Wireworm in cucumbers. Who spreads diseases and eats cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse

Cucumbers are considered an unpretentious garden crop; they are actively planted in open ground, in greenhouses, in greenhouses, etc. But whatever the growing conditions, cucumber pests and various diseases can seriously reduce the quality of the crop.

Pests of cucumbers

Due to diseases and pests, cucumbers often die before the first harvest. But if in the first case typical signs can be detected, then some pests carry out hidden activities, and it is not easy to fight them.

To avoid infection, you can conduct a test: sow several cucumber seeds in advance, and when they sprout and produce the first leaf, pull them out and check the roots. If a nematode is present in the soil, swellings will be visible. An effective measure is to preventively pour boiling water over the area under the cucumbers, followed by covering them with black film for several hours.

You can fight the nematode with chemicals: BI-58, Rogor, Dimethoate, but during the fruiting period of cucumbers this is already dangerous. Biological agents are also effective: Pecilomycin and Metarizin, based on fungus. But often it is necessary to remove and change the top layer of soil (up to 50 cm) in order to get rid of the bulk of pests.

The nematode can be distracted from cucumbers by planting legumes nearby.

melon aphid

If flowers on cucumbers fall off prematurely, and the leaf blade loses turgor and dries, then perhaps a colony of melon aphids has settled on the plant. You can find it on the back of the leaves. Aphids not only spoil appearance vines of cucumbers, but also introduces toxins and viruses into the sap flow system.

Insecticides (Karbofos, Iskra, Komandor) can be used against aphids, but only before the ovaries appear. If the cucumbers are already hanging, then it is better to use biological products (Biotlin, Fitoverm, Bicol) or a soap solution.

Whitefly

The whitefly is a small, milky-colored midge. Settles in places with poor ventilation and high humidity. For cucumbers, both she and the larvae, which feed on the juices of the leaves, are dangerous, covering them with their excrement. The first sign of damage is small light dots on the leaf blade, and if you look under it, you can see a whole brood of midges.

Chemicals for pest control – “Aktara”, “Confidor”, “Aktellik”. If there are cucumber ovaries, then “Verticillin” or “Fitoverm” is preferable.

The pest itself – the brown big-eyed fly – may not be seen, but its larvae actively feed on cucumber embryos, burrowing into the germinating seeds. After 2 weeks, pupation and emergence will occur, but before that, the cucumber crops will be destroyed.

Agrotechnical practices are effective against germ flies:

• deep autumn digging of soil for cucumbers (autumn plowing);
• plowing manure (a favorite place for laying eggs);
• cleaning of plant residues.

If you plant cucumbers with already strong seedlings, then the larvae of the sprout fly are not afraid of them. They will not touch pre-treated seeds either.

The thrips body is about 1 mm in length. These are very nimble flying insects. Females lay numerous eggs in the thickness of the cucumber leaf plate. Infection manifests itself as yellowish small spots - areas devoid of cell sap. On top there is a scattering of black sticky dots - the pest's excrement. As a result, the flowers and leaves of the cucumbers fall off and the vines become deformed.

Thrips are one of the most difficult pests to eradicate. It is difficult to cope with it using traditional methods, so many summer residents prefer active drugs, such as Aktara, Iskra Zolotaya, and Komandor. But the most environmentally friendly option is to treat the cucumber with Fitoverm several times. In order for it to begin to act, a number of conditions must be met: dryness, warmth, lack of sunlight.

Spider mite

The common one can be found on cucumbers only in open ground, since it does not tolerate high humidity, as in greenhouses. But the false spider mite loves to settle on greenhouse plants. At the same time, the cucumber lashes become covered with small white dots and cobwebs. If emergency measures are not taken, the plants quickly dry out.

If there are few bushes, then you can use the folk method - garlic tincture: pour two crushed heads into 1 liter of water, leave for 5 days. After the expiration date, the mixture is filtered and half diluted with water. Cucumbers are sprayed with this product 3-4 times every other day. Among chemical preparations, Actellik, Neoron, and Apollo are effective; among biological preparations, Fitoverm is effective.

The mole cricket is a huge (up to 10 cm) cricket with powerful front paws, shaped like a bear’s. This unusual insect lives mainly underground, making passages there, cutting plant roots and arranging nests. If a mass death of cucumbers has begun in a limited area, and small passages are visible in the ground, then these are traces of the presence of a mole cricket.

There are several ways to repel this pest of cucumbers.

• The easiest option is to pour soapy water (half a piece of laundry soap into a bucket).
• An original trap: about half a bottle of beer with the neck tied with gauze should be buried at an angle among the cucumbers. The insect will definitely find the bait in the ground, cut the gauze and fall into the bottle.
• You can find a nest (at a depth of 20 cm), following the passages among the cucumbers, and destroy it. The female usually protects the offspring by staying nearby.

There are special chemicals: “Medvetox”, “Bazudin”, “Grom”.

Ants

Cucumbers suffer from aphid infestation largely due to the ants that spread it to suitable “pastures.” These tireless insects love warm and dry places, so they willingly colonize greenhouses and greenhouses. However, their underground life can have a depressing effect on cucumbers: the ants actively move and gnaw at the roots.

You can fight chemicals(“Ant”, “Raptor”), scattering them around the perimeter of the greenhouse or ridge.

More environmentally friendly methods are to spread out natural repellers:

• mustard powder;
• soda;
• branches of mint, tomatoes, coriander;
• cinnamon.

As a preventative measure, before planting cucumbers, you can pour boiling water over the soil. But this method can also kill worms.

Cucumber diseases

Both greenhouse and ground cucumbers suffer from approximately the same diseases. They are mainly attacked by fungi. The frequency of infection outbreaks largely depends on weather conditions.

Fungal infection on cucumbers is noticeable almost immediately, so there is a chance to prevent its development by regularly carefully inspecting the vines.

The most common diseases are:

1. . If the cucumber leaves begin to “grey” (become covered with a white coating), this means that a fungus has settled on them powdery mildew. Soon it will completely cover the lashes, leading to the death of the plant.
2. Downy mildew, also called downy mildew. Brown single or merging spots appear on the leaves of cucumbers. These are dried tissues devoid of juice.
3. Cladosporiosis. Light green scattered spots are noticeable on the leaf blades, which soon turn brown. Unlike powdery mildew, cladosporiosis does not spare the fruits: small, weeping ulcers appear on the cucumbers, leading to rot.
4. Gray and white rot. The pattern of damage to cucumbers is the same: the stems and fruits soften, first become slimy, then become covered with a fluffy coating of a shade corresponding to the type of rot.
5. Root rot. The cucumber stem becomes thinner and rots at the very base. The roots look worn out and turn dark brown.
6. Field mosaic (virus). The leaves of cucumbers are covered with a pattern of yellow-green randomly alternating “cubes”.
7. Speckled mosaic (white and green varieties) is also a virus. Small spots appear over the entire surface of the cucumber leaf plate, which quickly merge. The vine turns gray and soft depressions form on the fruit.

In the last two cases, treatment is useless. All that remains is to remove the surviving cucumbers and destroy the diseased vines. It is possible to return the vegetable crop to this place only after 4 years.

Treatment of cucumbers

If the extent of damage to the above-ground part is small, then cucumbers can be treated with the following means:

• horsetail decoction;
• manganese solution (1.5 g per bucket);
• kefir or whey diluted with water (1:10);
• (dilute a tablespoon in 4 liters of water, add half a teaspoon of liquid soap);
• soda ash solution.

Spraying cucumbers with these products is not done once, but 2-3 times (every 5 days).

Biofungicides (Planriz, Fitosporin-M) are no longer useless at the active stage of fungal development. It is often possible to save cucumbers by treating them with a solution of colloidal sulfur or copper oxychloride. Proportions for diluting both products: 40 g per 10 liters of water.

If the fungus has grown on cucumbers, then only chemical preparations will help effectively and quickly: “Topaz” (ampoule for 10 liters of water), “Fundazol”, “Quadris”.

Treatment of rot on cucumbers

It is worth knowing and applying methods to combat cucumbers affected by white and gray rot.

1. Carry out urgent fertilizing by spraying on the leaf. Preparation of the product: dissolve 1 teaspoon of urea and a few grains (on the tip of a knife) of copper sulfate or “HOM” in 10 liters of water.
2. Trim and destroy all affected leaves and spoiled cucumbers.
3. Moisten a piece of rag in a raspberry solution of manganese and wipe the slimy and already coated parts of the cucumber shoots.
4. Pollinate the cucumbers with ash.

If you suspect that cucumbers are infected with root rot, you should perform the following steps.

1. Carefully expose top part root system of the cucumber and inspect it.
2. If confirmed root rot, then replace the top layer of soil.
3. Pour the cucumber roots with a solution: dilute 2 teaspoons of copper sulfate, 6 tablespoons of lime or ash in 1 liter of water.
4. After treatment, let the roots dry.
5. Remove the cucumber vine from the trellis (if tied), bend part of the healthy stem in an arc to the moist soil for rooting, and hang the upper part again.

If the cucumbers wither for no reason, and the root system is in order when the top layer of soil is removed, then infection with verticillium is likely. The plant can no longer be saved, since this fungus is resistant to most chemicals.

Prevention of cucumber diseases

Viruses are spread by sucking insects, with care items or soil, and several factors lead to the development of fungus on cucumbers:

• high humidity and coolness;
• planting density;
• excess nitrogen in the soil.

Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers increase the resistance of cucumbers to diseases.

When cucumbers are already bearing fruit, the choice of spraying agents is limited. Antifungal chemicals are absorbed not only into the vines, but also into the fruits, which are then dangerous to eat for 20 days. Therefore, it is easier to take preventative measures to protect against diseases:

• Before planting cucumbers, treat the soil with copper oxychloride;
• saturate the soil with beneficial microorganisms in advance using Fitosporin-M, Trichodermin, Nemabakt;
• mulch the soil under the cucumbers to prevent the activated fungus from rising onto the plant; in a greenhouse, mulch will reduce evaporation, lowering humidity;
• in the phase of the first 2-3 leaves, spray the cucumbers with “Topaz”, and repeat the treatment at the beginning of flowering.

And if damage to cucumbers has already been noticed, then it is advisable to use serial treatments using safe methods without the use of chemicals.

In order for the cucumber harvest to meet expectations, you need to monitor the possible appearance of pests on the site, protecting the crops. Only high-quality processing of cucumbers will protect them from their main enemies and prevent the development of diseases that affect them. What pests are most often tempted by cucumbers and what methods of controlling them are known? More on this below.

A dangerous enemy - aphids: how to deal with them

You can notice the melon aphid on the plant when examining the leaves - the insect is camouflaged on the back of the leaf. If melon aphids have settled on cucumbers, then it will not be at all difficult to notice this by fallen leaves and a sharp decrease in the level of yield, up to the death of the plant in weather with high humidity levels.

The pest insect can be recognized by its characteristic oval body shape, dark green in color, up to 2 mm long. If these are females, then they are wingless; if they are larvae, then variants of individuals with wings and without green or yellow color are possible. Pests multiply in the spring when the air temperature reaches 12 degrees above zero. Each adult gnaws cucumber leaves, stems, and flowers. Up to 20 generations can appear in one season.

In order for the protection of cucumbers from melon aphids to produce results, you need to know about the methods used in pest control. These include:

1. Treating plants with water and soapy water or clean water under pressure (suitable for small numbers of insects).
2. Treatment with onion peel tincture or ash solution at intervals of 5 days.
3. Burning yellow cucumber vines in case of massive damage and treating the remaining plants with sulfur powder or karbofos.
4. Treatment with Iskra or Fitoverm with protection with plastic film for a day.
5. Planting plants that can repel pests: mint, mustard, garlic, coriander and others.
6. Introducing natural enemies of aphids - ladybugs - onto the site.

To avoid having to deal with pests frequently, it is important to follow the requirements for fertilizing cucumbers, watering them, and regularly weed the soil to get rid of weeds.

Spider mites - why are they dangerous and how to get rid of them?

Spider mites can be found on cucumbers more often than any other insect pests. It affects crops regardless of the region and climate where they are grown, as in open areas, and in greenhouses. The mite latches on to the bottom of the crop leaf, drinking the juice and enveloping it in a web. The result of this proximity is the death of the leaf, and then the entire plant.

Pests of cucumbers (photos can be found below), such as spider mites, require a serious approach to destruction. Proven insecticides are suitable, as well as, in the absence of the possibility of using them, a soap solution for treating plants.

As an option, it is worth considering populating the area with the natural enemy of the tick - Phytoseiulus, which will cope with the eggs laid by the females. It needs to be restocked every few weeks.

Slugs - what harm do they cause and how to exterminate them?

At first glance, completely harmless slugs can actually cause the development of cucumber leaf disease and, as a consequence, a decrease in the quantity of the crop and its quality level. It is slugs that are carriers of fungal spores and a direct threat to crop infection with powdery mildew or gray rot.

Slugs appear in areas with favorable conditions for them:

• humid climate;
• abundance of weeds;
• an abundance of emptiness.

To prevent cucumber pests from having time to harm them, it is better to plant crops in early spring, giving them the opportunity to grow stronger. After harvesting, it is important to remove all vegetation that insect pests could use as a food source.

If slugs have appeared on the site and are aimed at destroying cucumbers, you can fight them in the following ways:

1. Pick by hand with tweezers.
2. Create grooves in the area that complicate the movement of insects.
3. Use proven chemicals - metaldehyde, fluff lime, iron sulfate and others.
4. Attract frogs, toads and lizards for natural pest control.
5. Create favorable conditions for nesting birds of prey - starlings, blackbirds, magpies, etc.

Compliance with the rules regarding the care of the site and timely planting of crops will be a kind of guarantee that diseases and pests of cucumbers will not disrupt plans for the seasonal harvest.

Who are mole crickets and why are they dangerous?

The numerous number of enemies of cucumbers is also supplemented by mole crickets. We are talking about fairly large insects up to 5 cm in length. Harm is caused by both adults and larvae. Mole crickets gnaw through the plant in the area of ​​the trunk and root system, multiply rapidly and are capable of invading the entire garden if cucumbers and other crops are not treated in a timely manner. You can fight mole crickets in the following ways:

1. Traps with manure on boards or plywood.
2. Traps baited with a mixture of hot pepper, water and honey.
3. Planting alder trees that repel pests.
4. Ready-made drugs - "Medvedko-s".

The latter option will require certain costs, but is a proven method, since insects die in just 2-3 hours after exposure to the drug.

How to deal with thrips on cucumbers?

If thrips appears on the site - a small pest that overwinters in the remains of plants and is capable of producing up to 7 generations of new individuals per season, then urgent measures must be taken. Both adults and larvae vegetable crops, in particular cucumbers are extremely dangerous. Pests suck the juices from plants, as a result of which they change color and eventually die.

You need to fight thrips as follows:

1. Carefully remove plant debris after harvesting.
2. Dig up the soil in autumn and spring.
3. Disinfect the soil on the site after harvesting with karbofos and similar means.
4. Don’t forget to treat the seedlings with an infusion of hot pepper and water, infused for 24 hours with the addition of laundry soap.

When using solutions for treating plants, both purchased and prepared yourself, you must remember to repeat the procedure with an interval of no more than 5 days.

Cucumber mosquito - how does it attack plants and how to remove it?

When listing insects from the category of pests of cucumber seedlings, it is worth mentioning the cucumber mosquito. Most often it appears on plants affected by any diseases. Insects pose a serious threat to the roots and stems of cucumbers. Not only adult mosquitoes are considered dangerous, but also mosquito larvae that live in humus or manure.

The pest invasion occurs in mid-spring. It is at this time that females lay about 300 eggs at a time.

Larvae easily penetrate into root system plants, dot the stem with numerous passages.

In this case, the protection of cucumbers will be based on the use of spraying preparations. One of the proven options is Iskra. The solution is prepared according to the instructions from one tablet diluted in 10 liters of water. This amount of solution is enough to treat up to 100 m2 of land.

Additionally, it will be necessary to thermally sterilize the soil.

Wireworm - how it harms cucumbers, methods of control

The wireworm is the larva of the click beetle. Its length is 5 cm, its habitat is cracks in the ground on the site. Beetles from the larvae will appear no earlier than after 3 years; until this moment, the larvae actively infect the stems of cucumbers, feeding on them from the inside.

An effective protection scheme against wireworms is based primarily on the mechanical method - manual collection of pests followed by digging up the ground. To prevent re-infection, after harvesting, all traces of plants are removed, liming and mineralization of the soil are carried out.

Specialized chemical insecticides will allow you to get rid of large numbers of larvae. Proven options are “Bazudin”, “Diazinon” and “Calypso”.

Root nematode - pest worm and methods of combating it

What pests and diseases of cucumbers are most common in a greenhouse? One of the worst enemies of greenhouse crops is the root-knot nematode. Only 1.5 mm long, it penetrates the root system of plants, settles in tissues and releases toxins leading to the formation of swellings and growths in which larvae appear and grow.

Affected plants grow worse and bear less fruit. The solution to the problem in greenhouses can be replacing the affected soil (at least 50 cm) with new one, or treating the soil with steam.

Sprout fly and whitefly - how to defeat and protect cucumbers?

Germ flies reach a length of no more than 5 mm, and when they enter an area, they lay eggs in the soil, from which larger larvae will eventually appear. They are the ones that infect crops, affecting seeds, shoots and stems from the inside.

The larvae eat the plant for two weeks, after which they pupate and give birth to a new generation. In one season, in this way, several generations of pests appear that negatively affect the harvest of cucumbers.

To prevent the sprout fly from harming crops, the following preventive measures should be taken:

1. Use only ready-made compost in the greenhouse.
2. Loosen the soil before use, plant the seeds after germination at a shallow depth.
3. Use growth stimulants for seeds.
4. Remove all crop and plant residues after harvesting cucumbers.

Another enemy of cucumbers is the barely noticeable white midge, the whitefly. The insect appears in the second half of summer, hatches larvae on the lower part of the plant leaf, which leads to their wilting. Tobacco dust, as well as red pepper and water, will help get rid of the pest. Among the proven drugs, it is worth highlighting “Fosbecid” and “Confidor”.

Cucumber beetles are rare but dangerous enemies

An overseas guest, the cucumber beetle is extremely dangerous for cucumbers, but is rarely found in the country. It is distinguished by stripes or spots bright color on the back. The insect damages crops most often in the form of larvae. Plants first turn yellow and eventually wither. In addition, pests are carriers of diseases.

They need to be combated by disinfecting the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate, or mechanically, followed by the destruction of the beetles.

What other problems are there?

In addition to numerous diseases and pests, cucumbers may fail due to a fungal infection affecting the soil. Infection can be detected if the soil in the greenhouse is covered with a white coating - in the form of mold. The solution to the problem in this case will be the following drugs: “Fundazol”, “Hom”, “Fitosporin”. The preparations are added to the water during watering, after which the soil is loosened, leaving it to dry completely.

In conclusion, we note that it is possible to grow healthy vegetables, especially if these are rare medicinal orange cucumbers, but only if you follow the recommendations regarding soil and plant care with seasonal processing and disease prevention.

Signs of damage to cucumbers:

• stunted growth;
• shoots and leaves curl;
• very few fine roots are formed;
• swelling on the roots;

The most accurate method for checking nematodes is the biological method. Cucumber seeds are sown in open ground. 18 days after germination, the plants are dug up and the roots are checked, on which the affected areas and the worms themselves will be visible.

The pest interferes with the metabolism in the plant. The cucumber bush does not receive enough moisture, loses nutrients and produces a meager harvest. The disease cannot kill the plant, but greatly reduces its productivity.

Sick cucumbers need to be treated with chemicals. To eradicate microscopic worms, the drugs “Mercaptophos”, “Phosfamide” or “Ruskamin” are used. Processing must be carried out 3-4 times.

Heat treatment of the roots is effective. To do this, the plant is dug up and its roots are dipped in water at a temperature of 50-55˚C for 10-15 minutes. Since the nematode dies at a temperature of +40˚C, this treatment is very effective against both adults and larvae.

Preventive actions:

1. Treatment of purchased plants with a 0.5% Parathion solution. The substance is diluted in water, then the cucumber roots are immersed in the liquid for 15 minutes.
2. Thermal treatment of the soil before planting. The soil is heated at a temperature of 100˚C for 2 hours.
3. Ultraviolet irradiation. The nematode dies from ultraviolet radiation, which can be used to irradiate the roots of the plant without harming the latter.
4. Weed control.
5. Adding cow manure to the soil.

This is a sucking insect from the order Homoptera. The insect can have different colors: from yellow to dark green. The size of the pests does not exceed 2 mm. Melon aphid larvae overwinter on weeds or leaves. Sometimes they can survive the winter in an anthill. Infection of cucumbers occurs in July-August. Most often, aphids are carried to cucumber bushes by ants, who use the insects as “pets.”

The danger of infection by aphids lies not only in the fact that they suck the juices from the plant and secrete poison during their life processes, thereby damaging the leaves and shoots. And also the fact that in addition to aphids, ants will settle on your cucumbers, which also feed on the sap of the plant. In addition to direct harm, aphids can be carriers of viruses and diseases.

• leaf wrinkling;
• falling of flowers and ovaries;
• drying of leaves;
• inhibited growth of cucumbers.

There are many methods to combat aphids. Most gardeners are accustomed to considering aphids not dangerous and either simply do not pay attention to this pest, or use folk remedies and simple mechanical cleaning plants. It is precisely because aphids are not taken seriously that they can infest the entire area and lead to crop loss.

Traditional methods They offer the following treatment recipes:

1. Spraying with red hot pepper infusion. To prepare the infusion, take 30 g of fresh chopped pepper and 200 g of tobacco dust per 10 liters of water. After mixing, let it brew for 24 hours, strain, add 1 tbsp to the solution. l. liquid soap and 150 g of ash. Spray the above-ground part of the plant with a flow rate of 1-1.5 liters per square meter. m.
2. For the next solution, we take 200 g of ash and 50 g of soap per 10 liters of water. Infuse, strain and process the cucumbers using a spray bottle.
3. Garlic infusion. For 1 liter of water, take 200 g of chopped garlic cloves and leave for 4 days. Then the infusion is diluted in water at the rate of 25-30 g per 10 liters and the bushes are sprayed.
4. Decoction of celandine. Take 400 g green leaves plants per 1 liter of water, leave for 24 hours, and then boil for 30 minutes. The resulting solution does not need to be diluted.

Sometimes you don’t want to turn to traditional methods because of the time wasted preparing decoctions or their dubious usefulness. In this case, you can use chemicals, namely: Karbofos, Komandor, Iskra. Less toxic drugs for humans include Actofit and Fitoverm.

In addition to insecticides and traditional methods, you can also use agrotechnological control measures. To begin with, you need to destroy weeds and remove rotten plant debris in a timely manner. A good option is to plant plants that repel aphids (garlic, onion, fennel, mint, mustard, lavender). It is also worth planting plants that attract aphids with their smell (beans, petunia, viburnum, linden).

Many insects feed on aphids. As you know, ladybugs are capable of eating aphids in colonies. However, if you are counting on the help of “live” pest fighters, the use of insecticides is unacceptable.

A small butterfly that is 3 mm long and white in color. Both the insect itself and its larvae harm the plant. The butterfly appears in the summer, when it is very warm and there is a lot of rainfall. The combination of heat and high humidity is the best conditions for insects. Whiteflies overwinter in greenhouses and covered greenhouses, where there is very poor ventilation and high humidity.

The whitefly is dangerous because both larvae and adults will feed on your cucumbers at the same time. The insect and its larvae suck out the sap of the plant, disrupting the supply nutrients and slowing down the growth of cucumbers. Butterfly feces eat away at the leaves, after which they turn black and dry. Cucumber pests can be carriers of infectious diseases and fungi.

Important!Preparations for killing adults and larvae are radically different, so pay attention to this when purchasing chemicals.

Whitefly is not difficult to spot. When examining the bush, you will clearly see a small midge, which resembles a smaller copy of a moth.

When cucumbers are infected with whitefly, the following occurs:

• the plant is stunted;
• leaves turn yellow and curl;
• a sticky shiny coating appeared on the leaves;
• Small scales are visible on the back of the leaf.

A huge number of drugs have been created to combat the pest. Except chemical methods, a small “moth” can also be removed using folk remedies.

To drive a butterfly out of the garden, use the following decoctions and infusions:

1. Rub 3 tbsp. l. onion or garlic and add to the glass hot water. Let it cool for 12 hours, strain and spray the cucumbers for a week. If we take into account the proportion of 1 tbsp. l. onions per 100 ml of water, then you can prepare more solution to treat the entire area with cucumbers.
2. Soap solution. Take laundry soap and dissolve it in water in a ratio of 1 to 6. The solution is mixed until foam is obtained, which is applied to the plant with a sponge. This method is more suitable for small areas or greenhouses.
3. Garlic infusion. For 10 liters of water take 60 g of chopped garlic. The solution is infused for 24 hours. You need to treat cucumbers once a week until the insect disappears.
4. Infusion of tobacco. We buy a pack of Prima cigarettes, take out the tobacco, grind it and pour 1 liter of boiling water. You need to leave for 5 days in a dark place, then strain and spray the cucumbers every 2-3 days.

If you want to eradicate an insect quickly and efficiently, then turn to insecticides for help. The most popular drugs on the domestic market: Aktara, Konfidor, Akarin, Iskra, Fitoverm, Aktellik, Mospilan and others. Do not exceed the dose of medications: think about the fact that you will then eat these fruits.

If you keep cucumbers in a greenhouse and can influence the microclimate in an indoor area, then influence the pest by lowering the temperature to +10˚C and reducing the humidity to 80%. The pest cannot withstand such a drop in temperature and will leave your bushes alone.

An option for indoor spaces is yellow Velcro. The insect loves the color yellow and flies towards it. Once the whitefly sticks to the surface of the tape, it will not be able to escape and will die.

A well-known pest of both vegetables and fruits, and indoor plants and bushes. This is a small, up to 1 mm, arachnid mite that feeds on plant juices. The mite enters the plant from the soil, is carried by wind, water, on clothing, and attaches to tools. Thus, it is impossible to completely protect cucumbers from mite infection even in a greenhouse.

The tick loves dry air and low humidity. However, there is a false spider mite that loves high humidity.

At first glance, it may seem that a microscopic mite will not cause significant harm, but if there are more than a thousand such mites on one bush, the plant will begin to hurt and dry out.

Recognize activity spider mite you can look at the small white dots on the plant, as well as the transparent web that envelops the leaves “beaten” by the mite. Mites entangle stems and fruits in a web, covering the entire plant with microscopic threads.

Did you know?Spider mites live everywhere except Antarctica!

In addition to chemistry and traditional methods, there is another very good and safe option for killing ticks. To do this, you need to purchase natural biological enemies of the spider mite - phytoseiulus and amblyseius, which do not harm humans or plants. However, this method is more suitable for greenhouses and greenhouses, since beneficial mites can cover a small area of ​​plantings.

It is important to carry out prevention so as not to waste time treating the cucumber later. Spray the plant to make conditions unsuitable for mites. In this case, it is the above-ground part that is irrigated. Do not forget to properly care for the bushes and feed them regularly. A weakened plant is a tasty morsel for pests and diseases.

Important!The mole cricket lives in humus (uses it as a nest for its offspring), which is applied in the form of fertilizer.

You can understand that a mole cricket has appeared on the site in the following way:

• very poor seed germination;
• the planted seedlings dry out and fall;
• small diameter passages are noticeable in the soil.

If, for some unknown reason, on one side of the garden all the seedlings have begun to grow and grow, but on the other side they have dried up en masse, it means that a mole cricket has taken up residence in your home.

You can get rid of mole crickets using both traditional methods and chemicals.

Important!Spraying the above-ground body of cucumbers with any folk remedies will not give any effect, since the pest lives and feeds in the soil.

Traditional methods will not help destroy mole crickets over a large area, so let’s turn to chemistry. The most popular specialized drugs: Medvetox, Grom, Bazudin, Perstige and Aktara. The drugs are used strictly according to the instructions.

There is also a biological treatment option. For this purpose, the drugs “Nemabakt” and “Boverin” are used, which consist of predatory bacteria and fungi. These bacteria destroy the eggs of larvae and adults (the fungus grows through the body of the victim). The drug is very effective, since one package is enough for 100 squares.

Many gardeners and gardeners are surprised that ants are classified as plant pests. Since these insects live in any area, it is important to find out how to get rid of ants on cucumbers and what harm they cause to the plant. Ants belong to the insect family and number about 14 thousand species, of which about 300 live in the CIS.

Before discussing methods for removing ants from the garden, you need to consider their benefits and harms.

Benefits of ants:

Now the negative side of the life of ants:

• eating and spoiling cucumber fruits;
• damage to seedlings;
• transfer of aphids to cucumber bushes.

If you decide to drive these insects out of the area, then, first, use traditional methods:

1. Mix boric acid with sugar. It is important that only ants have access to the poison, and not children or pets.
2. You can drive ants out of the greenhouse by destroying aphids. Methods for controlling aphids were described above. If the ants lose their food source, they will leave the area.
3. Plant mustard, garlic, mint or elderberry next to the cucumbers. The smell of these plants repels ants.

To kill insects, drugs are used that cause paralysis, namely: Thunder 2, Muracid, Anteater, Anteater.

Important!These drugs are dangerous for pets and humans, so use them with caution.

Ants can leave if their nest is destroyed. The mechanical method is quite effective on small area. Carry out a deep digging of the ants' habitats. If that doesn’t help, pour boiling water (10 l) with vinegar (2 cups) into the anthill. vegetable oil and shampoo. After this, the ants are unlikely to survive and will leave your area.

Did you know?Ant larvae are readily eaten in Africa and Asia - this dish is rich in protein and fat. In addition, ant larvae are ideal food for chicks of ornamental birds.

Pests of cucumbers that plague plants in greenhouses and greenhouses include the cucumber mosquito, or sciarid. It does not affect plants in open ground, since the insect’s homeland is the subtropics, with the appropriate temperature and humidity. The mosquito is up to 5 mm long and dark gray in color.

The harm lies in the fact that the hatched larvae gnaw holes in the roots and cotyledon leaves of the seedlings. Moreover, in greenhouse conditions, a mosquito can produce up to 8 generations of larvae in a year. Cucumber mosquitoes carry viruses and diseases, putting plants at even greater risk.

The infected plant begins to wither, growth slows down, the root part of the stem rots, turgor is lost and general rotting begins.

Pest control methods:

• soil disinfection in the greenhouse;
• thermal soil treatment;
• spraying the lower part of the stem and root collar with insecticides;
• yellow adhesive tapes (save from adults).

It is important to understand that it is unsafe to use insecticides in confined spaces. Therefore, treatment should be carried out using a respirator and, if possible, spraying smaller doses of drugs.

The insect got its name because it is the main pest of tobacco. However, thrips also harm cucumbers, onions, potatoes and other vegetables. The insect has a length of up to 1 mm and a grayish-yellow body color.

Females infect plants, laying up to 100 eggs in leaf tissue. The number of eggs and adults depends on the dryness of the air and temperature (the best environment for the development of thrips is dry, warm air).

The insect and its larvae feed on the sap of the plant. If the damage is significant, parts of the plant become dehydrated and dry out. Also, thrips feeds on the sap of flowers, which leads to their premature fall.

The vital activity of thrips and its larvae can be determined by yellow-brown spots on the leaves that curl and dry out. The growth of bushes is inhibited and they look sickly.

Insect control involves several methods.

Chemicals:

• The spark is golden;
• Aktara;
• Fufanon;
• Commander Maxi.

Folk remedies:

Infusion of onion peel. For 4 liters of water, take the volume of a two-liter jar of husks and infuse for 2 days. After this, another 12 liters of water and laundry soap are added to the infusion. The above-ground part of the plant is treated with the resulting solution.

Biological agents:

• the use of predatory mites (Neoseyulus), which eat thrips larvae;
• the use of predatory orius bugs, which also feed on insect larvae.

Important!Beneficial mites do not harm plants or humans, so their use is 100% safe.

Agricultural methods are also used, which include: increasing humidity and increasing the amount of watering (thrips love dry air); cleaning of organic residues; destruction of weeds (thrips use them in the spring for feeding and reproduction).

Slugs are gastropods that are found anywhere there are plants and high humidity.

These pests appear after prolonged rains. If you notice at least one, then rest assured that there are more than a dozen of them. They are very difficult to destroy mechanically, since they feed and move in the dark.

Slugs prefer young plants that have soft leaves and shoots. If you do not deal with the destruction of slugs in time, then they will leave bare shoots and a trunk from the cucumber bush. In this state, the plant will simply dry out. Even moderate leaf damage will greatly affect the yield.

The fight against slugs needs to start with traditional methods:

1. Sprinkle the rows with spices that repel slugs (cilantro, rosemary, allspice or parsley). This method is expensive and is only suitable for small plantings.
2. You can use beer to catch slugs. Fill a container with an intoxicating drink and dig it in so that the neck is level with the ground. However, this method is also used in small gardens.

To eradicate slugs from a large area, you need to use special preparations: Slug Eater, Ferramol, Meta and Ethisso. These are poisons that are aimed specifically at killing slugs.

In addition to chemicals, you can add fertilizers that will repel pests. Any calcium-based complex mineral fertilizers are suitable for this. If slugs are infested in a greenhouse, you can drive them out by lowering the humidity coupled with a sharp drop in temperature (but not to the detriment of the plants).

The biological enemy of slugs are frogs, which also appear after rains. Therefore, if you notice that there are a lot of toads in the area, hold off on using chemicals.

A good prevention against slugs is to mulch the soil with sawdust. Such mulch creates a serious barrier for the pest, along which it cannot move for a long time.

Did you know?The largest rodents lived in the territory South America 4 million years ago. The weight of the record holder is 1 ton.

Mice and rats eat ripe fruits and plant roots. They can also carry various diseases. If mice appear on the site, then all the plants will suffer. And don’t forget that in winter mice will move into your house, where it’s warm and there’s plenty of food.

If the cucumbers were attacked by rodents, then you will notice this by the eaten fruits, the presence of excrement and holes in the ground near the crop. Some bushes may have damaged root systems.

If you don't have cats or other pets that hunt mice, then use chemicals: Ratsid, Goliath, Mortorat and Rat Death.

Folk remedies include all kinds of mousetraps(purchased, bottle of champagne with sunflower oil and others). However, if you own a large plot of land, this will not help much. An interesting option is the “mouse repeller”, which recently went on sale. This electronic device, which makes a scary sound. Of the most famous, Tornado 200 stood out.

The most common biological mice control methods are cats and hedgehogs, which can eliminate a small population of mice or rats. You can also plant elderberry or medicinal black root. Mice cannot tolerate the smell of these plants.

Prevention of cucumber pests begins with autumn cleaning of the site. It is important to dispose of all organic debris on which pathogens can overwinter. In the spring, do not forget to remove weeds, which not only serve as food and bait for pests and diseases, but also weaken the cucumber bushes.

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And how to deal with them.

Midges on cucumbers: studying the pest

Black midge (its other name is) appears when there is too much soil, especially in cold weather. It is difficult to fight it; you will need potent ones.

As for the white midge (or), its larvae pose a particular danger to plants. They are able to penetrate the soil and damage the root system.

Did you know? The green cucumber we eat is actually an unripe vegetable. Among the ancient Greeks, this vegetable was called “aguros”, which translates as “unripe”, “green”-hence its modern name. A ripe cucumber is unsuitable for eating; it is used only for seeds.

Description, harm, methods of control

Let's take a closer look at the main types of midges on cucumbers and discuss what to do to combat them. If signs of midge infestation are detected, protective measures must be taken immediately. Sometimes you can get by only, and in some cases you will have to use chemicals.

Black midges (melon aphid)

Did you know? Reproduction in aphids occurs by viviparity, that is, insects are born already pregnant. The egg inside the mother begins to develop even before the mother herself is born, and after 10-15 days a new aphid is born again.

So, let's discuss what to do when you find black midges on cucumbers and how to effectively deal with them.

Important! To treat cucumber plants, first consider using biological products. These are the safest means for people. Already 2 days after spraying with biological products, the fruits can be safely eaten. When using insecticides, it is necessary to remember their toxicity. Therefore, they should be used at least 20 days before harvesting cucumbers. In addition, prolonged stay in a room where chemical treatment was carried out is dangerous. Do not carry out work without protective equipment: overalls, gloves, respirator, goggles.

White midges (whitefly)

Description.(Aleurodid) is another dangerous pest of cucumbers. The length of the whitefly ranges from 1.3-3 mm. These small plant enemies resemble miniature white moths or small mole-like lepidoptera. Insects have 4 wings. The wings are covered with a white, flour-like dusty coating. The larvae are mobile, but as they develop they become immobile.

Subsequently, sooty mycelium develops and the surface of the leaf turns black. These sooty fungi are the main threat to plants. A stunting of shoot growth is often observed.

Let's figure out how to identify white midges and how to get rid of them. Eggs and larvae of pests can be easily detected on the foliage - they look like small grayish grains.

Methods of struggle. The following are effective in the fight against whitefly: “Verticillin”, “Mospilan”, “Pegasus”, “Fosbecid”. Use the medications as directed in the instructions.

To catch mature individuals, use glue baits. To do this, paint pieces of plywood yellow or white, then lubricate them with castor oil, Vaseline or rosin with. You can also use commercial fly traps.

As folk remedies herbal infusions are used. An infusion of crushed garlic (150 g) poured into 1 liter of water is relatively effective against whiteflies. Infuse the liquid for 5 days under a tightly closed lid. Spray the bushes no more than 5 times a season.

Also try rinse the bushes with clean water- whiteflies are washed off well with water.

Harm. feed on plant cells, causing damage. They can destroy plants in just 1-2 weeks. In addition, they infect the bushes with various bacteria.

Pest can be identified by yellowish dots on the foliage. Then, from multiple lesions, the leaves turn white. Sometimes you can see a thin cobweb covering areas of bushes. Many colonies of parasites accumulate on the tops. If no action is taken, the leaves will dry out and fall off.

Here you can learn about which cucumber diseases cause the greatest damage to plants, and how to protect plants from infections. After reviewing the photos and descriptions of cucumber diseases, you will be able to promptly recognize the disease and take action. necessary measures struggle.

Diseases of cucumbers in a greenhouse in the photo

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

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

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

Downy mildew (peronospora) of cucumbers in the photo
With this cucumber disease, the affected leaf tissue wrinkles and falls off (photo)

In closed ground conditions 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 overwinters. The development of the disease is promoted by fog, dew and moderate temperatures (+16...+22°C). The source of the disease is the remains of diseased plants.

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

To prevent peronosporosis (downy mildew) use "Profit Gold". When the first signs of the disease appear before fruiting, the cucumbers are sprayed with one of the copper-containing preparations (Bordeaux mixture, Abiga Peak, Oksikhom, Khom, Ordan, etc.). Repeated treatments in case of resumption 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, fighting this disease is not so difficult; 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 a fungal disease. Initially, the disease appears on the upper side of the leaves in the form of individual white powdery spots covered with a coating of the mycelium of the causative agent. The spots increase; merging, they cover the entire upper side of the leaf.

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

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

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

When treating this disease of cucumbers, you can spray the plants with “Topaz”, and during the harvest period - with sulfur colloidal, “Tiovit Jet”, “Fitosporin-M” or “Alirin-B” when the first signs of powdery mildew appear, and then at intervals of 7- 10 days.

Cladosporiosis (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 affected. The first signs of cladosporiosis on fruits are small watery spots that quickly increase in size, reaching a diameter of 5 mm; the skin of the fruit cracks, quickly hardening gelatinous drops appear on the surface of the spot. At high air humidity, the spots become covered with a black-green velvety coating.

Pay attention to the photo - with this disease of cucumbers in open ground and greenhouses, the diseased fruits become distorted:

Cladosporiosis of cucumbers in the photo
With Cladosporiosis of cucumbers, diseased fruits become distorted (photo)

On leaves affected by olive brown spot, scattered small brown spots surrounded by a yellowish border appear at the beginning of fruiting. The coating on them is dull and weak. On older 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 under wide amplitudes of temperature (+5...+30°C) and relative air humidity (from 35 to 100%), but the strong development of the disease is facilitated by a decrease in temperature at night to +16...+18°C at relative air humidity above 85%.

Measures to combat olive brown spot include maintaining optimal temperature and humidity conditions. If necessary, spray plants with copper-containing preparations, as well as against peronospora.

These photos show diseases of cucumbers and methods of treating them:

Root rot. The disease mainly affects cucumbers in greenhouses; it is also found on plants in open ground. Root rot disease is usually preceded by 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. Browning of the bark is noticeable on the lower part of the stem and roots.

Look at the photo - with this disease, cucumbers in greenhouses lose their stems.

Root rot (photo). The disease mainly affects cucumbers in greenhouses
When the disease “root rot” occurs in cucumbers in greenhouses, the stem is crushed

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. Reducing the air temperature in greenhouses to +17...+18°C promotes the development of the disease.

The disease is more severe when sunny weather follows a long period of cloudy weather. Localized rot is often observed in places where the greenhouse roof leaks.

Similar signs of the disease are observed in plants in open ground, often after watering or heavy rain. At first the leaves turn slightly yellow and wilt. 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 ground:

Fusarium wilt of cucumbers in the photo
Wilting with fusarium in the photo

Fusarium wilt. On the affected seedlings, the cotyledons wither or the lower part of the stem rots, resulting in mass death shoots On adult plants, individual vines first wither, and then the entire plant dies, often turning green.

The causative agent of Fusarium wilt persists in the soil for a long time and can also be found in infected seeds. It penetrates the plant through young cells of root tissues, root hairs, and grows into 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 and careful collection and removal of plant debris are necessary. Application of organic and mineral fertilizers, fertilizing of plants during the growing season, destruction of soil crust - after each watering, especially in the first period of growth.

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

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

Heat and high humidity in the greenhouse - dangerous combination for juicy stems and fruits, keeping in mind pathogenic fungal spores.

Gray rot 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 plant organs. This fungal disease causes especially significant damage when it affects fruits.

It is possible to prevent large losses from gray rot by observing crop rotation and maintaining optimal temperature (not lower than +18 C) and air humidity (within 90%) in the greenhouse. It is necessary to remove rotten fruits and severely affected plants from it.

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

To protect cucumbers from diseases and pests you should not:

• Overfeed plants with nitrogen to prevent stems and leaves from becoming soft and thin.
• Planting plants too densely will make it difficult for air to reach them. Damp, stagnant air and crowded conditions contribute to the development of diseases.
• Create a stuffy, stuffy atmosphere in greenhouses and greenhouses. Avoid cold drafts in winter. When ventilating, open windows on the leeward side.
• Injuring plants and fruits allows easy access for pathogens.
• If you leave cucumber fruits affected by diseases and pests on the plant, destroy them immediately.

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

Aphids in the photo
Aphids on cucumbers (photo)

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

The aphid is quite large, up to 2 mm, clearly visible to the naked eye, and black in mass. During the season it develops in 15-20 generations (almost constantly the birth of more and more new individuals of the pest occurs). Moderate and humid weather promotes rapid reproduction of aphids.

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

To combat aphids, as soon as they appear on the plants and before the cucumbers begin to bear fruit, use one of the preparations (Iskra-M, Iskra Zolotaya, Iskra Double Effect, Confidor or Komandor). When 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 can be used against aphids (Iskra Bio, Akarin, Fitoverm, Agravertin).

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

Spider mites also cause severe damage to cucumber plants. Mites appear especially often if the air in the greenhouse is dry; this pest of cucumbers leaves light yellow spots in the form of pricks on the underside of the leaves, visible to the naked eye. If such spots are detected, the plants are sprayed with garden sulfur or colloidal sulfur, you can use “Tiovit Jet”. Spraying is repeated after 7-8 days. When using sulfur-containing preparations, do not water the plants by sprinkling, so as not to wash them off the leaves. Sulfur preparations will also help cucumbers in open ground, where spider mites inhabit plants in large numbers in July and August, when the heat is more than +30 °C and low relative air humidity is 35-45%.

Among the biological preparations against spider mites, “Bitoxibacillin” and biological preparations recommended against aphids have a good effect.

Radish planted between cucumbers and tomatoes repels leaf beetles and spider mites.

Miners in the photo
Miners on cucumber leaves (photo)

Miners are pests that attack cucumbers in open ground during the fruiting period. If the pest population is large, use biological preparations similar to those used against aphids.