How to deal with pests of cucumbers in a greenhouse. Pests of cucumbers - description with photos, methods of control. Signs of damage to cucumber with thrips

Primers 22.10.2020
Primers

Black aphids on cucumbers are one of the most dangerous pests that gardeners face. Small bugs multiply at lightning speed and infect leaves. In this article, we will talk about the danger posed by insects, signs of infection and effective methods of dealing with folk remedies, insecticides and biological preparations.

Aphids are an insect pest that reproduces at an incredible rate... It affects all plants, except for needles. Most often found on climbing plants. There are more than 4000 species of these insects in the world.

Cucumbers are also often affected by black aphids.... If you do not take urgent measures after detecting a pest, you can be left without a crop.

What does it look like

Black aphids are small black bugs, 2-5 mm long... Adapts to any weather conditions. He spends the winter in the state of eggs, so processing during this period is considered the most effective. During the summer period, the female reproduces more than 10 times (50 eggs in one clutch).

Dangerous for cucumbers during the period when it can fly... This is due to the fact that insects live in colonies and multiply rapidly. In search of food, bugs fly to neighboring plants. Colonies accumulate on the upper leaves and never settle on the lower ones, since the bugs cannot bite through the dense tissues of the plant. Therefore, surface treatment is sufficient to destroy the pest.

Biologists are of the opinion that aphids are brought into the site her faithful companions are ants. Insects feed on honeydew, the sweet liquid secreted by aphids.

The bugs suck the juice from the leaves and cover them with a sticky coating. it leads to disruption of the process of photosynthesis and the addition of a bacterial infection.

Symptoms of the defeat of cucumbers

Such signs will help to recognize the presence of aphids on cucumbers.:

  • slowdown in growth and flowering;
  • twisted, drooping and dry top leaves;
  • areas covered with honeydew;
  • ants scurrying around the plant;
  • shedding of ovaries;
  • wilting of the lower leaves;
  • many small black bugs on the back of the leaves.

How to deal with a pest

Gardeners spend a lot of effort on fighting the pest, especially when the number of insects is off scale. For this use homemade folk remedies, chemical and biological preparations.

Manual collection is a rather laborious method of getting rid of aphids, and is suitable in cases of minimal damage. After removing the insects, the bushes are watered with boiling water.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies are used when the ovary appears... It is not recommended to use chemical preparations during this period, since the substances are actively absorbed by the rhizome and fruits. You will have to get rid of such a crop.

Experienced gardeners advise use such folk remedies:

Chemicals

Chemicals will come to the rescue if it was not possible to stop the reproduction of insects by folk methods. The most effective insecticides include:

  1. "Decis" is an insecticide of contact action, it starts working one hour after treatment.
  2. Inta-Vir is available in the form of powder and tablets for dilution in water. Kills aphids and whiteflies quickly.
  3. "Aktara" is a long-acting drug that starts working two hours after irrigation.
  4. Tanrek is a systemic drug. Processing is carried out every three weeks.
  5. "Danadim" is a low-toxic insecticide that gets rid of pests in 48 hours.
  6. "Confidor" - begins to act three days after irrigation of plants.

Reference. The manufacturer places the instructions for use with the dosage and frequency of processing on the packaging.

Biological preparations

These funds are the result of microbiological synthesis with a more aggressive effect., despite the prefix "bio", but completely harmless to humans:

Features of insect control in the greenhouse

To get rid of aphids when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse use insecticides, biologicals and folk remedies. During irrigation with chemicals, respiratory protection is used, since in a closed room you can get serious poisoning.

Additionally use potassium-phosphorus fertilizing... In 10 liters of water add 10 g of potassium sulfate and 20 g of superphosphate. The resulting mixture is irrigated with bushes 1 time in 10 days. Strong plants are affected by aphids less often than weak ones.

The topsoil is removed in autumn or treated with insecticides, if this is not possible. When the air temperature in the greenhouse drops to + 10 ° C, the room is treated with a sulfur stick. The smoke destroys aphid larvae and bacteria.

In the open field

When growing cucumbers in the open air, use the same meansas for the processing of greenhouse plants. As an additional method, mustard leaves, odorous dill are planted on the site, which attract ladybirds - faithful helpers in the fight against aphids.

They dig up the land on the site, remove weeds along with roots, old rotten stumps and anthills, in which black aphids like to winter. To scare off ants, use the "Anteater" or fill the anthill with hot water.

There is a more humane way - constant loosening of the soil helps to drive away insects that do not like interference in their life.

Council. Plant marigolds, oregano, daisies, anise, and cumin next to cucumbers to attract beneficial insects.

Preventive measures

To prevent contamination of cucumbersexperienced farmers recommend:

  • choose varieties that are resistant to insects;
  • tighten ventilation openings in greenhouses and hotbeds with gauze or fine mesh;
  • cover bushes in open beds with a thin cloth;
  • in parallel, fight ants;
  • carry out frequent weeding of weeds;
  • disinfect seeds before sowing;
  • treat the soil and the greenhouse with disinfecting compounds (potassium permanganate, copper sulfate);
  • use sulfur checkers for disinfection in the fall;
  • change spray preparations periodically to prevent addiction;
  • do not plant seedlings too tightly;
  • regularly apply mineral and organic fertilizing.

  1. Inspect the bushes regularly, especially the leaves on the back. At the slightest sign of damage, start irrigating the plants with folk remedies.
  2. If homemade infusions and solutions do not work, switch to chemical and biological agents.
  3. Feed your cucumbers regularly with a potassium-phosphorus mixture.
  4. At the same time, wage a "war" with ants, otherwise the aphids will return again and again.
  5. Weed the beds from time to time.
  6. Remove the affected plant parts and incinerate immediately.
  7. Rinse the bushes with a hose before flowering.

Conclusion

Black aphids on cucumbers are a dangerous pest that can cause irreparable damage to the plant and significantly reduce yields. Modern drugs of chemical and biological nature ("Arrow", "Aquarin", "Confidor", "Fitoverm", etc.) help to quickly and effectively get rid of the problem.

An integrated approach using folk remedies (soap solution, infusion of wood ash, herbs, garlic), preventive measures and the attraction of beneficial insects will help to secure the harvest.

Every vegetable grower who grows cucumbers wants to harvest the maximum amount of harvest. Quite often, pests of cucumbers in a greenhouse or in a vegetable garden interfere with this. Therefore, before growing, it is necessary to study the pests of cucumbers in the greenhouse and their treatment in advance.

This insect most often appears on seedlings that are grown in greenhouse conditions and hotbeds. However, sometimes, spider mites can be seen on cucumber bushes in the open field.

When this pest appears, a cobweb begins to appear on the surface of the leaves of the cucumbers. To make sure that the spider mites attacked the seedlings, it is recommended to carefully examine the lower part of the leaves, since insects most often hide there.

Such ticks multiply very quickly, since their female can lay about two hundred eggs in one season. Literally a few weeks after the appearance, pests of cucumber seedlings suck all the juice from the leaves, which leads to the slow death of the cucumbers.

How to protect cucumbers from spider mites

It is necessary to fight pests immediately after their appearance in order to save the seedlings from death. Greenhouse plants protect against this insect by two main methods:

  • Regular watering. The mite does not like highly moist soil and therefore does not reproduce in high humidity conditions.
  • Planting plants. It is recommended to plant carrots, parsley or dill near the cucumbers. They attract ladybirds, which feed on spider mites.

Ticks are not covered with a protective cover and therefore it is recommended to treat the seedlings of cucumbers with special caustic compounds that will cleanse the seedlings of cucumbers from them. It is recommended to create processing means from components that are harmless to people. You can spray seedlings with the following solutions:

  • A liquid made from soap and ground pepper. To prepare the drug, the same amount of soap and ground pepper is added to 10 liters of water. Then 40 grams of ash and chopped onions are added to the mixture. Before watering the plants, strain the resulting liquid through cheesecloth.
  • Capsicum remedy. In 5-7 liters of water, add 80 grams of ground hot pepper. The mixture should be infused for at least a day, after which it will be necessary to water the cucumber bushes twice a week.

Some gardeners do not use folk remedies and instead use chemicals. It is recommended to use such funds only in the first 2-3 weeks after planting in the soil, before the start of fruit formation.

Snails and slugs

Slugs and snails are quite common in the gardens of summer residents. During the day, they may not be noticed on cucumbers, since these pests prefer to crawl out at night or in cloudy weather. If a slug or snail appears on a plant, then it eats cucumber leaves and even their fruits. At first they start with the lower leaves, but eventually move on to the rest. If you do not protect the seedlings from slugs and snails in time, they will completely destroy the cucumber bushes.

How to protect cucumbers from snail slugs

Some vegetable growers do not know what to do to get rid of such pests. There are several fairly effective ways to protect seedlings in a greenhouse and outdoors:

  • Copper tapes. To prevent the snails from eating the leaves of the cucumber seedlings, it is necessary to spread copper ribbons near the plants. During contact with such material, mollusks receive a small electrical charge, from which they can die.
  • Chemicals Thunderstorm or Meta. If the use of copper tapes did not help, then you will have to spray the cucumbers with special chemicals. Pest control of cucumbers must be done very carefully. It is not recommended to use very concentrated mixtures and therefore, before use, chemicals must be diluted with water. Manufacturers claim that the use of these drugs is absolutely harmless for people.

Thrips

Quite often, leaves on cucumbers are eaten by tobacco thrips. These white insects begin to multiply in the soil and eventually move to cucumber seedlings. Cucumbers with thrips on leaves will not be able to live long. This pest gnaws at the leaves and feeds on the juice of cucumbers, which over time leads to serious deformations of fruits and stems. Also during growing, large light spots may appear on the leaves.

How to deal with thrips

Thrips are very resistant insects and therefore the fight against them can take a long time. Cucumber pest control technology can be carried out using the following means:

  • Duct tape. You can protect cucumbers from pests in the greenhouse with duct tape. Adults often fly and therefore there is a chance that they will fall into such a trap.
  • Watering. Regular watering works well against thrips. Such pests of cucumber seedlings do not like high humidity and therefore it is recommended to periodically water the plant leaves with a hose.
  • Fitoverm. When the above methods of struggle do not help, the cucumber bushes are treated with Fitoverm. It is necessary to use this tool only in the evening at temperatures above 20 degrees.

Worms

Another common problem when growing cucumbers is worms. They affect the performance of the root system, as they can begin to gnaw the root of the cucumber. If you do not get rid of the worms on the roots in time, the plant will die.

How to protect cucumbers from worms

To protect the roots from worms, several of the most effective means are used to combat them:

  • Baosia seeds butration. With flour made from the seeds of this Malay plant, you can quickly get rid of pests in the soil. These seeds contain a substance called maurin. When feeding, it is it that affects the worms after entering their body. When feeding the plants with flour, no more than 200 grams of flour should be spent per square meter of the plot.
  • Copper sulfate. To protect the cucumbers from worms, spray the area with copper sulfate. It is not recommended to use it dry, so it should be mixed with water.
  • Derris. A very effective product often used for pest control. Before using it, a working solution must be prepared. To do this, 20 grams of the product is mixed with 5 liters of water and infused for about 40 minutes. It is necessary to treat the area with Derris twice a month.

Whitefly

Many gardeners complain that grown cucumbers suffer from whitefly. This small insect is very similar to butterflies. Caterpillars of whiteflies and adults are rather small - 2-3 mm in length, and therefore it is rather difficult to notice them on cucumber bushes.

For most of their lives, whiteflies are busy eating leaves, which eventually begin to dry out.

The main sign of the presence of pests on the seedlings is a weak bloom located on the lower half of the leaves. In the affected areas of the leaves, a fungus begins to develop, due to which the seedlings can become infected with one or another disease. After a few days, signs appear from above. A huge number of small holes appear on the upper leaf plate.

The insect is often found in greenhouses, as it reproduces only in warm conditions with high humidity. In the open field, whitefly also occurs, but much less often.

How to process cucumbers to remove whitefly

It is very difficult to save cucumber bushes from this insect. If she attacked only a few bushes, then it is easier to simply get rid of the infected plants so that the insect does not have time to spread to neighboring seedlings. However, this option is not suitable for larger distribution. In this case, you can use:

  • Sticky tapes. Fly tapes are great for this. They are hung all over the greenhouse over each row of cucumbers.
  • Planting plants. For example, some gardeners plant bover mushrooms near cucumbers to protect them from whitefly.
  • By spraying. You can regularly spray the cucumber bushes with a hose. In this case, the pressure should be powerful enough to wash all the insects from the leaves.

Gall nematode

Gall nematode is the most dangerous pest that can be encountered while growing cucumbers. Many are interested in what damage this pest causes to the plant. The nematoda quickly penetrates the root system of cucumbers and violates its integrity. Also, the absorption capacity of the roots may deteriorate 2-3 times. Over time, the cucumber bushes stop growing and gradually die.

Pest control methods

Many experts advise that when a nematode appears, immediately get rid of infected cucumbers before the pest begins to spread to other crops in the area. However, not everyone wants to lose the harvest of cucumbers and therefore are trying to cure the bushes. In this case, we fight the nematode using the following methods:

  • Heat treatment. Thermally treated bushes can be saved from nematodes. It is recommended to carry out this procedure during transplanting seedlings or when cucumber bushes are at rest. To do this, the roots of the seedlings must be soaked in warm water for 20-40 minutes. After the procedure, the cucumbers must be immediately placed in a container with cold water so that it cools quickly.
  • Chemicals. Chemicals are used if heat treatment fails to cure the seedlings. Many do not know which chemicals are best for treatment. For this, it is better to use Aktofit or Fitoverm, produced in powder form. During use, these products are scattered on the ground and mixed with the soil. Some people dilute them with water and spray the resulting liquid on the plant. Chemicals must be used very carefully in greenhouses. After applying them, it is recommended to ventilate the room for several hours.


Conclusion

Almost everyone who grows them is faced with pests of cucumbers. To get rid of them, you need to understand who is eating the plant and how to save cucumber bushes from pests.

Here you can learn about which diseases of cucumbers cause the most damage to plants and how to protect plants from infections. After reviewing the photo and description of cucumber diseases, you can timely recognize the disease and take the necessary control measures.

Diseases of cucumbers in the greenhouse in the photo

Downy mildew (downy mildew)... The widespread fungal disease of cucumbers, which is the main cause of premature death of summer crops of cucumbers, also affects cucumbers in greenhouses.

On the affected leaves, round or angular yellow spots appear, on the underside of which a grayish-purple bloom of conidial sporulation of the fungus develops.

As you can see in the photo, with this disease of cucumbers, the affected tissue becomes fragile and easily crumbles, the leaves wrinkle and fall off:

Downy mildew (peronosporosis) of cucumbers in the photo
With this disease of cucumbers, the affected leaf tissue shrivels and falls off (photo)

In conditions of closed ground with high humidity, leaves affected by downy mildew rot.

During the summer, the fungus spreads by conidia, and then spores form in the affected tissues, in the form of which it hibernates. The development of the disease is facilitated by fog, dew and moderate temperatures (+16 ... + 22 ° С). The source of the disease is the remains of diseased plants.

To combat this disease of cucumbers, it is necessary to observe the rotation of crops, carefully remove and destroy plant debris. In greenhouses - it is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature (above +24 ° C) and humidity (within 80-90%).

For the prevention of peronosporosis (downy mildew) use "Profit Gold". When the first signs of the disease appear before fruiting, cucumbers are sprayed with one of the copper-containing preparations (Bordeaux liquid, "Abiga Peak", "Oxyhom", "Hom", "Ordan", etc.). Repeated treatments in case of renewal of the disease during the fruiting period are carried out with biological preparations "Fitosporin-M", "Alirin-B". Preparations for protection against downy mildew must be alternated. As you can see, it is not so difficult to fight this disease, the main thing is to recognize the disease in time and prevent its spread.

Powdery mildew in the photo. Fungal disease of cucumbers

Powdery mildew. Also fungal disease. Initially, the disease appears on the upper side of the leaves in the form of individual white powdery specks, covered with a bloom of the mycelium of the pathogen. The spots increase; merging, they cover the entire upper side of the leaf.

With this disease of cucumbers in open ground and greenhouses, powdery bloom appears on the underside of the leaves, as well as on the petioles. Severely affected leaves dry out. Indoors, the disease is also noted on fruits.

During the season, the pathogen of powdery mildew is spread by spores with an incubation period of 3-4 days. In winter, the fungus remains on infected post-harvest residues.

The disease can reduce the yield in the open field by 30%, and in greenhouses by 60%.

When treating this disease, cucumbers can be sprayed with Topaz, and during the harvest season - with gray colloid, Tiovit Jet, Fitosporin-M or Alirin-B when the first signs of powdery mildew appear, and then at intervals of 7 10 days.

Cladosporium (olive brown spot). A fungal disease that develops on cucumbers everywhere in open and closed ground. Mostly the fruits of cucumbers are affected, but sometimes the leaves and stems are sick. The first signs of cladosporium on fruits are small watery spots, which quickly increase in size, reaching 5 mm in diameter; the skin of the fruit cracks, rapidly hardening gelatinous drops appear on the surface of the spot. At high air humidity, the spots become covered with a black-green velvety bloom.

Pay attention to the photo - with this disease of cucumbers in the open ground and in a greenhouse, diseased fruits are bent:

Cladosporium cucumber in the photo
With Cladosporium of cucumbers, diseased fruits are bent (photo)

Scattered small brown spots surrounded by a yellowish border appear on leaves affected by olive brown spot at the beginning of fruiting. The raid on them is dim, weak. On old leaves, the affected tissue falls out. On the stems, the disease manifests itself in the form of dry ulcers.

The causative agent of the disease develops at wide amplitudes of temperature (+5 ... + 30 ° С) and relative humidity (from 35 to 100%), but the strong development of the disease is facilitated by a decrease in temperature at night to +16 ... + 18 ° С at relative air humidity over 85%.

The control measures for olive brown spot include maintaining the optimal temperature and humidity regime. If necessary, spraying plants with copper-containing preparations, as well as against peronosporosis.

These photos show the diseases of cucumbers and how to treat them:

Root rot. The disease mainly affects cucumbers in greenhouses, and it also occurs on plants in the open field. Root rot disease is usually preceded by the weakening of plants under the influence of unfavorable external conditions.

On cucumbers in greenhouses, the disease manifests itself in the fact that the leaves, starting from the lower ones, gradually turn yellow. Gradually, the plants wither. The browning of the bark is noticeable on the lower part of the stem and roots.

Look at the photo - with this disease, the stem of cucumbers in greenhouses is milled.

Root rot (photo). The disease mainly affects cucumbers in greenhouses
With the disease "root rot" in cucumbers in greenhouses, the stem is milled

The disease usually occurs as a result of a decrease in soil temperature or an excessively high concentration of minerals, as well as when watering with cold water. Lowering the air temperature in greenhouses to +17 ... + 18 ° С contributes to the development of the disease.

The disease is more severe when sunny weather follows a long period of cloudy weather. Focal rot is often observed where the greenhouse roof is leaking.

Similar signs of the disease are observed in plants outdoors, often after watering or heavy rain. First, the leaves turn slightly yellow and stick. At the same time, the stem and roots have an outwardly healthy appearance, but there are no root hairs on the roots.

Here you can see a selection of photos of diseases and pests of cucumbers in greenhouses and open field:

Fusarium wilting of cucumbers in the photo
Fusarium withering in the photo

Fusarium wilting. On the affected seedlings, the cotyledons wither or the lower part of the stem rots, as a result of which there is a mass death of seedlings. On adult plants, first individual lashes wither, and then the whole plant dies, often having a green color.

The causative agent of fusarium wilting persists for a long time in the soil; it can also be found in infected seeds. It penetrates into the plant through young cells of root tissues, root hairs, grows in the tissue of the root collar; through wounds formed on individual lashes during pinching and other work. Inside plants, the mycelium of the fungus spreads mainly through tissue cells and blood vessels.

In the fight against root rot and fusarium wilt, strict adherence to crop rotation, careful collection and removal of plant residues is necessary. Application of organic and mineral fertilizers, plant feeding during the growing season, destruction of the soil crust - after each watering, especially in the first period of growth.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and wood ash reduce the intensity of development of fusarium wilting.

It is also necessary to disinfect the seeds by soaking them before sowing in Fitosporin solution for 1-2 hours. When seedlings appear and during the growing season, water the plants with "Glyokladin".

The warmth and high humidity in the greenhouse is a dangerous combination for juicy stems and fruits, meaning disease-causing fungal spores.

Gray rot of cucumbers in the photo
Botrytis cucumbers in the photo

Gray rot (botrytis). Cucumbers are mainly affected by it in greenhouses. The disease develops on various organs of the plant. This fungal disease causes especially significant damage, affecting fruits.

To prevent large losses from gray rot, possibly by observing the rotation of crops and maintaining the optimum temperature (not lower than +18 C) and air humidity (within 90%) in the greenhouse. It is necessary to remove rotten fruits and heavily affected plants from it.

Angular spotting (bacteriosis). The further development of the disease will be restrained by the biological preparation "Gamair".

To protect cucumbers from diseases and pests, you should not:

  • Overfeed plants with nitrogen so that the stems and leaves are not soft and thin.
  • Planting plants too densely: this makes it difficult for air to reach them. Damp stagnant air and tightness contribute to the development of disease.
  • Create a stuffy, stuffy atmosphere in greenhouses and greenhouses. Avoid cold drafts in winter. When ventilating, open windows on the leeward side.
  • To injure plants and fruits, this opens up easy access to pathogens.
  • Leave cucumber fruits affected by diseases and pests on the plant - destroy them immediately.

Pests of cucumbers in the open ground and greenhouse, measures to combat them

Aphids in the photo
Aphids on cucumbers (photo)

Aphids are one of the most common and dangerous pests of cucumbers. It appears on young plants (at the stage of 3-4 leaves), therefore, the harm from it is especially noticeable. Leaves inhabited by aphids shrivel and curl, shoot growth stops, the plant dies. With the later development of aphids under the influence of the pest, the curvature of the shoots, drying of the flowers and ovaries are observed. These outdoor cucumber pests secrete polluting plants with copious, sticky, sweet excrement on which sooty fungi settle, which also aggravates the condition of the cucumber.

Aphids are rather large, up to 2 mm, clearly visible to the naked eye, black in mass. During the season, it develops in 15-20 generations (the hatching of more and more new individuals of the pest almost constantly takes place). Moderate and humid weather contributes to the rapid reproduction of aphids.

Adult aphids overwinter on the leaves of weeds, most often on a shepherd's bag. In the spring, they feed on weeds, later they fly to cucumbers. Female aphids are viviparous, their average fertility is 25-60 larvae.

In the fight against aphids, as soon as it appears on the plants and before the cucumbers begin to bear fruit, apply spraying with one of the preparations (Iskra-M, Iskra Zolotaya, Iskra Double Effect, Confidor or Commander). With repeated spraying, the preparations must be alternated so that the pest does not get used to them.

During the fruiting period, only biological preparations with a waiting period of 1-2 days ("Iskra Bio", "Akarin", "Fitoverm", "Agravertin") can be used against aphids.

Spider mite in the photo
Spider mite on a cucumber (photo)

The spider mite also causes severe damage to cucumber plants. A tick appears especially often if the air in the greenhouse is dry, this pest of cucumbers leaves light yellow spots in the form of pricks visible to the naked eye on the underside of the leaves. If such spots are found, the plants are sprayed with garden sulfur or colloidal, perhaps "Tiovit Jet". Spraying is repeated after 7-8 days. When using sulfur-containing preparations, do not water the plants with sprinkling, so as not to wash them off the leaves. Sulfur preparations will also help cucumbers in the open field, where a large number of spider mites colonize plants in July, August, when the heat is more than +30 ° C with a low relative humidity of 35-45%.

Of the biological preparations against spider mites, "Bitoxibacillin" and biological preparations recommended against aphids give a good effect.

A radish planted between cucumbers and tomatoes scares away leaf beetles and spider mites.

Miners in the photo
Miners on cucumber leaves (photo)

Minerals are pests that affect cucumbers in open ground during the fruiting period. With a large number of pests, use biological preparations, as against aphids.

Cucumbers, like tomatoes, suffer from whitefly in open and closed ground.

Cucumbers belong to unpretentious garden crops, so many often plant them in greenhouses, in areas with open ground or suspended from trellises. When choosing a variety of cucumbers, most people prefer crops that have good immunity.

But it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of pest infestation of the area where cucumbers are grown. In order to know how to deal with this or that insect, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bhow they look and what they are most afraid of.

Melon aphid

The description of pests of cucumbers is most correct to start with the melon aphid, since it very often affects the ovaries, flowers and fruits of cucumbers, feeding on their juice. These insects live on the underside of the leaves.

Very soon after their appearance, the plants weaken, the leaves fall off and, if no measures are taken, a good harvest can not be expected. And if during the activity of insects is wet weather, cucumbers may even die.

The melon aphid is a very small insect (about 2 mm). Its body is oval and its color is dark green. Females have no wings, but green or yellow larvae can be either with wings or without wings.

These pests of cucumbers often appear in the greenhouse. Fighting them has its own specifics:

  1. If the plants are heavily infected, they can be rinsed with water from a hose, turning on a strong pressure. You can also wash vegetable bushes with a solution of laundry soap.
  2. An effective remedy is onion husk tincture. To prepare it, you will need 400 g of the substance, pour boiling water (10 l). After a day, soap (40 g) should be added to the solution and the plantings should be treated with the resulting composition. After 5 days, the procedure should be repeated.
  3. With a large accumulation of aphids, after the attack of which the cucumber whips turned yellow, the affected plants must be collected and burned. Bushes untouched by aphids must be treated with Karbofos or sulfur powder at the rate of 300 g of substance per 100 square meters.
  4. Spraying the bushes with a product based on the Iskra preparation is effective. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 liters of slightly heated water. You can also use a biological product Fitoverm. In this case, one ampoule of the agent will be required to prepare 10 liters of solution. To fix the result of spraying, cover the garden with cultivated cucumbers with plastic wrap and remove it after a day.
  5. To repel aphids, you can plant coriander, mustard, garlic, basil or mint next to cucumbers. Aphids are destroyed by ladybird larvae and their adults.

To increase the immunity of cucumbers, it is necessary to water and fertilize them in time, and also to ensure that there are no weeds on the site.

Spider mite

Common pests on cucumbers include. After their attack, the process of photosynthesis is inhibited, as a result of which the leaves fall. After wintering, when the air temperature rises above + 12 ° C, the females settle on the underside of the leaves, entwine them with cobwebs and begin to lay eggs. In this case, the color of the foliage acquires a marble-spotted hue.

The larvae that appeared soon, as well as adult insects, feed on plant sap. The pest is very prolific - one individual can give a large number of generations in one year. In late summer, the mites turn reddish-orange. Pests spend winter in the remains of vegetation. Pest control of this type of cucumber includes:

  • clearing the site from weeds and debris, replacing soil in greenhouses and conducting disinsection;
  • moistening the soil, since mites prefer overdried soil;
  • spraying with a folk remedy for pests of cucumbers - onion solution. For its preparation, it is necessary to add ground onions (200 g), wood ash (3 tablespoons), ground black pepper (1 tablespoon) and liquid soap (1 tablespoon) to water (10 liters). The resulting product must be filtered and treated with plants twice with an interval of 5 days;
  • processing cucumbers from pests with pepper infusion. This solution is prepared by adding crushed hot pepper pods (50 g), soap (1 tablespoon) and ash (4 tablespoons) to warm water (10 liters). After a day, the agent can be filtered and sprayed with plants. After 5 days, the procedure should be repeated;
  • the use of phosphorus preparations, for example, Karbofos;
  • attracting ladybirds, which are enemies of many types of pests, including spider mites. This can be done by growing dill next to a cucumber patch.

Tobacco thrips

The first sign that the plant's bushes are attacked by tobacco thrips is the appearance of small whitish specks on the underside of the leaves. After increasing their number, they turn into characteristic dry specks. In places of their formation, part of the leaf dies off.

Very often, the cause of the appearance of these pests is post-harvest residues of weeds. If the site is very heavily infected with thrips, the growth and development of cucumbers slows down - the plant bears poor fruit, and the fruits grow small. Since these insects most often infect indoor plants, pest control of cucumbers in a greenhouse consists of:

  • treatment of the greenhouse with Karbofos;
  • removing vegetation and weeds from the site;
  • dusting the bushes with pyrethrum;
  • spraying plants with tobacco infusion or urea;
  • treatment of bushes with biological products, for example, Fitoverm.

Whitefly

- This is a tiny yellowish insect, no more than 1 mm in size, with two pairs of wings, covered with a light powdery bloom. Their presence on the leaves of cucumbers is manifested by yellowish specks, which gradually increase and then merge. As a result, the leaves wilt and dry.

At the beginning of the new season, female pests lay eggs on the leaves of forage plants. Soon, larvae appear from them, which begin to search for cucumber beds. Having found them, they stick to the inside of the foliage. Pests are very prolific - in just 1 season, up to 15 generations are usually born. The most active reproduction takes place at high temperatures exceeding + 27 ° C.

When this type of pest appears in cucumbers in greenhouses, there is a lack of nutrients. A sooty fungus can settle on specific secretions that whiteflies leave, which inhibits photosynthesis. In addition, whiteflies are carriers of certain viral diseases.

In order to prevent the appearance of these pests in the greenhouse, you need to constantly clean the area of \u200b\u200bplant debris. In the case of insects, glue traps are effective. A radical measure to combat them is the treatment of cucumbers with Verticillin or some other biological product or insecticide.

Slugs

- these are gastropods, which, having settled on an area with cucumbers, can cause significant harm to the future harvest. In appearance, they resemble snails without shells. During the day they hide under the leaves, and at night they go out to hunt.

They gnaw burrows in stems and fruits, which quickly leads to their death. However, if you notice a pest in time, then getting rid of it is not so difficult, because there are many ways and remedies for these pests of cucumbers.

Given that slugs prefer to be in a shady and humid area, then watering cucumbers from these pests can be used as a kind of trap for them. After watering, you need to spread the planks on the beds, which will serve as a shelter for slugs during the day. All that remains is to remove them from these hiding places and destroy them.

In addition, slugs like the smell of fermentation. Knowing this, you can make simple traps to catch them. To do this, you need to fill small containers with beer or fermented jam and dig in their soil in the evening. The slug traps should be removed in the morning and new traps installed in the evening. A mixture of hot pepper and wood ash is also an effective remedy. After all, the body of the pest is absolutely not protected, so such a sanitary zone will become death for him.

Sprout fly

This pest can reach a length of 5 mm. The color of the body is yellowish gray with three dark brown longitudinal stripes. The worm-like, off-white larvae of this insect damage the seeds and seedlings of cucumbers. It is possible to suspect the presence of these pests on a cucumber garden by the fact that in some places the seedlings are either absent altogether or die after damage.

Eggs are laid by females in humid places, under lumps of earth. It takes from 2 weeks to 1 month for larvae to develop. During the season, 2-3 generations of sprout flies may appear, but the greatest damage is caused by the larvae of the first generation. Soil contamination can occur when fertilizing it with manure. These pests of cucumbers are more common outdoors.

To prevent the emergence of a sprout fly, special attention should be paid to a complex of agrotechnical measures, thanks to which you can get quick friendly shoots. Chemicals are also used to destroy the pest.

For example, before sowing seeds, a seed dressing procedure is carried out. For this, Fentiuram molybdate or Fentiuram is used - for processing 1 kg of seeds, 3 g of the substance will be required. For better retention of the substance on the seeds, you can use flour paste, which should be pre-moistened with the planting material.

It is important to remove all plant residues from the site in the fall. Having found a pest in the crops of cucumbers, they must be treated with appropriate insecticides, strictly adhering to the attached instructions. You can use, for example, the drug Iskra.

Cucumber gnats

This insect is another common pest that is more common when growing cucumbers indoors. Their appearance in greenhouses is possible as early as early February.

They usually get to the plots together with the seed or after the application of organic fertilizers. Damage to plants is mainly caused by larvae, which use plant roots for their nutrition. Soon the sprout begins to wither.

Cucumber gnats carry fungal and viral diseases. When using insecticides, not only plants and soil are treated, but also the glass of the greenhouse. Usually drugs BI-58 or Aktara are used. Adult insects can be trapped using self-made sticky traps.

Gall nematodes

These pests are commonly found when growing seedlings in greenhouses or greenhouses. In cases where cucumbers are planted in the open field, the appearance of these worm-like pests is practically not found, although their eggs and larvae can withstand low temperatures.

The insect enters the plant root system immediately after its formation. This leads to the death of the rudiment, since it can no longer fully feed through the root system.

The presence of pests is detected quite simply: peculiar growths appear on the roots of plants. These formations are called Gauls. An interesting fact is that females can reproduce without males.

They lay approximately 800-900 eggs in one season. 7-8 generations of root-knot nematodes develop throughout the year. To prevent or destroy nematodes, it is necessary to add the drug Agravertin or Fitoverm to the soil.

Medvedka

- This is a huge insect that can reach a length of 6-8 cm. It has powerful front paws, reminiscent of bear in shape. This driver lives mainly underground.

There he equips passages along which he moves in search of plant roots, and, having found them, cuts. Therefore, in the case of a massive death of cucumbers in a small area and the presence of noticeable small moves in the ground, it is necessary to immediately begin to fight this pest.

Before processing cucumbers from these pests, you can use a simple folk method - pour soapy water over the passages. To prepare the working fluid, it is necessary to dissolve the shavings obtained from half a bar of laundry soap in a bucket of water.

An effective trap is also a half-filled beer bottle with gauze tied around the neck. The container must be dug in the ground, tilting a little to one side. The pest, having found the bait, will surely break the gauze and get into the bottle.

Another way is nest detection. Usually it is located at a depth of 15-20 cm, it must be found along the moves and destroyed. There is always a female next to him, because she is engaged in the protection of offspring. The fight against these pests of cucumbers in the open field also involves the use of chemicals, among which the most effective are Bazudin, Medvetox and Thunder.

Ants

Very often, areas with cultivated cucumbers suffer from aphids, which are carried across the territory by ants. These hardworking insects prefer to live in dry, warm places, therefore they are found in greenhouses and in open ground. Being underground, they have a depressing effect on cucumbers, since they actively shake the roots and often gnaw them.

You can deal with them with chemicals, for example, such as Raptor or Muravyin. Typically, the product is scattered around the perimeter of the garden or greenhouse. However, there are also more sustainable ways.

Repellers are often used, such as soda, mustard powder, mint twigs, cinnamon and coriander. Pre-plant watering of the soil with steep boiling water is a preventive measure to combat ants. However, using this method can kill beneficial worms.

Wireworm

It is a larva that can reach a length of 3-4 cm. Females lay their eggs right in the ground. 3-5 years later, click beetles hatch from them. This pest mainly affects the roots of plants. In addition, the larvae very often climb into the cucumber stalk and feed on its juice.

To get rid of the pest, a manual method is often used, which involves the destruction of the larvae during the digging of the land. Liming and fertilization of the soil with minerals is also often used.

With a massive attack of a site with a wireworm, radical control measures are used in which chemicals are used. The most effective of them are Bazudin, Diazolin, Calypso and many others. However, you need to use them, strictly following the instructions.

Conclusion

The appearance of pests when growing cucumbers can puzzle any gardener. However, don't panic. The detected insect must be quickly identified and immediately taken measures to destroy it. After all, getting rid of any pest that harms the roots, leaves or fruits of cucumbers is quite possible. Only after complete victory over him can one expect a good harvest.

Cucumbers are moisture-loving plants. Therefore, they need frequent and abundant watering during the growing season. In combination with the high air temperature in summer, high humidity creates ideal conditions in a greenhouse or greenhouse for the appearance of cucumber pests. But sometimes vegetable growers themselves contribute to the appearance of insects. Moreover, pests often appear on cucumbers in the open field due to improper care.

The main reasons for the appearance of insects are:

  • the lack of pre-planting treatment leads to pest damage to cucumber seedlings;
  • an abundance of weeds in the beds;
  • lack of control over humidity and air temperature when growing plants in a greenhouse;
  • neglect of ventilation in a greenhouse or greenhouse;
  • non-observance of the rules of crop rotation;
  • refusal to replace soil.

Aphid

This pest on cucumber bushes can be seen during external examination. usually settles on the back of leaves. These are small yellowish, green or black insects with a body length of no more than 2 mm. Female aphids do not have wings, males can be winged.

Insects begin to show activity in the spring when the air temperature rises above +12 degrees. Insects suck sap from leaf plates and stems. With a strong infection, they move to inflorescences and infect the cucumber ovary. More than ten generations of the pest appear during the summer months.

On a note

Aphids are especially dangerous for cucumbers grown in the southern regions. Due to the high air temperature, constant humidity and long summer, insects are able to reproduce up to 20 generations.

Spider mite


Due to the small size of the pest, it is very difficult to notice it on the plant. The body length of spider mites does not exceed 1 mm. The color can be yellow-green, orange, white or red. The presence of an insect can be recognized by the following signs:

  • light dots appear on the back of the leaves;
  • a thin web forms between the veins;
  • plants stop growing;
  • the leaves gradually turn yellow and die off.

Slugs

It is not difficult to find out about the presence of these pests on cucumbers. Slugs and snails are active at night, but leave behind a characteristic slippery mark on the foliage with a silvery sheen. They also eat through holes in the greenhouses. It is no longer possible to eat such fruits.

It is not difficult to save cucumbers from slugs. These pests are not able to change color, adjusting to the surrounding objects, and cannot move quickly. Therefore, they are simply harvested by hand. It is convenient to do this early in the morning, before the slugs have time to hide from the sun's rays in shelters.

This pest does not have a durable shell on the body. Therefore, plants can be easily protected from it by scattering sand, pine or spruce needles, eggshells or wood ash on the ground around the cucumber bushes. Additionally, you can arrange traps from a glass jar buried in the ground up to the very neck. Sweet syrup or beer is poured inside. At night, slugs crawl into the jar and can no longer get back on the slippery walls.

Small flying insects resembling moths with wings covered with a wax coating. Their body size reaches 1.5 mm and has a light color. Whitefly larvae have a pale green, hairy body. They do not exceed 0.3 mm in length. The insect settles on the underside of the leaf. If you touch a plant infected with a whitefly, a swarm of small insects rises into the air. You can take a closer look at how they look in the photographs.

Whiteflies infect cucumber bushes more often than other pests when growing this crop in greenhouses or in unprotected beds. The affected parts of the plant are covered with numerous light specks. Leaves turn yellow, then die off. Fruiting of affected plants stops. This pest carries infectious diseases that can quickly destroy cucumber plantings.

To prevent whiteflies from entering the greenhouse, the vents are tightened with gauze, and a curtain is hung on the door. If the insects are already bred, they can be caught with homemade traps or sticky tape against flies. They also help attract and trap the pest with pieces of yellow cardboard smeared with adhesive.

Sprout fly

Insects are very small, their body length does not exceed 5 mm. Adults lay their eggs in the ground. After some time, large larvae resembling caterpillars hatch from them. They eat seedlings, spoil seeds and the root system of mature plants. Within 15 days, the larvae devour the plants. Then they turn into pupae, from which a new generation of individuals hatch.

You can prevent the appearance of a sprout fly on the site by observing the following rules:

  • only ready-made compost is used in the greenhouse;
  • the soil is often loosened;
  • seeds are treated before sowing;
  • the seed is lowered into the soil to a depth of 5 cm;
  • after harvest, all plant residues are harvested and burned.

Ants


Cucumbers do not attract ants as a food source. These insects only need land in which they build their dwellings, breaking through many passages. If they come across plant roots on their way, ants gnaw them with ease.

As a treatment for cucumbers from pests, the following actions are performed:

  • destroy the anthill by digging up the soil;
  • sprinkle this area with lime;
  • prepare poison from 100 ml of sweet syrup and 5 g of borax;
  • get rid of aphids on cucumbers;
  • to scare off ants, wormwood grass, tomato and mint leaves are laid out in the aisles.

Thrips

On cucumbers, these insects suck the juice from the leaves. Adult thrips have an elongated oval body, pointed at the ends and painted black. Their danger is that larvae and adults are simultaneously present on the plant. Thrips live on the seamy side of the leaves. They leave behind beige-silver scratches and vague yellowish spots.

You can prevent the appearance of thrips by regularly weeding the beds. Plants can be protected from a small number of pests by spraying the bushes with garlic or onion infusions, planting pungent-smelling herbs, or spreading orange peels between the rows. Blue traps covered with a sticky mass are effective against this pest. If there are a lot of insects, insecticides are used - "Aktara", "Calypso", "Fury" and others.

Cucumber gnat


These pests affect cucumber seedlings and plants affected by diseases. Cucumber gnats eat the stems and roots of young plants. The danger to the bushes is represented by adults and larvae that live in manure or humus. They penetrate through the root system into the stem of the plants and gnaw through the tunnels there.

The cucumber gnat is especially dangerous in spring. During breeding, one adult female is capable of laying up to 300 eggs.

For protection, seedlings must be sprayed. The Iskra preparation effectively destroys the cucumber gnat. To make a working solution, dissolve 1 tablet of the drug in 10 liters of water and spray the plantings. Additionally, to prevent the appearance of this insect, the soil is disinfected by heating.

Wireworm

The insect looks like a long worm. Its body is covered with a tough shell, divided into segments. Wireworms usually live in potato plantings and root vegetable beds. But if they are kicked out of there, they switch to cucumbers. They are able to eat seeds, seedlings and roots of adult plants.

Cucumbers protect against wireworms by frequent loosening of the soil. At the same time, substances are introduced into the soil that deoxidize it. It can be wood, ash, crushed eggshells, chalk, hydrated lime. Wireworms dislike soils with a lot of nitrogen. But such dressings can be used only at the initial stage of plant development. During the fruiting period, excess nitrogen damages yields.

You can prevent the appearance of a wireworm by pouring 500 ml of a pink solution of potassium permanganate into the hole during planting. Additionally, roots and potato halves strung on a wire are buried in the ground between the rows of cucumbers. After a few days, they are removed along with the wireworms and destroyed.

Gall nematode


On cucumbers, small worms infect the root system. Female root-knot nematodes lay eggs in the ground. From there, the hatched larvae move to the root system of the plants. The presence of nematodes can be recognized by the round bulges on the roots. Then the affected parts of the roots acquire a brown color, thicken and lose their elasticity. The danger of nematode damage is the inability to quickly recognize it.

The cause of infection is neglect of the rules of crop rotation, refusal to renew the fertile layer in the greenhouse or in the garden. To prevent the appearance of nematodes on cucumbers in the greenhouse and to treat them, perform the following actions:

  • observe the rules of crop rotation or plant cruciferous crops, garlic on the same bed with cucumbers;
  • weeds are regularly weeded out;
  • sterilize the soil by pouring boiling water or freezing;
  • renew the topsoil in the greenhouse every year after harvest;
  • disinfect garden tools before use.

Cucumber beetles

These insects are very rare in our country. But they are very dangerous and cause great harm to cucumbers. They can be distinguished by bright stripes or spots on the back. If the cucumber beetle appears, it eats the cucumber leaves. Its larvae are especially dangerous, since they are carriers of diseases. The affected plant gradually turns yellow and then dies.

To combat the cucumber beetle, the method of manual collection is used, followed by the destruction of insects. Disinfection of the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate is also effective.

Medvedki


Compared to other pests, these are very large insects. Bears prefer to settle in nutritious, loose and well-moistened soil. Therefore, they can often be found in a greenhouse or greenhouse. They live in the ground, dig tunnels there and gnaw at the roots of plants.

You can cope with the bears by mechanically trapping insects and without resorting to treatment with hazardous chemicals. Deep digging of soil works effectively in autumn after harvest and in spring. You can also pour soapy water or vegetable oil into the passages dug by bears, collect insects by hand. Traps made from plastic bottles filled with tasty bait work well. To scare away bears, you can plant sharp-smelling marigolds between the rows of vegetables.

Ways to combat aphids

To destroy this pest of cucumbers, the following methods are used:
  1. With a small number of insects, they are washed off with a strong jet of water. Plants can be treated with soapy water.
  2. The bushes are sprayed with wood ash infusion every 5 days. Processing with a decoction of onion peels is also possible.
  3. In case of severe infection, the damaged parts of the plant are removed and burned. The bush is treated with sulfur powder or karbofos.
  4. Bushes affected by pests are treated with Fitoverm or Iskra and covered with polyethylene for 24 hours.

You can prevent the appearance of aphids on the site by planting plants with a strong smell between the rows of young cucumbers. The insect does not tolerate the smell of mustard, mint, coriander, marigolds. You can protect cucumbers growing in a greenhouse from pests by adding the natural enemies of this insect - ladybirds.

Spider mite eradication methods


The pest hibernates in the soil. Therefore, in the spring, before sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings, the plot is dug up. weeds are often used as a temporary refuge, moving from one bush to another. It is necessary to keep the area clean, completely pulling out all weeds. When a spider mite appears, the area is treated with insecticide preparations.

Plants are often examined. If signs of damage are found, the damaged parts are removed and destroyed. Each year, the planting site is changed according to the rules of crop rotation. Tomatoes, cabbage, eggplants, and peppers will be good precursors for cucumbers.

The fight against this pest of cucumbers in the greenhouse begins with the creation of unfavorable conditions for life for him. Spider mites prefer warm, dry air. Therefore, to combat it, the moisture index is increased by more than 60%. In addition, the infected plants are washed with soapy water.

To eliminate spider mites, biological insecticides are used. These include the means "Fitoverm", "Iskra Bio", "Bitoxibacillin", "Karbofos". These drugs do not harm plants and do not spoil the fruits that we eat, they only destroy pests.

On a note

An effective remedy against spider mites is predatory insects - phytoseiulus and amblyseius mites. They destroy egg clutches of the pest. The resettlement is carried out in stages every 15-20 days. At the same time, for the successful destruction of the pest, the humidity in the greenhouse is increased to 70%, and the temperature is maintained at +25 degrees. For every square meter of cucumber plantings, there are enough from 20 to 50 individuals to destroy spider mites.

Whitefly fighting


If small flying insects have just appeared on cucumber bushes, folk remedies work well. You can process cucumbers with garlic infusion. It is prepared from 100 g of chopped garlic cloves and 500 ml of boiling water. The liquid is insisted for 4 days. Then it is filtered and diluted with water, bringing the volume to 10 liters. The solution must be sprayed with cucumbers. To improve the effectiveness of the product, you can add a little laundry or liquid soap to it.

Chemicals are used to kill a large number of whiteflies. With adults, they are fighting with insecticides "Aktellik", "Aktara", "Confidor" or "Vermitex". They kill insects within a few hours. To destroy the larvae and egg clutches, the plants must be sprayed with solutions of the preparations "Match", "Admiral", "Mospilan". In this case, it is advisable to alternate means so that insects do not get used to them.

Prevention

Work to prevent the appearance of harmful insects on the site begins in the fall. To do this, destroy and burn all plant residues. The soil is disinfected by spilling a solution of copper sulfate with a concentration of 7%. Then the soil is plowed or dug deep.

In the greenhouses, additional preparations are made for the upcoming season. To destroy fungal spores and mold, the room is treated with sulfur bombs. For soil treatment, a solution of the drug "Pharmayod-3" is used. The agent in the amount of 200 ml is diluted in 10 liters of water.

With the onset of spring, the soil is re-disinfected 10 days before the expected date of planting. The earth is spilled with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. If manure is used for spring fertilization of the soil, it is embedded in the soil to a great depth to prevent the appearance of flies. A large number of weeds are destroyed by pesticides.

Before planting seedlings, the soil is watered with a solution of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 3%. In open beds and in the greenhouse, the condition of plants and soil is regularly examined. If necessary, loosening and weeding are carried out, watering the soil, preventing drying out.

In caring for cucumbers, to reduce the likelihood of pest infestation, preventive measures are used, crop rotation and agricultural practices are observed. If it was not possible to avoid the appearance of insects, it is necessary to begin the fight against them as early as possible. At the same time, it is important to correctly identify the pest and choose the right products.

We recommend reading

Up