How to deal with aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse?

Many gardeners who grow cucumbers in greenhouses are faced with a pest such as aphids. Dealing with these insects is not as difficult as it seems.

In order to start the fight against pests, it is necessary to notice their appearance in time. There are several main signs of aphids.

1. Affected cucumber leaves turn yellow and become covered with a white and sticky coating. After a certain period of time, they begin to roll up.

2. The shape of the shoots is changing. They can also dry out.

3. The fruits develop very slowly.

4. The appearance of a large number of ants near greenhouses.

There are several ways to get rid of insects. The most effective method, many call the treatment of plants with chemicals. Novice gardeners should familiarize themselves with the most popular of them.

1. Agricola. This drug can easily deal with an aphid colony. For spraying plants, it is necessary to dissolve 30 ml of the concentrate in 10 liters of water. Use the product immediately.

2. "Fastak". This concentrate must also be diluted before use. The dosage is indicated in the instructions for the drug. The advantage of this product is that it works almost instantly.

3. Sumi Alpha 050 EC. This drug is used both to get rid of aphids and to combat other pests. It must be used diluted. It is very important to carry out processing at a temperature not lower than 20 degrees. Separately, it should be noted that the drug is dangerous for bees, therefore, it is not advised to use it during the flowering of cucumbers.

Well in the fight against insects, not only chemicals help, but also folk remedies. Many of them can be used even during the fruiting of plants.

Herbal decoctions are effective in combating aphids and at the same time are safe for the human body.

1. Dandelion tincture. To make it, you will need to add 400 grams of the leaves of this plant to 10 liters of water. The tincture should be left for 3-4 hours in a dark place. You do not need to dilute it before spraying cucumbers.

2. Nettle tincture. To create it, you need to take 1 kilogram of fresh nettle. The crushed plant must be poured into a container, and then filled with 10 liters of water. After that, you need to insist the contents for a day. You need to use the resulting product immediately.

3. Tincture of celandine. This plant has a strong odor that is unpleasant for aphids. Preparing a tincture from this product is very simple. The first step is to take 500 grams of celandine, fill it with 10 liters of water, and then mix thoroughly. After 12 hours, the mixture will be ready for use.

4. Chamomile infusion. This plant is also considered to be an excellent aphid killer.To prepare it, you need to take 100 grams of flowers and pour them with three liters of boiled water. After that, you need to leave the container with the tincture in a dark place for 24 hours. Strain the finished solution before spraying.

Many summer residents use a solution made from laundry or tar soap in the fight against insects. To prepare it, you first need to grate 50 grams of soap, and then pour it with water heated to 70 degrees. The ready-made solution should be poured over the leaves and shoots of cucumbers.

In the fight against aphids, you can do without the use of additional drugs. This method is the safest for both plants and people. Small pests that live in the greenhouse can be easily washed off the leaves with a powerful jet of water. Unfortunately, this way it will be possible to destroy only part of the insects. The rest will have to be fought by other methods.

For processing cucumbers in greenhouses, you should choose the safest products.

1. Ammonia. The sharp aroma of this product repels not only aphids, but also other pests. Spray plants with ammonia very carefully so as not to damage the fruits. Add only 3 tablespoons of ammonia to 1 bucket of water. Cucumbers should be processed every 10 days.

2. Garlic infusion. In a bucket of clean water, you need to take 3 heads of garlic. They need to be peeled off, and then grated on a fine grater or passed through a garlic press. In a day, the tincture will be ready. If you don't have time to wait, you can make a garlic broth. To prepare it, you need to take the same ingredients and cook them for 25 minutes. The prepared mixture can be used immediately afterwards. Garlic solution is used both for spraying the leaves and for watering the soil around the bushes.

3. Onion decoction. To make it, you only need 2 medium onions and 1 bucket of water. Chop the onion, pour it into a container, and then add water. The contents must be boiled for at least 30 minutes. You can use the broth immediately after straining it. It can be used even during flowering and fruiting of cucumbers.

4. Tobacco. To prepare the solution, you need to take 250 grams of tobacco dust, 1 bar of laundry soap and 1 bucket of water. The soap must be grated and mixed with the rest of the ingredients. The resulting mixture must be left for 24 hours to infuse, and then strain. It is best to spray plants with such a solution in the morning.

5. Mustard solution. To prepare it, you need to take 2 liters of water, 6 tablespoons of mustard and mix everything well. With the finished solution, you need to wipe the leaves of the plants and sprinkle the shoots.

6. A solution of salt and soda. This method has been used to combat aphids for quite some time. To prepare the solution, you will need 1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon of soda, 1 tablespoon of salt. It is worth remembering that if you do not observe the proportions, you can burn the cucumber leaves.

7. A vinegar solution. Plain table vinegar is another great aphid remedy. To prepare it, 2 tablespoons of vinegar must be diluted in 2 liters of warm water. Immediately after this, the leaves must be treated with a solution. To remove aphids, use it once every 3 weeks. If there are too many aphids, the product is applied every 3-6 days.

Experienced gardeners use all available means in the fight against aphids. So, many of them resort to the help of natural enemies of these pests or plant the necessary flowers and herbs next to cucumbers.

Other insects can help gardeners to cope with aphids.

1. Most of all, these pests are afraid of ladybirds. And not in vain, because this insect is rather gluttonous. In literally one day, a ladybug can destroy about 200 adult aphids. Greenhouse eggs from these insects can be purchased at a garden store. In greenhouse conditions, they will develop very quickly.

2. Hoverflies. These flies are also excellent helpers in the fight against aphids. Thus, one hoverfly larva can eat up to 500 individuals during this stage.

3. Lacewings. They can deal with an entire colony of aphids in a short time. To attract their attention, it is enough to hang clay pots filled with wood shavings or straw in the greenhouse.

And also between the cucumbers, you can plant plants that aphids like more than cucumbers. You can use dill, thistle, as well as different types of legumes. When a large number of pests accumulate on these plants, they must be pulled out of the ground, immediately removed from the site and destroyed.

Many garden plants, as well as aromatic herbs, aphids simply cannot stand. These include the beloved by many mint, fragrant marigolds, healthy cilantro, basil, and mustard. It is best to plant plants around the entire perimeter of a greenhouse or greenhouse, as well as between rows.

To spend less time on pest control, it is worth creating conditions in the greenhouse in advance that will not contribute to the appearance and development of aphids.

First of all, you need to properly plant the rows of cucumbers. There should be a fairly large distance between the bushes, as well as between the rows:

• so cucumbers will grow healthier and stronger;

• greenhouse owners will be comfortable walking between the rows and noticing signs of aphids.

The room in which the cucumbers are grown must be well ventilated and well-lit. The greenhouse also needs to be disinfected in a timely manner. Experienced gardeners recommend disinfection in the spring, 15-20 days before planting cucumbers in the ground. This procedure includes the following steps:

• complete removal, as well as incineration of the remnants of last year's harvest;

• processing the greenhouse with water with the addition of special agents;

• washing with disinfectant components of all instruments used;

• fumigation or steaming of soil;

• removal of natural carriers of aphids - ants and their habitats.

To summarize, we can say that the appearance of aphids in greenhouses is a problem that many people face. Therefore, there are already a huge number of methods for solving it. You just need to choose the most suitable ones for yourself and apply them in practice.

How to destroy aphids on cucumbers, see the video below.