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Often the gardener’s work is reduced to zero as a result of the spread of pests on berry bushes - mites, caterpillars, weevils. Fitoverm can be a real salvation for strawberries that are already blooming or have buds. The drug does not harm the environment or human health, is classified as biological and effectively helps in crop protection.
The drug is available in ampoules or small vials
What is Fitoverm
Fitoverm is an effective means of combating harmful insects, a biological type with a selective effect - it has a detrimental effect only on certain types of living beings. The drug is based on natural ingredients, so it belongs to the third class of danger - it does not harm humans, bees and the environment.As a result of treating strawberries with Fitoverm, there is no total death of pests, but their numbers are greatly reduced, which allows the harvest to be preserved.
The drug is produced in a water-soluble form, in the form of an emulsion. It is easy to use, just follow the instructions for use.
Operating principle
Fitoverm is based on averomectins produced by the bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis. They belong to the neurotoxic group of poisons that paralyze arthropods. The latter cannot move, eat and die from hunger.
The substance enters the body of pests in two ways:
- Contact - penetrate through soft, loose covers.
- Intestinal – during meals, together with parts of strawberries treated with the drug (leaves, flowers, berries).
6-16 hours after treatment, the pests cease to lead an active life, death occurs within three days. It will take seven days for complete destruction.
What pests does it help with?
The biological preparation Fitoverm has a detrimental effect on most garden and garden pests. These include:
- Colorado beetle.
- Mol.
- Sawfly.
- Thrips.
- Codling moth.
- Leaf roller.
- Whitefly.
- Aphid.
- Gall mite.
Strawberries are most often affected by weevils, which gnaw on stems, buds, leaves and berries. The surface of their body is dense and scaly, so the insecticide is powerless upon contact. For the poison to reach its target, the insect must eat the treated parts of the strawberry. After 10 hours, the drug takes effect and the weevil can no longer eat.
Harm to strawberries is caused by both adult weevils and its larvae.
The spider mite does not chew the leaves, but sucks the juice out of them, as a result of which they dry out and die.To destroy the pest, it takes 12 hours for the poison to penetrate into the tissues of the strawberry foliage, and then through the juice into the intestines of the tick.
The first signs of a mite are white and yellow spots on strawberry foliage
Slugs love to eat juicy berries. Their surface is very delicate, therefore, after the Fitoverm solution gets on the pest’s integument, the effect begins within three hours.
The slug lives for one to two years and lays about forty eggs annually
Validity and expectations
The validity period of Fitoverm on strawberries depends on environmental indicators. At high temperatures it is more effective than at excessive humidity and cool weather. On average, the period of plant protection from pests after treatment ranges from five days to two weeks.
The waiting period for the drug is only two days. During the fruiting period, treatment is carried out as follows:
- Ripe strawberries are collected.
- Spray the plants with Fitoverm solution.
- The next collection is carried out in three days.
Fitoverm quickly decomposes without accumulating in strawberry leaves and berries
Is it possible to treat strawberries with Fitoverm?
The main advantage of the drug is its safety and the ability to use three days before harvest. This is the best option for strawberries. Insects often attack ripe berries when chemicals can no longer be used, since the waiting period (time from processing to harvesting) is at least three weeks. Fitoverm quickly decomposes and does not accumulate in the stems, so it is used at any time during the strawberry growing season without harming the soil, plants, bees and humans.
Is it possible to treat strawberries with Fitoverm during flowering?
You can treat strawberries with Fitoverm for several years, since pests do not adapt to the drug and its effectiveness lasts for a long time. The product is used during the flowering and fruiting period without the threat of poisoning, since the drug is non-toxic and quickly decomposes.
The disadvantages of Fitoverm include the short duration of its action, which is why treatments are carried out several times throughout the season - from spring to autumn.
The best time to spray strawberries is evening. It is worth choosing quiet, dry, windless weather. Depending on the lesion, at least four procedures are carried out - in early spring, during flowering, fruiting and after it ends.
One bush needs no more than 100 ml of solution
How to dilute Fitoverm for processing strawberries
In order to dilute Fitoverm for spraying strawberries, adhere to several rules:
- The required dose is dissolved in a small amount of water.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Add water to the volume recommended according to the instructions.
- Prepare the solution immediately before use.
- Use whole or dispose of residues after processing.
How to breed Fitoverm from weevils on strawberries
If holes appear on the strawberry foliage, and the buds and flowers wither, then the plants are affected by the weevil. Insects cause maximum harm when laying eggs in buds, so it is necessary to destroy the females to prevent this. Spraying is carried out when the flower stalks are raised, but the buds are still collected in a rosette. After they separate, it will be too late - the females have already pierced them and laid eggs on which the drug has no effect.
To treat weevils, you need to dissolve 20 ml of the product in 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is enough to spray one hundred strawberry bushes. Processing begins immediately, since over time it loses its properties. Spraying is carried out three times a season with a break of two weeks.
How to dilute Fitoverm from nematodes on strawberries
Nematodes are 1 mm long roundworms that live on the roots of strawberries. You can notice that plants are affected by several symptoms:
- The leaf blades wrinkle.
- The whiskers are shortened, and the number of flowers is significantly less than usual.
- The pubescence on the cuttings disappears.
- Red spots appear between the veins.
Fitoverm stops the functioning of the worms' digestive system, and they die. The drug can be used in powder or solution form. In the first case, it is scattered over the surface of the soil and buried or added to holes when planting, using 18 g of powder per plant. You can spill the soil under the bushes with an aqueous solution of Fitoverma emulsion - 3 ml per 1 liter of water.
To detect a nematode, you need to carefully examine the strawberry rhizomes.
What can you mix Fitoverm with?
It is not recommended to mix Fitoverm with other drugs and fertilizers that have an alkaline reaction. The temporary break in their use should be at least three days.
Without compromising the quality of processing, Fitoverm can be mixed with growth stimulants (Zircon, Epin), organic fertilizers and fungicides. It should not be used simultaneously with insecticides and copper-based chemicals. In order to check the compatibility of drugs, they are mixed in small volumes.If liquids separate or sediment forms, their use in combination is contraindicated.
When and how to properly process berries
To ensure that Fitoverm treatment of strawberries after harvesting, before harvesting or during the flowering period gives a guaranteed result, a number of rules are followed:
- Spraying is carried out in the evening, in good weather.
- Follow the dosage according to the instructions.
- Use personal protective equipment.
- Do not eat or smoke during treatment.
- Do not use the container in which the drug was diluted for storing food.
- If the solution gets into your eyes or skin, rinse them with plenty of running water.
Analogues of the drug
As analogues of Fitoverm, drugs are used whose active substance is aversectin C:
- Vertimek - used against honeyweed, aphids, mites in closed ground, toxic to bees.
- Akarin - destroys nematodes, validity period - four days.
- Gaupsin – destroys fungi by 96%.
- Actellik - aimed at eliminating aphids, scale insects and weevils.
Conclusion
Fitoverm for strawberries is an ambulance when damaged by insect pests. With timely and correct use, the drug will not only get rid of parasites and preserve the harvest, but will also not harm the soil, beneficial insects and humans.
