Tomatoes grown in open soil or in a greenhouse require protection from various pests and diseases. To do this, caring owners use all kinds of methods: folk recipes, fungicidal preparations, etc. One of the most common is considered to be a "Hom" remedy. What it is so fond of gardeners and how to apply it - we will tell in more detail.
Description of the drug "Hom"
“Khom” is a green powder that is used to protect solanaceous crops from late blight and tomato alternaria. It is also often used to protect plants from a number of fungal diseases, since its effect is much similar to Bordeaux liquid. You can buy Hom in packs of 20 and 40 g in specialized stores, and for industrial use it is sold in boxes of 10-15 kg.
“Hom” refers to contact action fungicides, which can be characterized as follows:
- The drug has only a preventive effect. He cannot protect already diseased specimens.
- Copper does not penetrate plant tissue, but acts only on the surface.
- Infections do not have immunity to the drug, so it is always effective.
- Homom treatments can be carried out up to 5 times per season.
- On average, 1 procedure gives an effect up to 2 weeks. However, the first rain the drug will be washed away.
- Homa particles need only six months to completely dissolve in the soil.
Why is it worth processing tomatoes “Homom”?
Knowing the characteristics of the drug and its composition, we can highlight its advantages and disadvantages when processing tomatoes.
Important! The main active ingredient of Homa is copper oxychloride, which is 90% of the product. It is copper that forms a thin, inconspicuous film on tomato leaves, protecting them from infection and pests.
Beneficial features
- The advantages of Homa include:
- high efficiency;
- compatibility with other drugs;
- ease of use;
- affordable cost;
- action only on the surface of the plant, without penetration into the tissues of leaves, stems and fruits;
- the product leaves no traces in the soil after 6 months after treatment.
Harm
The main question when working with tools such as Hom is whether this drug is harmful to humans and to the plant itself. The fungicide does not harm tomatoes, but a person should follow the basic safety rules while processing tomatoes with Hom: work in overalls, gloves and a mask, as well as wash your hands and wash after the procedure. As for the consumption of tomatoes, it is necessary to withstand certain periods after processing the plants, and then the fruits will not cause harm to health.
Processing time
Now let's talk about when you can process tomatoes with this drug. "Hom" is applied to plants during the growing season, every 5 days. How many times you have to process the bushes - depends on weather conditions. If during this period it is warm and dry, then usually 4 times will be enough.
Important! However, after rains, it is better to re-process to consolidate the effect, since water washes away the protective film of copper.
Solution preparation
During fruiting, Homom plants are rarely treated. It is best to carry out the procedure, for example, during flowering (if the bees do not live on the site, for which the product is dangerous). But an effective fungicide treatment will be only if the proportions of the drug are maintained and the solution is correctly prepared to spray the plants.
Proportions
The finished solution can not be stored, so always dilute the drug in 1 procedure. For this, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of funds, based on the area that is planned for processing. In the case of tomatoes, the norm is 1 liter per 10 square meters. m. To get 1 liter of the finished "Homa", you must dilute in a specified amount of water 4 g of the drug. Knowing these proportions, you can easily determine how much fungicide is worth buying to treat your plantings. However, keep in mind that if emergency spraying is planned during the ripening of the fruit, then the drug may need more.
Did you know? Today, China grows up to 16% of the world tomato volume, being the largest supplier of tomatoes on the planet.
Step cooking
Having dealt with the proportions, we proceed to the dilution of the drug:
- First, pour the required portion of Hom powder into the container and pour it with a small amount of warm water.
- Gently mix the mixture until the product has completely dissolved.
- Then add the required amount of liquid as required.
Remember that metal containers cannot be used to prepare the Homa solution, otherwise copper chloride in the composition of the preparation will provoke their corrosion.
Video: Homa solution preparation
Instructions for use
To work with fungicide, it is important to choose the right time. Regardless of whether you will process tomato bushes in the open ground or in a greenhouse, you should do this on a warm, calm day. Processing plants with this drug is contraindicated if the air temperature exceeds +30 ° C. Application of the agent takes place in the form of spraying, for this you can use any container with a sprayer that is convenient for you.
It is recommended that the procedure be carried out from the bottom up, carefully making sure that all sheet plates are evenly moistened. Experienced gardeners record the date of each treatment in order to carry out 4 procedures with equal time intervals between them, as recommended in the instructions for the drug.
Did you know? In 2003, American farmer Rob Baur developed a plant in which he combined tomato and tobacco. The new culture is called "tomak."
When can I eat tomatoes after processing "Hom"?
Those who first use this tool in their garden, are primarily interested in when it is possible to harvest from processed plants. If you sprayed only during the flowering period, then you can take fruits without fear as they appear.
But sometimes it happens that tomatoes already in the fruiting period begin to become ill, and then they are re-processed. In this case, it is better to wait at least 20 days from the moment of the last spraying before eating ripened tomatoes.
Useful Tips
“Hom” is a rather easy-to-use drug, but even its use has a number of tricks:
- the best time for processing the tool is considered morning or evening;
- during spraying, pay attention to the lower part of the leaves, because it is there that pests settle and the first signs of infection appear;
- the drug will have an even better effect on plants if combined with fertilizers or immune stimulants.
Did you know? According to doctors, the regular use of tomatoes and products based on them reduces the risk of cancer.
Precautions for working with the drug
Perhaps the most popular question regarding spraying with Hom is whether tomatoes can be burned with this preparation. No, the tool does not have such an effect, but this does not mean that you can frivolously concern the issue of preparing or applying the solution.
In order for Hom not to harm you, it is worth observing a number of rules in working with it:
- prepare a fresh preparation for each spray;
- use protective clothing, gloves and a respirator during handling;
- do not eat or smoke near the solution;
- store “Hom” in a specially designated place, away from food, at a temperature not exceeding +30 ° С and not lower than –5 ° С;
Important! WITHThe product has a 3rd hazard class, and therefore it is toxic for fish (it must not be allowed to enter water bodies) and bees (if there are insects on the site, then it is better to carry out processing in the evening).
Hom fungicide will help to grow a rich and healthy crop. For this, it is only necessary to timely prevent infections and fungal diseases with its help, carefully adhering to the rules and recommendations for its use. Remember, preventing danger is always easier than trying to save your plantings from diseases later.
