How to treat cherries from aphids and what does the pest look like?

Aphids often precipitate trees, including cherry trees. In this article, we will talk about what this parasite looks like and what methods of dealing with it are the most effective.

Aphids are a harmful insect that belongs to the genus Hemiptera. This parasite precipitates many plants, it does not bypass stone fruit trees, in particular, cherries and plums. These cultivated plants are usually attacked by black aphids.

The parasite is a small insect barely more than two millimeters in size. For this reason, it can be difficult to spot a pest with the naked eye.

There are two varieties of black aphids: with and without wings. Usually, wingless parasites prefer not to change their place of residence - there they feed and reproduce.

This parasite attacks cherry trees in order to obtain food for itself. Aphids are especially attracted to the sap of this tree. She gets it in the following way: with the help of a small proboscis, she pierces the shoot and sucks out useful substances from the plant. At the same time, during feeding, the parasite actively secretes a special sweet substance that attracts other insects, in particular ants. They are the carriers of these pests. Ants protect aphids from other insects to feed on the juices they produce.

The consequences of attacks on a cherry tree by aphids are not difficult to notice. The number of fruits on the tree decreases sharply, as does their quality: they become smaller and deformed. Cherry leaves curl, then wither and dry. The tops of the shoots also suffer: they begin to turn yellow and subsequently dry out. At the same time, the cherry ovaries crumble, the tree weakens, grows and develops worse. In addition, the attacks of aphids also affect the plant's immunity: it noticeably decreases, which is why the tree often begins to suffer from fungal diseases.

Mechanical and technological methods of struggle are difficult to rank among the most effective. However, they can be used as an adjunct to chemicals, to folk remedies, or in unreleased cases when the parasite has not yet had time to breed.

So, you can remove aphids using a strong pressure of water from a hose. You can run water over the tree several times to get rid of the pest. However, most likely, after a while the parasite will return to the plant.

You can also manually eliminate aphids using gloves. This process is long and tedious. In addition, the plant will have to be inspected several times a week to make sure that the parasite has been completely eliminated.

You can also remove the affected areas of the cherry tree by cutting them and then burning them. Of course, it is not worth doing this in isolated cases of the appearance of a pest. A similar method of struggle is suitable if the case is neglected, and the parasites have already multiplied.

Another way to fight is to install glue traps. Such devices will help to deal with ants, which are carriers of aphids.

To get rid of a large number of harmful insects, it is recommended to use industrial preparations, which, as a rule, are highly toxic. Such chemicals are usually very effective in fighting parasites, the result of their work can be seen literally immediately or within a couple of hours. However, many summer residents do not like to use them and resort to their help only in very advanced cases. This is due to the high harmfulness of this kind of drugs: they easily accumulate in the fruits of the tree, which is why there are a number of restrictions on their use, and if used incorrectly, they can harm both the plant, and humans, and warm-blooded animals.

Among the most effective drugs that help get rid of aphids are the following: Iskra, Iskra-M, Iskra Zolotaya and Kinmiks. Before processing the plant, you must carefully read the instructions for use of the drug, which is usually located right on the package. Note that you should not neglect the dosage of the drug, you need to act strictly according to the instructions.

Biological means of control are distinguished by their non-toxicity, and therefore they are popular with many summer residents.

So, among the most economical means of struggle of this kind can be attributed to the attraction of helper insects to the site, namely ladybirds. Such insects very actively feed on aphids and its larvae, thus ridding the site of a small pest. It is not difficult to attract ladybirds, for this it is recommended to plant such plants as, for example, dill, calendula, parsley or coriander on the site. In addition, ladybugs and their larvae are sold in specialized stores.

Another biological means of fighting aphids is Fitoverm. This drug is not toxic, but it is dangerous for aphids. The agent affects the parasite through the digestive system. It has a nerve effect and starts working within a couple of hours. However, it is worth noting that such a tool works only on adults, it is completely harmless for the larvae, and therefore several treatments may be required.

Folk remedies are absolutely harmless to humans, plants and the environment as a whole. In addition, they are easy to prepare, and you can cook them from available tools. Many of the folk remedies help remove parasites. However, they work best in cases not started. If the aphid has managed to breed, then in order to save the plant, you will have to use stronger drugs, which are often distinguished by their toxicity.

An ash solution is one of the most effective means for combating harmful aphids. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients: 0.3 kilograms of ash, 2 tablespoons of soap, water and 2 tablespoons of 9% vinegar.

First you need to mix ash and 3 liters of hot water, all this should be infused for 24 hours. After that, you need to add the planed soap to the mixture. Next, the solution is thoroughly mixed until the soap is completely dissolved and 7 liters of water are added. After that, the solution is again well stirred and filtered.Next, vinegar is added, which reduces the alkalinity of the mixture, in order to avoid burns on the cherry tree.

Garlic is a plant that releases phytoncides into oxygen. They, in turn, have bactericidal properties, due to which they scare off parasites. For this reason, garlic is often planted next to fruit trees.

Garlic solution also repels pests well. It is easy to prepare, it requires water and 50 grams of garlic. Garlic must be passed through a garlic press and mixed with 10 liters of heated water. The solution must be infused for 24 hours, after which it must be thoroughly filtered. Then it can be used for processing. It is enough to spray the trees with the solution, but this must be done carefully. The procedure can be repeated if necessary.

This is another tool that can significantly help summer residents in the fight against harmful insects. For use against pests, this plant is usually harvested at the end of spring, plucking it at the root. After that, it is dried, ground into powder and used to pollinate plants. The plant toxins penetrate into the sap of the trees. Eating them, parasites die.

Celandine is also suitable for making solutions. To do this, you need 3 kilograms of raw materials and 10 liters of boiling water. All this should be infused within 48 hours. Then the solution is filtered, after which it is used to eliminate parasites.

Dandelion is also a great remedy that can help fight aphids. To prepare the solution, you will need fresh greens of this plant, you can collect it in May or June.

For the solution, you need to take 0.4 kilograms of dandelion foliage. It needs to be finely chopped, filled with warm water and left to infuse for 3 hours. After that, the mixture is thoroughly filtered and used to treat the affected trees.

The soap mixture, when properly prepared, acts as a contact fungicide. It requires 0.8 kg of yarrow, 10 liters of boiling water and half a bar of laundry soap.

First you need to dry and chop the grass. It is poured with boiling water and left for tincture for 48 hours, after which the mixture is thoroughly filtered and grated soap is added to it. Next, the solution must be stirred to completely dissolve the soap in it. After that, the mixture can be used for processing.

During the flowering period, it is forbidden to treat plants with chemicals, as they will harm beneficial pollinating insects. Usually, the last treatment with such means is carried out a couple of months before the appearance of the berries. If processing is required during flowering, then in this case you can resort to the help of such a tool as "Iskra Bio".

During the fruiting period, plants should also not be treated with chemicals; it is better to use biological agents that are distinguished by their non-toxicity. Otherwise, toxic substances will accumulate in the berries, which subsequently may not be reflected in the best way on the person who eats these berries.

Preventive measures help prevent pests from occurring or get rid of them in the early stages. So, the first thing to do is to regularly inspect the trees for the presence of parasites. This is a long and painstaking process, but this way you can prevent the spread of aphids at first and save the harvest.

Preventive treatments are recommended. This should be done mainly in June, when insects begin to crawl out, feeling warming.It is recommended to carry out them regardless of whether there are aphids on the tree or not. You can process the plant with a solution of ammonia. They can water the plant or spray it. However, in this case, nitrogen fertilizers must be excluded, since nitrogen is already contained in the ammonia.

Do not forget to deal with weeds on the site, as they are often the carriers of parasites. It is also recommended to remove old foliage from the site and then burn it. This must be done, since parasites, their larvae and spores of harmful fungi are often hiding in it for the winter, which are activated the next season under favorable conditions. Elimination of old foliage, as a rule, is done after harvest, that is, closer to autumn.