Aphid is one of the most dangerous enemies of garden crops, which is very difficult to evict from a suburban area. In alliance with black ants these barely noticeable insects quickly spread throughout the garden and garden, harming almost all plantings. Inhabiting the leaves, stems and roots of plants, insects suck out their cellular sap, from which young seedlings begin to deform, wither and weaken. Sweet aphid secretions contribute to leaf leaf contamination, as well as disruption of normal plant life. In addition, through the saliva of the pest, plants are infected with viral bacteria, resulting in massive damage to garden and orchard plants. How to get rid of aphids in the garden forever, this article will tell.
What aphid affects gardens and orchards
If no measures are taken in a timely manner and aphids are not removed from the garden, then during the season the pest is able to increase its population by about 50 times, causing serious damage to the cottage area. And given that in nature there are about 4 thousand varieties of these insectsthen they can damage almost all plants:
- thus, aphids eat fruit trees and shrubs;
- black aphid settles on linden and viburnum; it also lives on peas and garden cornflowers;
- gourds and cucumbers affect cotton aphids;
- buckthorn or potato aphid lives on potatoes;
- grape phylloxera can cause serious damage to vineyards, especially it prefers to settle in Victoria;
- citrus infects powdery aphids;
- carrot aphid poses a danger to carrot crops and plants from the umbrella family;
- on roses, pears, apple trees and wild strawberries you can find rosé green aphids.
Why does aphid appear
Plant juice is the main source of food that insects need for their life and development. Its pests suck, punching the skin of plants with its proboscis. Moreover, aphids give preference to the youngest parts of plants, settling on the tops of trees, the underside of leaves, on seedlings.
Most often, garden aphids appear on abandoned sites, as well as on soils with an excess of nitrogen or a lack of phosphorus. If you do not poison the aphid, then it will certainly be on the bushes of the neighboring area.
Another reason for the spread of the pest is ants. They are attracted to sweet syrup, which gives off aphids in the process of life. To this end, goosebumps are transferring their "milk cows" to new territories. Therefore, having discovered ants in their summer cottage, it is necessary to pay attention to plants growing near the site for infection of their aphids.
On a note!
You won’t be able to defeat aphids in the garden unless you destroy the anthills located on the plot.
How to get rid of aphids
Fighting aphids in the garden is a rather lengthy and painstaking process.After all, insects live in huge colonies, in which there are both wingless individuals and flying aphids. In addition, the individual that flies quickly multiplies, migrating along suburban areas. Therefore, the question of how to deal with aphids in the garden and the garden, many summer residents are concerned.
On a note!
There are various ways to deal with a pest. If you use chemicals, then given the large number of colonies, plants will have to be treated from aphids more than once. Therefore, their repeated use can lead to the accumulation of insecticides in the ground and the plants themselves, which ultimately will affect human health. Therefore, many gardening enthusiasts prefer to do without chemistry, using folk methods of fighting aphids.
With a small number of harmful insects, aphids can be destroyed by improvised means that are easy to find at home.
Soap solution
Soap solution is a rather effective remedy for aphids in the country, which does not require large expenses. To prepare it, use dishwashing liquid or liquid soap, which is mixed with water in a ratio of 2 tbsp. l for 200 g. These components can be successfully replaced with the usual soap or tar soap. They are rubbed on a coarse grater: 1 tbsp of water requires 1 tbsp. l soap shavings. It is enough to spray such a solution on infected plants several times with a break of 2 days, and there will be no trace of pests.
Washing powder
Laundry detergent helps get rid of aphids on plants. However, this tool can cause burns on the leaves. Therefore, given the different concentration of powders, it is recommended to start processing with a 1% solution. Moreover, for testing it should be used only on one plant. In the absence of negative consequences during the day, mono process the remaining plantations with a mono solution.
Ash
Good against wood aphids ash. 300 g of the product is stirred in a bucket of water, after which it is boiled for half an hour and filtered. Oil or liquid soap (40 g) is added to the resulting solution. Infusion of wood ash is wiped with the leaves of plants infected with aphids.
Ammonia
Ammonia - no less well-known home remedy against plant lice in the garden. The solution is prepared in a proportion of 2 tbsp. l alcohol and 40 g of soap per 10 liters of liquid. The resulting agent is sprayed with plants affected by the pest. To achieve maximum effect after two weeks, the treatment is repeated.
On a note!
Watering plants should be done after 2-3 days from the date of treatment.
Marigold
If aphid has settled on garden flowers, you should use the infusion on marigolds. This is a good prophylactic against pests. 700 g of finely chopped stems and marigold leaves are poured with 10 liters of water and insisted for a week. The resulting infusion is filtered and irrigated with rose bushes.
Rhubarb
An excellent plant protection against aphids is rhubarb. In 10 liters of water, 1.5 kg of rhubarb leaves are brewed, bringing the mixture to a boil the fire is turned off. After a day, the broth is filtered and sprayed with the affected aphids of the plantation.
Elder
You can remove aphids from the garden with the help of elderberries. To prepare the solution, 1 kg of finely chopped branches with leaves and berries must be insisted for 10 days in 10 l of water. Then strain the infusion and apply for spraying and watering the plants.
Tops of tomatoes
According to many gardeners, the best remedy against aphids is tomato tops. To prepare a solution that repels insects, you need to insist 1 kg of chopped tops in a bucket of water for 3 hours. Then strain and add 40 g of laundry soap.
Chamomile
He does not like insect infusion on daisies (Caucasian or Dalmatian), as well as wormwood, tansy and yarrow. 100 g of grass is poured into 1 liter of water and left for 12 hours. Then add another 3 liters of water. Used for irrigation of aphid-infected crops.
Apple vinegar
Apple vinegar - This is the answer to the question of how to deal with aphids that live onions. This advice will surprise many, because decoctions of onion peels are often used to spray affected crops. However, there is onion aphid (neotoxopter), which affects various types of onions. With ease, a solution of apple cider vinegar will cope with the pest: 2 tbsp. l vinegar. It is enough to water the onions from the aphids with this solution, and the insects will leave the onion beds.
Bow
Good for aphid repelling onions, as well as onion peels. Onion solution is prepared in various ways:
- 0.2 kg of onions are crushed and insisted for 12 hours in a bucket of water. The resulting infusion is filtered and mixed with 40 g of laundry soap;
- 0.2 kg of onion husks pour 10 liters of water and insist 12-15 hours. The filtered solution is used as intended;
- 0.2 kg of onion husks and the same amount of citrus peel should be poured 10 liters of water and bring to a boil. The broth is insisted for 3 days, then filtered and used to spray damaged seedlings.
Garlic
Aphid extermination gives a good effect. garlic infusion. 500 g of peeled garlic is poured into 3 liters of water and insisted for 4-5 days. To enhance the effect, vegetable oil or soap is added to the resulting mixture.
Sparkling water
A universal remedy for all types of aphids is soda. To get rid of pests, you need a bottle with Coca-Cola or other gas, wind the spray gun and spray damaged plantings.
On a note!
Spraying of garden crops is usually carried out during the formation of buds or after flowering.
Tobacco
Tobacco infusion - Another effective tool made with your own hands. 2 cups of dried tobacco are mixed with 5 liters of water and left in a warm place for two days. The same amount of water is added to the strained infusion, mixed thoroughly and used for spraying.
Dandelion
An ordinary dandelion well relieves aphids of apple and pear. In a bucket of water insist 400 g of leaves or shredded roots for 2 hours. The liquid is filtered and used to spray trees. Usually, two treatments are carried out: during the formation of buds and after flowering. Such an infusion will become more effective if red pepper or ground garlic is added to it.
Essential oils
A good result is given by spraying with a mixture of essential oils and cream. For 2 liters of water, 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil or tea tree and 0.5 cups of cream are needed.
Vegetable oil
To wash off the traces of the presence of insects from damaged leaves can be a mixture of water and vegetable oil (10 liters of water 1 glass of oil). 2-3 of these treatments can completely get rid of the pest.
Plant repellers
Aphids scare away coriander and mint, fennel and mustard, basil and lavender. The presence of such herbs in the garden will protect the seedlings.
Other means
As folk remedies for aphids can also be used:
Fighting aphids with folk remedies is much safer than using chemicals. But do not forget that this treatment does not destroy, but only scares away harmful insects. In addition, it must be carried out repeatedly.