Pests of cucumbersdamage various parts of plants, reduce the quality of the crop, and may even lead to the death of the entire plantation. To avoid this, you should regularly check the cucumbers you are growing and learn to recognize the symptoms of pests. We advise on how toecological pest control of cucumber , as well asspraying for cucumber pests
Spraying pests of cucumbers
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Pests of cucumbers - aphids
Aphids are one of the most common pests of garden plants.There are several species of aphid on a cucumber , the most common of which are: cucumber aphid, peach aphid and potato red aphid. As polyphagous species, aphids are dangerous pests of many species of crops, including cucumbers.
Aphids weaken cucumber plantsby feeding on their juices. They are most abundant on the youngest organs - shoots, leaves, flowers, fruit buds. Infected cucumbers stop blooming, fruit buds fall, leaves turn yellow, and the whole plant slowly dies. Aphids are also carriers of various viruses, and by exuding a sweet, sticky honeydew, they can lead to fungal infections.
Cucumbers attacked by aphids
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Toprevent the appearance of aphids on cucumbersweeds should be removed, as aphids overwinter on many field plants, e.g.a field bundle or a quinoa. Spice plants and herbs that emit odors that repel aphids can be planted near the cucumbers. These can be: garlic, onion, chives, dill, coriander, hyssop, sage, calendula, nasturtium, mint and marigold.
Aphids on cucumber leaves
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Natural methods against aphids on cucumbersare spraying extracts or infusions of onion, garlic, yarrow, tobacco or dandelion.
To prepareyarrow extractyou should pour 800 g of dried herb with boiling water and leave for 2 hours. The extract is strained and topped up with water to 10 liters. We spray several times at intervals of 7-14 days.
Equally easy to do isgarlic extractFor this purpose, 150 g of crushed garlic is poured with 10 liters of water. We leave it for a day and then spray the cucumbers attacked by aphids with the filtered preparation.
In addition to plant preparations, it is also worth using home remedies for aphids, such as gray soap or baking soda.
To prepare the preparation using potassium soap (or gray soap), dissolve 30 g of soap and 30 ml of denatured alcohol in 10 liters of warm water. After dissolving the soap and mixing the ingredients, wait for the water to cool down andspray the cucumbers attacked by aphids .
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Against aphids on cucumbersyou can also use baking soda. To do this, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 2 liters of warm water. Add a few more drops of washing-up liquid or 2 ml of gray soap to the resulting solution. Mix the solution and shake it. The plants are sprayed every 7 days.
Bas alt flour is also helpful in protecting cucumbers against aphids . To prevent the aphids from affecting the leaves and shoots of the cucumbers, it is enough to sprinkle the plants gently with flour. Sprinkling bas alt flour on the ground between plants is a proven method for snails.
Troublesome pests of cucumbers , which are undoubtedly aphids, can also be combated with ready-made preparations available in garden stores. One of the ready-made ecological preparations for aphids is Emulpar 940 EC, produced on the basis of natural pineapple oil (it is a vegetable oil obtained from camelina). The preparation covers the pests with a sticky coating that makes it difficult for the aphids to move, clogs their respiratory organs, eventually leading to the death of the pests. A similar mechanism of action is also demonstrated by the natural preparations Spruzit Spray AL and Agrocover.
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Pests of cucumbers - hoppy spider mite
The spider mite feeds on the buds, the tops of the shoots, and on the undersides of the leaves, sucking up plant juices. It causes discoloration of the leaf blade, which turns yellow and then turns brown.The leaves fall off and the entire plant gradually dies. This small arachnid is hard to see with the naked eye, so a magnifying glass will be helpful when looking for a pest. Remember that you should look underneath the leaves, because spider mites often hide there.
Spider mites on tomato leaves
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The development of the spider mite is favored by dry weather. When startingcombating spider mites on cucumbers , first of all, let's take care of increasing air humidity, e.g. by sprinkling the plants. In the vicinity of cucumbers, we can plant plants that produce substances that repel spider mites, e.g. marigolds, chamomiles, garlic or onions.
In garden crops, you can also useready-made natural preparations for spider mite , for example those already mentioned: Emulpar 940 EC, Spruzit Spray AL and Agrocover. As you can see, these are the same preparations as for combating aphids.
In the case of a verystrong spider mite infestationit is worth reaching for the insecticide Nissorun Strong 250 SC. It is highly effective as it destroys all developmental stages of the spider mite (yak, larvae and adults), and the withdrawal period is only 3 days (at least 3 days must elapse from spraying to harvesting).
Sprinkling cucumbers with bas alt flour prevents pest attacks
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Pests of cucumbers - varieties
Field cucumbers are often infectedby alfalfa and perennial grasshoppers. Both adult insects and larvae cause damage to plants. They forage in the apical part of the plant, sucking juices from buds, flowers and leaves. They weaken plants, causing them to dry out and die. Due to the feeding of swords , the edges of the leaf blades of the cucumbers bend , the youngest leaves wilt, on the older ones there are brown spots that dry up and crumble.Insects can also transmit numerous diseases of cucumbers with viral and bacterial origins.
The multiplication and spread of alternators is favored by high air temperatures and little rainfall.
Fighting these pests of cucumberswe start with a survey of plants at the turn of July and August, looking for symptoms of their feeding on the edges of the crop. Prophylactically we take care of weeding and the right distance between plants. We avoid planting legumes surrounded by cucumbers, which attract swims. A favorable neighborhood for cucumbers are: garlic, onions, calendula, savory and thyme, which deter these pests.
An ecological agent used in the fight against phlegmcan be a garlic-based extract. If natural methods do not help, the insecticide Mospilan 20 SP can be used to combat cucumbers.
Pests of cucumbers - tobacco thrips
Thrips feed on plant juices. On infected leaves, silvery spots appear, first along the main veins, then covering the entire lamina.In the place where these cucumber pests feedyou can see dark lumps - insect droppings. Infested plants grow poorly, bearing little fruit.
It is best not to plantother types of vegetables that are fed by thrips: onions, leeks and cabbage near the cucumbers. A small note here: previously, we recommended planting onions next to cucumbers to scare away aphids. However, if thrips are a problem in the garden, it is better to abandon the cultivation of onions next to cucumbers.
In May and June,when we can expect the presence of this pest of cucumbers , they will help to detect it early we have blue sticky boards, placed between plants low above the ground. When we observe the appearance of an insect, we can use one of the natural Agrocover preparations, Emulpar 940 EC, Spruzit Spray AL.
With a verypresence of thrips on cucumbers , it may be necessary to spray the Mospilan 20 SP protection agent. However, it should be remembered that the grace period here is as long as 14 days, therefore spraying must not be performed during the collective period.
We can combat thrips naturally and effectively thanks to the introduction of its natural enemies to our cultivation, which are: Beauveria bassiana (NATURALIS® preparation), Hypoaspis Miles (Hypoaspis-System preparation), Orius laevigatus (Orius-System preparation) and Steinernema feltiae nematodes. (Entonem preparation).
Pests of cucumbers - leaf miners
In cucumber crops under coveryou can often find a miniature nightshade, a miniature thermophilic and a miniature greenhouse. In field crops, these pests of cucumbers occur much less frequently.
Adult individuals of these flies feed on plant juices, while their larvae feed on plant tissues, digging tunnels-mines. White spots on the edges of the leaves are the firstsymptoms of feeding the leaf leaf larvae on cucumbers
Insects live in greenhouses, so you should take care of their cleanliness by removing plant debris and disinfecting the interior.After the appearance of pests on cucumbersit is worth using the natural preparation NeemAzal T / S, and if it does not help, spraying with the insecticide Mospilan 20 SP will be necessary.
Pests of cucumbers - garbage
Sprout cream and soil cream areflies feeding on seeds and young cucumber seedlingsThe larvae of the debris bite into seeds, they also damage young seedlings by digging tunnels in the stems and cotyledons. As a result, the seeds do not germinate and the damaged young plants die. Second and third generation larvae feed in the tissues of older plants, also decaying plants. Therefore, female garbage is attracted by manure.
To reduce the occurrence of these pests of cucumbers , use organic fertilizers only in the fall, carefully digging them through to prevent insects from laying eggs. Immediately after sowing the cucumber, we can cover the seeds with fleece, which is a barrier to pests. It will be even more effectivegrowing a cucumber from a seedling , which will be planted permanently in the phase when it becomes of little interest to the creamer. Basil and tansy planted with cucumbers produce substances that deter these flies. Watering plants with tansy extract is also helpful. In the case of
the cucumber is severely infected by rubbish , spraying with Mospilan 20 SP insecticide will help.
Pests of cucumbers - greenhouse whitefly
The greenhouse whitefly occurs in the cultivation of cucumbers under cover, but in summer it migrates from the greenhouse to the adjacent areas and reproduces on various crops and weeds. Larvae and adults cause damage by feeding on plant juices. They produce a sticky, sweet mass in which fungi multiply.Damaged cucumber leaves turn yellow, curl and wither , and the whole plant slowly dies and wilt.Yellow sticky plates can be helpful in detecting the pest in the greenhouse. Not only will they reveal the presence of the whitefly, but also make it possible to catch adult specimens.When fighting the whitefly, greenhouses should be disinfected and crop residues should be removed at the end of the growing season. Remove weeds around the greenhouse.
An effective andecological way to combat the greenhouse whiteflyis to introduce its natural enemies to the cultivation: greenhouse pollock, whitefly or whitefly.
Both in the greenhouse and in In its surroundings, we can plant whitefly repellants - marigolds, mugwort, wormwood, nasturtiums and chamomile.Spraying with natural preparations such as Limocide or Emulpar 940 EC copes well with the whitefly under cover. If, despite our efforts, it was not possible to combat the whitefly with natural methods, you can reach for the Sanium AL insecticide.
Pests of cucumbers - pickles
Earthworms are flies that feed in decaying plant debris and the top layer of the substrate.The most common crops under cover are Bradysia paupera. Pests readily spread to live plants - the larvae damage the ground parts, the root collar and the roots. By moving, they can transmit diseases, especially fungal diseases.Damaged cucumbers die, wilt and rot at the base
As a preventive measure, it is very important to thoroughly clean up plant debris. The substrate should be decontaminated by evaporation or chemically. Earth cells can also get under cover from the outside. Blue or yellow sticky plates hung between plants indicate the appearance of the pest.
In greenhouses, it is possible to introduce insectivorous nematodes Steinernema feltiae into the substrate. Natural preparation based on Indian honey NeemAzal T / S is an ecologically effective agentcombats pickles on cucumbers
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
