Aphids on carrots are a fairly serious problem that can cause damage to the plant. This insect is very dangerous, as it damages young shoots of carrots and sucks out all the juice from them. This leads to deterioration in fruiting and flowering. Aphid control should be carried out immediately after its appearance. If this is not done, then more than 50 generations of insects may appear in a season.
Features of aphid distribution
Insects lay eggs in hard-to-reach places in the root zone of trees, where they quietly overwinter. Closer to spring, wingless females begin to develop, reproducing without fertilization. In summer, flying females appear, which are the main reason for the spread of aphids on carrot bushes. The main task of these insects is to cover as large an area as possible to lay eggs. In some cases, the pest distribution area is 5-10 kilometers.
Quite often, ants help spread aphids. They protect her from other insects, watch over her eggs and raise them.
Aphid detection
Before you fight aphids on carrots, you need to make sure that they are there. To do this, you need to carefully examine the bushes of the plant. If you notice the first aphid in a timely manner, it will be enough to destroy the eggs and the female laid on the leaves. There are several main signs that appear immediately after the appearance of aphids:
- carrot leaves begin to turn yellow, curl, and a sticky coating appears on them;
- ants appear around the bushes, attracted by honeydew;
- there are small punctures on the plant;
- some carrot bushes begin to dry out;
- On the reverse side of the leaf there are aphid eggs laid.
Using plants and animals against aphids
To protect carrots from aphids, you can use not only special preparations and other standard control methods, but also various plants and even animals.
Birds
It's no secret that many birds feed on insects. Therefore, in order to protect your carrots from aphids, you need to attract tits and sparrows to the garden.
They use these pests to feed their offspring. To do this, you need to install two or three feeders near the carrot bushes.This will be enough to provide protection for the entire season.
Insects
To get rid of aphids on carrots, you can use insects. Some of them are predators that can feed on small pests. The main enemy of aphids in nature is the ladybug. If this insect was noticed in the garden, then it should be placed near the carrot bushes that were affected by aphids. You can also use wasps, predatory bugs and ground beetles to get rid of aphids.
Plants
Some garden plants help control aphids on carrots. They are not divided into two main groups. The first attracts insects and distracts them from the carrots. This group includes begonias, cleome, beans, malya and petunia. The second, on the contrary, repels aphids with its smell.
Repellent and phytocidal plants include garlic, coriander, onions, fennel and all fragrant herbs. It is recommended to plant them along the edges of carrot beds or between rows.
Biological drugs
Biological insecticides are one of the most modern means against aphids. They are safe for the environment and humans. These products contain natural fungi and bacteria, which are natural enemies of aphids in nature.
Before you treat your carrot bushes, you need to familiarize yourself with some effective aphid control agents.
Fitoverm
The drug contains the component Aversectin C, which causes paralysis in insects. After this, they stop feeding and no longer harm the carrots. To combat aphids, a highly concentrated solution is used.
To prepare it, you need to add about 10 ml of the drug to a liter of water. One liter of Fitoverm is enough to treat ten square meters of land. You need to spray carrots four times a season.It is not recommended to use additional insecticides together with the drug.
Akarin
The product has an intestinal contact effect. After it enters the body, the insect stops feeding and dies the next day. The main advantage of Akarin is its shelf life, which is two years.
To prepare a solution for aphids, add 5-7 ml of the drug to a liter of water. It is recommended to treat bushes in the evening or in the morning, when there is no strong wind. When applying Akarin to the bushes, you need to thoroughly wet the sheets on both sides.
This product does not cause resistance and therefore the pest will not appear in the treated area for several seasons.
Biotlin
The drug contains imidocopride, which, when ingested by an aphid, has a paralyzing effect on its nervous system. One use of Biotlin is enough to destroy pests and prevent their reappearance.
To prepare a mixture for spraying carrot bushes, you need to mix 0.5 ml of the drug with a liter of water. Treatment is carried out immediately after the first signs of the presence of aphids appear. Biotlin begins to affect insects a few hours after treating the bushes.
Confidor extra
This drug with contact-intestinal action helps protect carrots from the negative effects of aphids. It contains imidocloride, which suppresses the vital organs of the insect, which leads to its immobilization and further death.
To spray carrot bushes, a concentrated solution is prepared: 2-4 g of the drug is added to 10 liters of water. To treat ten square meters of area, one and a half liters of the mixture is used.
Chemicals
Chemical agents against aphids are more effective than biological ones. With their help you can get rid of any type of this insect.
Commander
After spraying carrots, the drug is absorbed into its leaves and stems. When an aphid begins to feed on plant juices, a chemical substance enters its body, which disrupts the functioning of the insect's nervous system. This leads to paralysis and death of the aphid.
To prepare the mixture, the Commander ampoule must be diluted with a liter of water. The prepared solution cannot be stored for long periods of time, so it must be used immediately.
Aktara
The drug enters the body of aphids through the body or the digestive tract. To prepare a ready-to-use product, five liters of water are mixed with 100 ml of Aktar. Literally a few hours after spraying, the aphids begin to convulse and die.
Spark
This product is sold in the form of tablets dissolved in water. To prepare a working solution, add one Iskra tablet to 10 liters of water. To apply the mixture to carrot bushes, you must use a garden sprayer. With its help, you can save solution and effectively process leaves.
It is better to process carrots in the evening so that the insecticide is not destroyed by exposure to sunlight.
Traditional methods
Folk remedies will help get rid of aphids at any stage of the growing season. For this, various homemade products are used.
Soap solution
To combat aphids, it is recommended to use soap without strong fragrances, as they sometimes attract insects to themselves rather than repel them.
To prepare the mixture, 3-6 tablespoons of grated soap are mixed with a liter of water.The product is applied to carrot bushes with a special sprayer.
Tobacco infusion
To prepare the tincture you will need a glass of tobacco leaves and shag. These ingredients are brewed in boiled water for 24 hours. The mixture is very concentrated and therefore cannot be used before harvesting the carrots.
Zest
To prepare an infusion from the zest, you need to add a liter of hot water to a half-liter jar with the peel and leave the mixture to infuse for several days. After this, we get rid of the peel, strain the mixture and fight aphids.
Essential oils
To create the product, add 50 ml of cream and 15-20 drops of essential oils to a liter of water. The resulting solution is used to spray carrots 2-3 times a day. In order for the mixture to treat the area more effectively, you need to add 45 g of onion peels to it.
Conclusion
Aphids are dangerous insects that must be gotten rid of. Even inexperienced gardeners can clean carrots from this pest. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations that will help you understand how to get rid of aphids.
