Methods of controlling whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse

A small insect fluttering in a greenhouse and quickly producing whole colonies is familiar to many gardeners. This is nothing more than whitefly - one of the most harmful insects that can cause serious damage to the crop. The most common whitefly on tomatoes, but can also settle on cucumbers, cabbageeggplant and even indoor plants.

Features

Whitefly - small insect (not more than 3 mm), resembling externally aphids. It has white coated wings. Prefers to settle in large groups on the underside of a leaf of tomatoes. There, the pest lays eggs from which larvae appear. Attaching to the leaves, gluttonous larvae feed their juice, which results in malnutrition, and in the future, the death of the plant.

This moment is the most suitable for pest control. After all, the body of already saturated larvae is enveloped in a dense wax coating, which prevents the penetration of insecticides. Harvest does not ripen in the greenhouse if adult individuals begin to appear from cocoons. They will lay eggs, and the reproduction process will be repeated again. In this case, the fight against whiteflies on tomatoes can become meaningless.

A great danger to plants is the feces that whiteflies leave in the greenhouse on tomatoes. Initially, they have the appearance of a brilliant coating. After a while in those places sooty mushrooms appear in the form of dark spots.

On a note!

Often on the top of the tomato leaf you can find a transparent or white coating, which turns black after a while. This is nothing more than sooty mushrooms, which are formed from the secretions of the pest. If no measures are taken, they can spread to the fruits.

Signs of infection

The presence of a pest in a greenhouse can be detected by the following signs:

• White midge resembling mole,, often flutters over beds of tomatoes in a greenhouse;
• You can find whiteflies on tomatoes if you lightly shake the seedling bush - a whole swarm of small soaring butterflies will appear above it;
• The presence on the underside of a tomato leaf is barely noticeable translucent scales;
• The presence on the sheet of sticky and shiny plaque (an insect waste product) in different parts of the plant;
• Dark and black spots on tomatoes in the greenhouse are a sign of infection of the plant with the soot fungus that spreads the whitefly;
• Slowed plant growth;
• Yellowed and twisted leaves on tomatoes in a greenhouse.

Any of the above symptoms means that whiteflies live on tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Ways to fight

Not every gardener knows how to get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse. So fluttering midges destroyed more easily, and does less harm to plants than its larvae. There are various methods for controlling whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse.

Chemical method

The use of chemicals. Remedies for whiteflies on insecticidal tomatoes are bred according to the attached instructions.The resulting solution is used to spray infected plants.

It is necessary not only to know how to process tomatoes, but also to choose the right drug. After all, the poison of certain chemicals acts on insects through the sap of plants, contact insecticides kill the pest when it gets on it. Soap-based chemicals are used when aggressive agents cannot be used. The degree of infection of the plant should also be considered. The following drugs are recognized as the most effective: Actara, Fosbetsid, Pegasus, Confidor or Mospilan.

Fumigation

Fumigation is another effective pest control method in the greenhouse. Whitefly on tomato seedlings will not appear if such a procedure is carried out at least twice a year. You can fight the parasite with the help of checkers of insecticidal composition. Such processing will help get rid of whiteflies in the greenhouse, and also from insect larvae and pupae.

Mechanical way

A mechanical method for controlling whiteflies involves treating the leaves of a plant with a soapy solution, which is then washed off with clean water. This procedure allows you to get rid of whitefly clutches, which allows plants to breathe better.

Glue midge traps - Another effective method of pest control in the greenhouse. They can be purchased at any specialized store or in the market. And you can make a trap yourself. It is enough to take cardboard, yellow or white, and cover it with a layer of petroleum jelly. Bright colors will attract butterflies, but contact with a sticky surface will be disastrous for them.

Biological method

A biological pest control is a great alternative to chemicals. It provides for the use of special insects, the larvae of which parasitize on the whitefly, eating it. Such insects in the state of a pupa are placed on cardboard sheets and hung between tomatoes. The ripened offspring moves to leaves infected with the whitefly, and eats its motionless larvae.

Folk remedies

There are also folk remedies for the control of winged tomato pests. Despite the fact that their use requires repeated use, these methods of control are most safe for human health.

A good effect is the use of cold air. Low temperatures are harmful to insects. Therefore, if the tomato variety allows, then you can take them out of the greenhouse to the cold.

The most effective whitefly remedy is garlic. It has bactericidal properties that repel pests. Garlic tincture is used for watering and spraying tomato seedlings.

No less effective means is laundry soap. It is rubbed on a fine grater and diluted in warm water in a ratio of 1: 6. The resulting solution is used for processing tomatoes.

You can also process infected tomatoes in a greenhouse with yarrow infusion (80 g of herb per 1 liter of boiling water). Large tomato leaves are wiped with a cotton pad, and small leaves can simply be sprayed.

Prevention

Fighting whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse may not be necessary if preventive measures are taken. It is not for nothing that people say that the disease is easier to prevent than to treat it.

1. All metal parts of the greenhouse design should be painted over with paint in advance.
2. Preparation also requires a land plot - it must be cleaned from last year's grass and tops.
3. Do not leave compost in the garden, as it can become a wonderful habitat for insects.
4. When buying seedlings, carefully check the plants for whitefly infection.
5. When planting seedlings, care must be taken to ensure good ventilation in the greenhouse.
6. The air temperature in the greenhouse should not exceed 15 degrees.

Such tips and control methods will help prevent the appearance and spread of whiteflies on tomatoes in your greenhouse.

Reviews

“Fighting a whitefly is not easy, but it is still possible. "I regularly inspect tomatoes and, finding a pest, I try to get rid of it faster: I immediately wash off the larvae and eggs from the leaves, and set sticky traps for butterflies.”

Nikolay, Lipetsk

“I fight this muck with garlic infusion. Pour 170 g of finely chopped garlic into 1 liter of water, and insist the mixture for 5 days. For the treatment of infected tomatoes I use a solution based on 1 liter of water 6 g of concentrate. ”

Hope, Balashikha

“You can still treat the leaves with a solution of laundry soap. I tried, it really helps. The fight against whiteflies must be started as early as possible, otherwise problems cannot be avoided. ”

Olga, Moscow