Every cucumber grower quite often encounters such a pest as aphids, which feel most comfortable in an enclosed space, that is, in a greenhouse.
Aphid: what is dangerous and what does it look like?
The appearance of this insect is quite easy to determine: the leaves on the plant become lethargic and sagging, on their reverse side, as well as entire colonies of uninvited pests are easily visible on flowers, ovaries and shoots.
Aphid, which is a small insect of green, black or yellowish color, is dangerous in the period when it begins to fly. This happens due to its strong concentration on one plant, which causes a shortage of food. Accordingly, the birth of winged forms of the pest occurs, which begin to fly to neighboring plants. As a result - aphids on cucumbers in the greenhouse. How to deal with such a pest? What methods to apply? How effective are they?
The delay in taking measures to combat this pest can negate the careful work of gardeners, destroying most of the garden crop and, accordingly, hopes for a high harvest.
Struggle ahead of the curve
Timely adoption of preventive work will save plants from aphids. Methods for combating aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse can be folk and with the use of chemistry. But it is better to get ahead of the enemy with preventive measures, one of which is the fumigation of greenhouses with sulfuric smoke bombs. 50 grams of the drug is used per square meter. It is recommended to carry out this operation in well-sealed greenhouses with wooden frames, because sulfur dioxide acts destructively on metal.
It is also effective to treat the interior of the greenhouse, including inventory, with bleach at the rate of 400 grams of the drug per 10 liters of water. The solution should be infused for some time. You need to spray the plants with the resulting liquid, and the sediment can be coated with racks and other greenhouse structures.
One of the methods of struggle is the correct cultivation technique
At the same time as taking measures for the internal treatment of the greenhouse, it is recommended to increase the ability of fruits to resist pests. To do this, you need to observe the temperature regime. At night, the thermometer should not fall below 18 degrees. During the day, the temperature is allowed no higher than 28 degrees. It is recommended to whitewash the south side of the greenhouse with chalk.
The correctness of agrotechnical measures for growing cucumbers is mandatory: meeting the planting dates, ventilating the premises, timely fertilizing.
We use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers
And yet, if aphids are found on cucumbers in a greenhouse, how to deal with it? Weekly foliar top dressing with phosphorus-potassium preparations will help. It is recommended that they be carried out until the pest has completely disappeared. To prepare the solution, it is required to dilute 10 grams of potassium chloride and 20 grams of superphosphate in 10 liters of water.
The appearance of ants in a greenhouse is a harbinger of a more global trouble: aphids, the milk of which ants feed on. Therefore, when they enter the greenhouse, it is recommended to use special anti-ant crayons.
How to deal with aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse? Effective in the fight against aphids is planting around the perimeter of the beds of plants that are especially unpleasant to the pest. One of them is basil.
If, nevertheless, preventive measures were ineffective and there are aphids on cucumbers in the greenhouse, how to deal with? The photos show the danger of this small numerous enemy.
If the infestation is not severe, pest plants can be removed manually, carefully inspecting the bushes and cutting off leaves with clusters of aphids. The green mass then needs to be moved outsidegreenhouses and burn, and hose cucumber bushes under high pressure.
Chemical preparations against greenhouse aphids
If aphids develop on cucumbers in a greenhouse, how to fight? Reviews of gardeners in this case tend towards the use of chemicals, such as Inta-Vir, Arrivo, Decis, Kinmiks, Karbofos. It is required to stop processing no later than one month before harvesting.
Effective are biological preparations that do not kill aphids, but infect them with diseases. As a result, the insect dies after a maximum of one and a half weeks. These drugs are absolutely safe and do not destroy beneficial insects living in greenhouses. These are Entobacterin, Fitoverm, Strela, Akarin, Peretrum. After applying them, aphids on cucumbers in the greenhouse will disappear.
How to fight? Folk remedies
Not every gardener is ready to use chemistry on their beds, preferring harmless folk methods. Preparations made on the basis of natural ingredients are harmless, do not have side effects, quickly decompose, they are no less than chemical ones, they are afraid of aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse. How to deal with such a small, but very dangerous pest with their help?
Quite effective and proven over the years infusion of garlic. To prepare it, you need to grind about half a kilogram of this product, place it in a 3-liter container, add water and leave for 5 days. After this time, in 10 liters of water, you need to dilute 60 grams of the finished infusion and process the cucumbers withatomizer.
Second method: grind garlic, put in a bottle, add water in the same amount, keep for about 10 days in a tightly closed container. When spraying in 10 liters of water, it is required to dilute 25 ml of the resulting product.
Garlic peel can also be used. To do this, 150 grams need to be poured with 10 liters of water, kept for a day and immediately sprinkled on the plants.
Effective in the fight against aphids celandine. It is required to take 300 grams of its dried leaves, insist in 10 liters of water, hold for two days, and then apply.
You can use dandelion. Grind 400 grams of fresh roots and 600 grams of leaves, pour 10 liters of water, leave for 3 hours and use as directed.
A wood-soap solution is effective against aphids. To prepare it, you need to add 2 large spoons of wood ash to a bucket of water, grate laundry soap, mix until the components are completely dissolved.
Effective against aphids are infusions of wormwood, onion peel, hot pepper, sorrel leaves, tomato and potato tops. An important condition is frequent spraying with them, because a single treatment will not be enough: the aphid will not disappear completely, it will continue to multiply and destroy plants.
A natural enemy is a ladybug
The natural enemy of aphids are ladybugs. To attract them to the problem area around the perimeter of the latter, you can plant leafy mustard and dill,most loved by these winged insects.
You can also just collect ladybugs and put them into the greenhouse, and there they will deal with the small and ruthless destroyer of cucumbers.
Tips for killing aphids
What should be remembered in order not to get acquainted with such a dangerous pest as aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse? How to deal with an uninvited enemy? And how to prevent it from appearing on your site?
- Cucumber plantings should be treated in a timely manner, with a small amount of the pest.
- Prepared solutions should be used fresh because their toxicity is short-term.
- Processing cucumbers in a greenhouse should be done in the evening; during the day, drugs under the influence of ultraviolet radiation become ineffective.
- Do not use products during the flowering period, otherwise aphids can kill pollinating insects.
