Norman wrote:
I have purchased some Copper Sulphate powder to miake up my own bordeaux
mixture, but am not able to buy washing soda anywhere at the supermarket.

Can anyone help me with info on what I should buy to use.
thanks.


From peter cundalls page
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1631445.htm

Bordeaux Mixtu

1 Dissolve 100 gram of builders’ (hydrated) lime in half a standard
(plastic) bucket of water. (About 5 litres).
2 Dissolve 100 grams copper sulphate (available at garden centres) in a
separate half bucket of water.
3 Keeping the lime mixture agitated to prevent settling, pour it
steadily into the half bucket of dissolved copper sulphate.
4 If necessary add enough extra water to make up a total of 10 litres.
This is Bordeaux mixture. It is at its most effective strength when
freshly mixed so must be used immediately or within a couple of days.
5 It is sprayed to completely cover the main (bare) branches of peach,
nectarine and other stone fruit trees to help control leaf curl and
brown rot disease. It is also sprayed over raspberry canes in late July
for control of raspberry rust.

Bordeaux mixture colours the sprayed plants blue. The spray can
withstand light rain. However a disadvantage with this mixture is that
it tends to quickly settle so must be constantly agitated during
spraying operations. The lime content also tends to easily block the
fine nozzles of sprayers.

Burgundy Mixtu

This is virtually the same except that lime is replaced by washing soda
(cheaply available at supermarkets in 1kg packets as a water softener).

The amounts are the same, as is the method of mixing. Always use
non-metal buckets – standard 10 litre plastic buckets are ideal. If the
water is slightly warm the washing soda and the copper sulphate dissolve
more rapidly.

Slowly pour half a bucket of (100 grams) dissolved washing soda into
half a bucket of (100 grams) dissolved copper sulphate and add more
water if necessary to make up 10 litres.

The advantage of Burgundy mixture is that it does not block sprayer
nozzles. It is also a little stronger and must never be used on plants
in leaf.


(DISCLAIMER: BORDEAUX AND BURGUNDY MIXTURES HAVE BEEN SAFELY USED FOR
MANY YEARS. THESE RECIPES AND THE WAY THEY ARE MIXED AND USED ARE
SUGGESTED HERE AS A MATTER OF GENERAL INTEREST AND INFORMATION. WE
ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOW THEY ARE MIXED, USED OR STORED OR ANY
ADVERSE OR OTHER EFFECTS THEY MAY HAVE ON PEOPLE, PLANTS OR THE
ENVIRONMENT.)



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