What to do if there are white midges on cucumbers and how to deal with them?
All summer residents dream that only healthy cucumbers grow on the land plot. Despite this, parasitic insects attack the crop during the growing season. To some extent, the gardeners themselves are to blame. Bushes can infect various diseases as a result of exposure to other environmental factors.
If a person finds that the vines are covered with small midges, this is a sign of infection of the culture. Small insects do not immediately cause suspicion in a person if he started growing vegetables not so long ago. Professionals know what harm midges can bring to all vegetables on the land. Therefore, you need to know how you can get rid of midges.
Recognition of the parasite
If a midge appears on the stems, this is the very first sign of the development of the disease. The little butterfly is called the whitefly. It has one feature - to gather in small groups under the leaves. The larvae of midges concentrate in the same place. Every day there are more and more parasites on cucumbers.
Chlorosis develops in parallel with the disease. Represents mosaic damage to yellow leaves. A sooty fungus is often observed. Black spots indicate its presence. The leaves of the cucumbers, on which the pest parasitizes, gradually turn yellow and wither, and the ovaries fall off.
In order to timely calculate the whitefly and start fighting it, you need to carefully monitor the seedlings. Butterflies tend to multiply quickly. Thus, midges are transferred to other plants. A small insect can cause a farmer to lose his entire crop.
Signs of the development of the disease
If pests are present on cucumbers, this is indicated by the following signs:
- white dots and blurred spots appear on the leaves;
- during parasitism, a decrease in the cucumber mass is observed;
- the white midge suffers chlorosis, which is characterized by curly and curled leaves;
- buds dry up, ovaries with fruits fall off.
Adult midges are voracious. They eat the plant by sucking the juice out of it. This kind of parasitism leads to the death of the culture. If there are few midges, dew is noticeable on the plant. In turn, the whitefly provokes the formation of a sooty fungus. Places that turn black and die off become covered with a white sticky coating.
In addition, whiteflies can cause even more damage to plants. Parasitizing cucumbers, midges lay transparent eggs. After a few days, tiny greenish or gray larvae hatch. After birth, whiteflies stick to the back of the leaves and begin to feed on their juices.
Over time, the midge larva turns into a young individual. Its body is covered with wax, which protects the insect from any irritating environmental factors. The culture is so weak that it cannot fully nourish all parts of the bush. Cucumber leaves curl and die off. The adult larva eventually stops feeding in order to enter the pupation stage.
Whitefly can parasitize both in greenhouses and on open ground. If a person notices at least one symptom of the disease, it is recommended to urgently get rid of insects.
How to deal with whitefly?
If the gardener noticed a parasitic insect, he tries to find a fast-acting drug to destroy it. The easiest method is to use modern specialized insecticides. Such solutions as "Buton", "Tsitkor", "Karbofos" and "Iskra" have proven themselves perfectly. If the infection has spread to most of the crops, use "Detis", "Aktara" or "Fufanon".
Sparing methods
If a person does not want to use aggressive drugs on the site, traditional medicine is used to combat midges. The simple ingredients used to make poisons are found in many people's kitchens. These are common laundry soap, tobacco, garlic and other products. Solutions are prepared from them, which are sprayed with cultures infected with midges.
Soap solution
This product helps a person out in any situation. A solution is prepared from the soap, which is diluted with water. It should be at room temperature. At the same time, a ratio of 1: 6 is maintained.
To make it more convenient, the soap is first crushed. This can be done with a knife or grater. After that, it is combined with water until it is completely dissolved. Then it is poured into a spray bottle and not only the green part of the cucumbers is processed, but also the ground. As a result of processing, insects disappear from the plant in the shortest possible time.
Using garlic
Gardeners do not want to treat crops with chemicals. "We eat fruits and do not want them to contain toxic substances" - this is how they explain their position. In this case, garlic is effective against midges. It destroys pathogenic bacteria and butterflies will also not like it.
To prepare the "poisonous" garlic tincture, grind 2-3 medium-sized cloves. This is done with a grater, garlic or knife. Then pour 1 liter of boiled water. The resulting mixture is covered with a lid and left to infuse in a dark place.
Within a day, the garlic will give up all the nutrients, and the solution will be ready for use. Before spraying cucumbers, filter it and pour it into a spray bottle. The area affected by midges is processed at least 3 times, with a break of a week. This number of procedures is enough for midges to leave the culture.
Tobacco
Cigarettes are used to kill parasites on cucumbers. To prepare the solution, you need a pack of cheap cigarettes and water. A filter is removed from each piece and placed in a large container. When all the cigarettes are prepared, they are poured over with boiled water. The liquid is infused for 5-6 days.
As in the previous case, the tincture is filtered through cheesecloth or in any other way. Pour into a spray bottle and process the leaves every 2-3 days. Repeat the spraying procedure 3-4 times. This is enough to get rid of midges forever.
Traps
What to do besides spraying with poison to get rid of midges? Some gardeners prefer to take care in advance that the parasites do not attack the plant. For this, special traps are made. The ideal option is to combine the 2 methods together.
Bright paper is used as a trap, which is covered with a sticky substance.You can make it yourself or use fly tape. A light bulb placed inside the box is no less effective against midges. Both methods are equally good and help prevent whitefly parasitism.
Elimination of midges in greenhouses
To prevent re-infection of cultures by midges, it is recommended to carry out preventive measures:
- Whitefly that eats cucumbers, can hide larvae anywhere, including on the frame of the greenhouse. To disinfect the room, all surfaces are treated with a solution of bleach.
- After harvesting, remove all plants.
- White midges parasitize not only cucumbers, but also other plants. Often it is the weeds that act as carriers of the larvae.
- Before the procedure for planting seeds in the soil, it is treated with copper or iron sulfate.
If a whitefly has started up in greenhouses, during airing the entrance to the street is covered with gauze. It should be folded in several layers. Whitefly midges are one of the unpleasant phenomena that a gardener may encounter. If you carefully take care of the crops in the beds, they will reward you with a tasty and healthy harvest.
