How to get rid of aphids with the least damage for tomatoes?

Gluttonous aphids are one of the most dangerous pests that affect tomato plantings. Insects suck out juices from plants, which leads to a decrease in yield and damage to fruits.

Tomatoes are also not spared by this pest, and in the greenhouse the risk of injury increases, since the protected structure creates ideal conditions for insects. Why does aphid appear on tomatoes in a greenhouse and how to get rid of it?

Pest information

Aphids infect tomatoes when grown in a greenhouse and in open beds. Seedlings also suffer from this insect.

It is not difficult to recognize a pest on plants. Aphids are a small parasite 2–7 mm long. There are several thousand species of this insect. Adults have a proboscis, which pierces the surface of the leaf and draws juice from it.

Aphids appear from the larvae that the insect lays in the fall. In spring, young individuals appear from them.

Eggs and larvae hibernate not only on plant remains, but also in the ground. Due to their small size, they are difficult to see. After birth, the parasite actively reproduces.

Aphids release a sugary substance as waste products. This sweet substance attracts ants and other insects, which use it for food.

If ants live on the site, the danger of aphids increases. Ants accompany her and protect the pest population from other insects.

When aphids appear, it is important to take action in time. Otherwise, it turns into a real disaster for the garden. When pest will hit all landings, it will be difficult to fight it.

It's important to know! Aphids are dangerous for any vegetable crop in the garden.

What harm does an insect do to tomatoes

Aphids are a sucking pest that feeds on plant juices. If you do not fight with it, it completely depletes the plant and destroys it.

The parasite is also dangerous because it carries viral and fungal diseases. Infection occurs through the proboscis, with which the insect sucks out the juice. The pest carries diseases such as tomato mosaic, late blight, powdery mildew.

As the colony grows, the leaves of the plant deform and dry out. If the tomatoes are already ripe, the aphids will not cause them any harm. If not, the fruits stop growing and take on an irregular shape, as they lack nutrition.

Signs of tomato infestation by aphids

Tomato bushes are not a favorite plant of aphids. But if there is no other, more attractive crop nearby, the insect also infects tomatoes.

At the initial stage of infection, it is almost impossible to detect the parasite. When the first signs appear, examine the lower part of the foliage. This is where the pest lives.

The following signs of an insect are observed on the leaves of infected tomato bushes:

• clutches of eggs are visible on the back of the leaves, they look like small bubbles of gray or dark color;
• sticky traces are visible on the leaves and stems - the waste products of aphids;
• the affected leaves curl and turn yellow;
• the buds wither and fall;
• ants appear next to the affected bushes.

Aphids infest the area for no apparent reason. Small eggs and larvae of the pest are transferred from one place to another with clothing, wind, plants, animals, birds.

Types of aphids living on tomatoes

There are many types of pests. Aphids are classified by size, color, some developmental features.All varieties of the parasite multiply rapidly and occupy large areas in a short time.

The following types of aphids are dangerous for tomatoes:

• black;
• white;
• peach;
• melon.

Regardless of the species, the pest causes significant damage to plantings in the garden. Aphids do not touch the fruit, but they kill the plant itself. Insects prefer young greens.

Ways to fight

When tomatoes are affected in a greenhouse, aphids very quickly spread to all bushes. High humidity and heat are ideal conditions for the growth of a parasite colony. They begin to exterminate the insect as soon as they find it.

How to deal with a parasite, how to treat tomatoes in a greenhouse from aphids? It depends on the stage of growth of the crop and the number of pests.

Mechanical methods

If parasitic insects have just appeared, they are collected and destroyed by hand. Another way is to gently rinse them off with a stream of water, but there is a risk of breaking the plant stems.

They use a mechanical method of struggle - they establish protection. To scare away insects, copper rims are laid around the beds. There are winged aphids that fly to other plants and create colonies in new places. It is more difficult to deal with them.

Folk remedies

Folk methods are effective for small colonies of aphids on tomatoes. Such products are good because they can be used to process tomatoes all summer as insects appear, without observing certain deadlines.

The most effective remedies in this group include:

1. Laundry or tar soap. 300 g of household or 100 g of tar soap is grated and dissolved in 10 liters of warm water. Fairy dish detergent has a similar effect.
2. Ammonia affects the parasite locally, leading to respiratory paralysis and death of the insect. To prepare the solution, mix 10 liters of water, 40 ml of ammonia and 40 g of soap. The soap allows the product to stick better to the leaves and stems of the plant.
3. Ash... The solution is prepared from 200 g of ash and 10 liters of boiling water. The mixture is infused for half an hour and 40 g of grated laundry soap is added.
4. Decoctions from plants. Infusions are prepared from herbs with a bitter taste and pungent odor. Wormwood, celandine, and yarrow have proven themselves well. The herb is poured with water, brought to a boil and boiled for 20 minutes. Laundry soap is added if desired.
5. Onion infusion. A mixture is prepared from two chopped onions and 1 liter of water. Insist and add 5 g of soap. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water.
6. Garlic infusion... The product is prepared from five cloves of chopped garlic and 1 liter of water. Insist 1 day. Then add 2 tsp. vegetable oil and 1 tsp. liquid soap. Before spraying, 3 tablespoons of the infusion are diluted in 10 liters of water.

When using such biological products, the colony dies within a week. If there are many parasites, the bushes are treated once a week until they disappear.

Chemical treatment

Chemicals for aphid control are switched over when the pest population has increased significantly. The chemicals destroy the colony in two days. Three types of insecticides are used to treat plants:

1. Contact action ("Karbofos"). They penetrate the skin into the pest's body.
2. Intestinal action ("Bankol", "Aktellik", "Akarin"). The poison acts on the parasite from the inside, penetrating the digestive system. The drug begins to work after the aphids suck the juice from the treated plant.
3. Systemic action ("Aktara", "Tanrek", "Biotlin"). A very effective group of drugs, but also the most toxic.

Attention! Systemic drugs penetrate not only into the body of insects, but also into the fruits, remaining in them for up to 1 month. They are used no earlier than 1.5 months before the ripening of tomatoes.

Bushes are processed in any convenient way. The existing compositions are periodically changed so that insects do not have time to adapt to them.

Chemical control agents are not recommended for use during the formation and ripening of fruits. First, plantings are treated with safe folk remedies.

When using chemicals, it is important to take precautions. Means are harmful not only for the parasite, but also for humans.

Preventive measures against the appearance of aphids

To avoid the appearance of parasites on the site, the following preventive measures are applied:

1. Regular inspection of plant stems and leaves. Try to kill insects when they first appear, otherwise they will spread to other crops.
2. Airing greenhouses and hotbeds.
3. Maintaining optimal air temperature and humidity in the greenhouse.
4. Fighting ants. It is they who bring aphids to garden plots and breed them.
5. Planting near tomato beds of crops that repel aphids. These are carrots, dill, parsley, onions, garlic, lavender and thyme.
6. Digging and liming the soil in the fall. Lime kills aphid eggs.
7. Removal and incineration of plant residues on site.
8. Sterilization of garden tools after each season.

Read also:

What is the danger of a bug turtle on tomatoes?

What to do if caterpillars are bred in tomatoes - popular ways to fight.

Conclusion

Preventive measures protect tomatoes from pest damage. If insects do appear, they begin to fight them using mechanical methods and folk remedies. In case of damage to large areas, chemicals are used.