How to deal with aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse: effective methods and preventive measures

Cucumbers are warm and moisture-loving, they feel great in greenhouse conditions. However, it also attracts pests. One of the most common and dangerous for vegetables is aphids.

What kind of insect it is, why it appears and how to deal with it, we will tell in the article.

Reasons for the appearance

Melons or cotton aphids settle on cucumbers... This miniature insect is 3-4 mm long. The body of an adult is colored in various shades of green, legs and antennae are black or dark brown. Not everyone has wings. Larvae are smaller and lighter in color. Development of one generation from larva to sexually mature form lasts from 9 to 12 days.

The emergence of overwintered females begins at an air temperature of +12 ºC... In greenhouses and greenhouses, already in early May, there is a risk of damage to plantings by aphids.

The main reason for the appearance of an insect in a greenhouse - ants that carry them onto plants and protect them from predators. The high temperature and humidity contribute to the prosperity and active reproduction of the pest.

Harm done

Aphids feed on plant cell sap... Damaged leaf plates wrinkle and dry out. In the tissues of vegetables, the formation of nutrients necessary for growth and the formation of ovaries is disrupted. Uncontrolled reproduction of the pest leads to the death of the vegetable and the complete loss of the crop.

Another aspect of the harmfulness of aphids - spread of the cucumber mosaic virus.

Signs of defeat

Aphid-infested cucumber bushes look like this:

• leaves are faded, twisted, drooping;
• flowers and ovaries fall off;
• small insects are visible on the back of the leaf;
• the leaf plates on the back are covered with a thin film of sticky aphid secretions.

As the colony grows insects inhabit stems, buds, young shoots.

How to deal with aphids on cucumbers in a greenhouse and greenhouse

Removing aphids from a greenhouse or greenhouse is easy. The pest is susceptible to a wide range of drugs.

Follow two rules to be successful in insect control:

1. Eliminate the ants at the same time as killing the pest.
2. Carry out processing with any means on the underside of the sheet.

Read about other pests:

Why is black aphid on cucumbers dangerous and how to deal with it

How to get rid of whitefly in a greenhouse on cucumbers

Why does spider mite appear on cucumbers

Chemicals

Toxic chemicals are used when more than 10% of plants are infected with aphids. Preparations have a powerful effect against the pest:

1. Fitoverm - 5% aqueous emulsion of aversectin C. It has a nerve-paralytic effect, due to which pests die in 1-3 days after treatment. Does not cause resistance, it is safe for humans. The working fluid is prepared by dissolving 2 ml of the product in 1 liter of water. Spraying is carried out 2-3 times during the growing season with an interval of 14–20 days. The crop can be harvested 3 days after processing.
2. "Decis Lux" - emulsion of contact-intestinal poison based on deltamethrin. The product is packaged in ampoules or bottles of various sizes. For processing cucumbers, 5 ml of the drug is dissolved in 20 liters of water. Spraying is carried out when the first individuals appear, and when they reappear, after 2 weeks. The waiting period before harvest is 20 days.
3. "Inta-Vir" - a chemical of contact-intestinal action, the main substance of which is cypermethrin. It is produced in the form of tablets weighing 8 g. To combat aphids, dilute 1 tablet in 10 liters of water.Processed during the growing season at least 20 days before picking cucumbers.
4. "Metaphos" - a means of contact action, the active ingredient is parathion-methyl. Available in the form of an emulsion in 5 ml ampoules. To prepare the working solution, the contents of 2 ampoules (10 ml) are diluted in 10 liters of water. Processing is carried out in the early morning or evening. The last spraying is not earlier than 30 days before harvesting.

Important! Insects develop resistance to chemicals. Use only the doses indicated by the instructions and alternate the preparations during the season.

Folk recipes

Folk remedies are less effective than chemicals... However, they are safer for humans and plants. The use of infusions and decoctions against aphids is justified when no more than 10% of the bushes are affected.

Here are some popular recipes:

1. Infusion of makhorka or tobacco. 300 g of dry makhorka (tobacco) pour 10 liters of water, leave for 2 days. Strain before use, add 70 g of grated laundry soap.
2. Vinegar solution. 1 tbsp. Dissolve a spoonful of 9% vinegar in a bucket of water.
3. Bitter pepper tincture. Grind 50 g of pods of red hot pepper, pour a liter of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Strain the product, dilute with 10 liters of water.
4. Infusion of celandine. 200-300 g of dry grass is poured with a bucket of water, left for a day, filtered before use.
5. Garlic tincture. 500 g of garlic is chopped, 3 liters of water are added, insisted in a dark place for 5 days. To prepare a working solution, take 50 ml of infusion per 10 liters of water.
6. A mixture of ash and laundry soap. 50 g of wood ash and 70 g of grated laundry soap are mixed with 10 liters of water.

Cucumbers are processed in one of the following ways until the complete disappearance of the pest every week. Spraying consumption - 1 l per 10 m².

Agrotechnical methods

Proper agricultural practices are aimed at maintaining plant health... Weakened or “overfed” vegetables are more likely to be attacked by pests and are slower to recover from damage.

A number of techniques will help to cope with aphids and prevent their appearance in the future.:

1. Replacement of the top layer (10–12 cm) of soil every 1–2 years, since it is difficult to maintain crop rotation in greenhouses and greenhouses.
2. Weed control, cleaning of beds from all plant residues.
3. Timely and correct watering. Young bushes require moderate watering: 5 liters of water per 1 m² about once a week, during flowering - an average of 8 liters per 1 m² every 2-3 days, during the fruiting period - about 10 liters per 1 m² in one day.
4. Regular feeding according to the needs of the plants. It is enough to feed greenhouse cucumbers 4 times per season: 2 weeks after planting the seedlings, during flowering, at the beginning of the mass setting of ovaries, and about 10 days after the third feeding.

And a little about diseases:

Causes of black plaque on the leaves

Causes and treatment of cucumber anthracnose

Preventive measures

There are a number of recommendations for the prevention of aphids.:

1. The most important thing is to fight ants with all available means. From insecticides recommend to use "Anteater", "Thunder", "Absolute". Boric acid powder is effective. Irreparable damage is caused to anthills by spilling them with boiling water.
2. Carefully remove all plant debris from the greenhouse: eggs and larvae of the pest remain on the weeds and tops.
3. Do not plant more than 4 cucumber bushes per meter²: on thickened plantings, aphids spread faster.
4. Inspect the plants weekly: the sooner you find pests, the more successful the fight will be.
5. Plant aphid repellent plants in the aisles: garlic, marigolds, basil, peppermint, cilantro.
6. For open plantings: Attract aphid-eating birds to the area. To lure sparrows, tits, linnet, hang feeders in the garden area.

Separately, it is worth talking about the disinfection of greenhouses and hotbeds.

Greenhouse disinfection

Disinfection of greenhouses significantly reduces the risk of next season pests and diseases.Decontamination works are carried out every year after harvest and indoor cleaning. The air temperature must not be lower than + 8… + 10 ºС. Disinfection is gas and wet.

Gas is used in sealed rooms: fumigate with sulfur at the rate of 50 g per 1 m³ premises. Baking trays with sulfur checkers are placed in different places, set on fire. The doors are closed tightly and left for 3 days. Then the greenhouse is well ventilated.

Wet disinfection is more available - Abundant spraying of all surfaces and structures with antiseptics. For processing use:

• bleach solution - 400 g of the substance is insisted for at least 3 hours in 10 liters of water;
• formalin solution - 250 g is dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Reviews

Every seasoned gardener has a proven method aphid control:

Lyudmila, Samara: “In principle, I try not to use chemistry at my dacha. My proven method against aphids is potato tops. I fill a kilogram of tops with a bucket of water and let it brew for 3-5 hours. I filter, add some liquid soap and sprinkle with cucumbers. It is important not to overdo it with concentration: the tops are highly toxic and can cause burns on the leaves. ".

Julia, Moscow region: “I have been using Fitoverm for several years. I breed strictly according to the instructions. After a few days, no living adult aphids remain, but eggs remain. Therefore, after about a week or 10 days, I carry out a second treatment. To consolidate the effect, I spray it again after a couple of weeks. This is enough for the season ".

Conclusion

Aphids are small insects that feed on cucumber juices. The pest destroys plants and crops: the foliage withers, turns yellow, dries out, flowers and ovaries crumble.

With a slight infection, folk remedies are effective. If more than 10% of the bushes are affected, insecticides are used. Correct agricultural technology helps to fight the pest: maintaining cleanliness in the beds, sufficient and timely watering and feeding.

Weekly plant inspections will allow you to detect insects earlier, start fighting them in a timely manner and save the harvest.

The main carrier of aphids is ants, therefore the main preventive measure is to control the number of ants. Post-harvest disinfection of greenhouses will help to avoid pests in the next season.