle and secured with a rope.
Processing a compact bush is much easier. It is necessary to protect the root from burns; it is covered with any available material.
It is recommended to spray currants with boiling water in the spring using a watering can with small cells.
If there is no watering can, the treatment 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 in the spring currants need scalding with boiling water. Water temperature should be between 60-80 0C.
This point is important, if the temperature is lower, there will be no positive result either in terms of killing pests or speeding up the growing season. Too high a temperature will kill insects, but will cause burns to the buds and stems. The plant will take a long time to recover and will not produce a harvest.
It is recommended to measure the water with a thermometer; if the bushes are located at a great distance from the building, it is necessary to have spare hot water, with its help you can adjust the temperature. Processing sequence in spring:
- Pour water into a watering can, measure the temperature, if cold is added above the norm, hot is added below.
- Water should be poured only on the bush; the treatment should cover the crown completely so that there are no dry places left.
- Watering time for each area is no more than 4-5 seconds.
- 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.
Advice from experienced gardeners
The preventative method of watering currants with boiling water in the spring is not innovative. It has been used by more than one generation of gardeners for many years. The method of treatment against pests is environmentally friendly, not financially expensive, and gives good results. If the procedure is carried out correctly in the spring, it is possible to get rid of mites and fungal spores, and increase the quantity and quality of berries.
A few tips from gardeners with many years of experience in growing crops will help achieve the best results from treating shrubs with hot water in the spring:
- Preliminary sanitary pruning of currants is carried out.
- To make heat treatment more effective, you can add manganese to the water to make the solution pale pink, copper sulfate or baking soda.
- Be sure to maintain a certain temperature, water below 600 will not be beneficial, above 800 injures currants.
- Processing must be fast.
- You should not pour water under the root; at the same time, it is recommended to spill the soil near the bush.
- It is better to use a metal watering can rather than a plastic one.
Remove swollen buds from the bush; there will certainly be an accumulation of mites in them. Treatment should be carried out in early spring.
Conclusion
Treating currants with boiling water in the spring is an effective method against mites, overwintering larvae, and fungal spores. The plant quickly reacts to a sudden change in temperature, leaves the dormant state, and resumes sap flow. The procedure strengthens the berry bush’s resistance to infection, increases productivity, and relieves the gardener of the need to use chemicals in pest control.
