Gardeners and gardeners have to work hard to protect their plantings from pests and get a good harvest. From early spring, young shoots begin to attack aphids. For her there are no barriers and boundaries. With equal zeal, it will multiply on garden weeds, roses, cabbages, apple trees and currants. It usually settles on the underside of the leaves, and also sticks around tender young shoots. Today we will talk about the fight against this pest using a simple and affordable tool.
What is an aphid
This is a small sucking insect up to 22 mm in size. They are green, red or black. Leaf and shoot aphids are always located in colonies, which is their main danger to plants. A few tiny creatures will not be able to cause significant harm. But hundreds and thousands of aphids suck the juices from fresh shoots, drying and destroying them. In addition, with its secretions, it closes up the stomata of the leaf, preventing it from breathing. It is not uncommon for gardeners to use an aphid soap solution, noting that this is a safe and effective way to control the pest.
Infection vector
Few people know that aphids are such a dangerous insect. This is the main carrier of various viral infections that cause gall formations on the leaves. These are hard growths on the leaves that weaken the entire plant, which can lead to its death. In addition, garden ants are very fond of aphids. They themselves breed it, transfer it to trees after winter from their holes. Therefore, you have to fight the ants at the same time. An aphid soap solution works best for this.
Is it difficult to get rid of pests
At first glance, this is not difficult at all. Tiny insects do not have any defense mechanisms, shells or suction cups, so they can simply be washed off with water from a hose. Getting rid of them is quite easy. Soap solution from aphids is just right. But the difficulty lies in the fact that the breeding insects hide in twisted leaves. In this case, it becomes very difficult to remove them, even spraying the tree with modern pesticides.
How to identify defeat
If you regularly inspect your plantings, you will not be able to miss the changes taking place with them. The leaves and tops are bent, the shoots do not grow, which means that you need to look for the cause. Aphids are most dangerous for young and immature plants. But even large trees have a hard time. The insect is very prolific, it quickly and massively reproduces. A new generation is born every two weeks. The female lays 150-200 larvae at a time. Therefore, the population is growing at a fantastic rate.speed, and it takes a lot of effort to fight it.
So, be sure to pay attention to the following signs:
- If the underside of the leaves has changed its color, covered with honeydew.
- White scales on the ground, near the plant. These are the shells that the insect drops. With a large population, it is almost impossible not to notice them.
- Ants are very fond of aphids. If they began to scurry around the plant, then you need to prepare for a fight. Right now, an anti-aphid soap solution can help the best.
- Leaves curl and turn yellow. Be sure to inspect them for pests.
- Undeveloped and twisted buds are also direct evidence of insect activity.
Prevention
The sooner you start the fight against harmful insects, the more effective it will be. It is best to process the tree in time in April, when the foliage is just beginning to bloom. At this time, a soap solution from aphids helps as well as possible. It allows you to protect the tree from crawling along the trunks of ants, which are the carriers of aphids. Therefore, by processing in advance, you will save not only your crop, but also the he alth of the tree itself.
Thus, for the first time, it will be necessary to process the trunk and branches back in April, when leaves are just beginning to bloom on the leaves. Of course, aphids are dangerous not only for fruit trees, but at this time of the year there are still no cucumbers and cabbages on the beds that you can profit from. Additional protectionin the month of April there are special collars that help prevent the ants from moving along the trunk. This is additional protection in case the soap and water dries out and loses its effect.
Folk methods of struggle
If you decide to forego chemicals in your garden, then get ready for the fact that you will have to spend a lot more time on it. For example, a systemic insecticide allows you to completely get rid of pests with guaranteed protection for 2-3 months. That is, one treatment is able to provide the whole summer without insects. But folk remedies do not destroy insects and their larvae, they only have a deterrent effect. Therefore, they must be used at least three times in a row, with an interval of no more than 5-7 days. Further as necessary, but be prepared for the fact that during the season you will have to return to processing more than once.
Hygiene on guard
The most famous tool is a soapy solution to combat aphids. How does such a familiar and affordable tool help get rid of the pest? The fact is that treatment with a soap solution helps to create a special film on the entire surface of the plant. From this time on, the plant becomes inedible for aphids. Of course, any rain and watering will destroy this coating, and work will need to start over. But soap does not harm the plant at all and does not affect the formation of fruits. You get organic fruits and vegetables.
Difficult choice
Now let's talk in more detail about how to prepare an aphid soap solution. Most often it is recommended to use it, referring to the high content of alkali. In fact, this fact is not leading, since any soap can disrupt the nutrition of an insect and thereby lead to its death or migration.
If you do not plan to add anything else to the solution, then you should pay more attention to the grade of soap used. Pay attention to varieties that have a pronounced disinfectant and antibacterial effect.
- Usual, economic. The cheapest option. If it hits insects, it can cause their death.
- Tar. Soap-ash solution from aphids, supplemented with birch tar, is a potent remedy for eliminating garden pests.
- Green soap. It is sold in specialized country stores. This gel-like substance is essentially an insecticide.
Toilet soap
A lovely smelling bar of soft pink or blue soap is the worst option. First, its cost is quite high. Secondly, all the flavors and dyes that are used in its composition are not at all useful for your plants. Moreover, after rain, all this will fall into the soil, and then it will be absorbed by the roots of plants. As a result, you harm yourself even more than using modern insecticides.
Classic aphid soap solution
Proportions may be a littledifferent, but exceeding the concentration of soap, in the hope that this will increase the effectiveness, is not recommended. So, if you use laundry soap, then you need to dissolve 300 g in 10 liters of water. It is rubbed or finely planed and dissolved in a bucket of water. If you decide to use liquid soap, it is recommended to add 125 g per ten liters of water. The solution should be sprayed on all parts of the plant, especially paying attention to places where insects accumulate.
Flower garden processing
If roses grow on your site, then you probably had to deal with the attack of these greedy insects on them. They love to stick around the buds, feeding on its delicate juice. As a result, the flower blooms with a defect or dries completely. Soap solution from aphids on roses works flawlessly. To increase its effectiveness, experienced gardeners recommend adding wood ash to it.
To prepare, you will need three liters of water and half a glass of grated soap, a glass of ash or charcoal. It is necessary to leave the solution for 6 hours so that it can brew. Now strain and you can start processing. It is recommended to repeat the treatment at least three times.
Let's protect cucumbers
This crop is attacked by these little pests very often. And it is visible to the naked eye. The leaves wither, the lashes fall, the fruits from such a plant can no longer be expected. Soap solution from aphids on cucumbers proved to be very good, so all gardeners recommend its use to each other. For cookingyou will need the old base, three liters of water and 0.5 cups of soap. In order for insects to be guaranteed to leave the garden alone, 100 g of pounded tobacco is added to the solution. Mix all the ingredients and leave for two days to brew well. After that, be sure to mix and strain. The solution is now ready for use. It is perfect for processing vegetable and fruit crops. Very well proven in practice.
Berry bushes
Aphids are picky insects. If he gets a chance to breed in a garden plot, then it systematically captures the entire territory. Continuing the topic of using folk remedies for pest control, I would like to say separately about the processing of berry bushes. Soap solution from aphids on currants is prepared in a slightly different way. There's a secret ingredient here called soda. To prepare the solution, you will need to take a liter of warm water and a tablespoon of soda ash, as well as 50 g of grated soap. It is necessary to mix all the components thoroughly and shake. Leave for 5-6 hours and strain the rest.
Instead of a conclusion
Any soapy solution is used by spraying. The most effective way is an intensive course of treatments with an interval of 1-2 days for two weeks. But it is quite time consuming. Therefore, there is the following scheme, which is used when there are not too many insects. Spraying is carried out 2-3 times a week. After that, observe the plants for 5-6 days. If the aphid has returned, then the treatment will need to be repeated. Don't forget that precipitationinstantly deprive your garden of protection. And aphids, in addition to being transported by ants, can fly and crawl on their own. Therefore, if you do not use modern insecticides, then bypassing and carefully inspecting the garden will have to be done regularly. The absence of pests today does not guarantee the same tomorrow.
