Spider mites appear on cucumbers in a greenhouse more often than in open, unprotected beds. The most favorable conditions for its development and reproduction are created inside greenhouses and greenhouses. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the vegetable crop from the attack of a dangerous pest that can destroy the crop.
What does a spider mite look like?
Spider mites on cucumbers are very difficult to notice. The size of this insect is about 1 mm. The color can be different: milky-whitish, yellowish-green, reddish-orange.After entering the greenhouse, the tick first approaches the bushes that have the largest and most succulent greenery. Sucking the juices from the plant cells, it leads to its drying out and death.
Is it possible to recognize the signs of a pest? The pest is most often localized on the inside of the leaf, since that is where the most nutrients are located. You can recognize mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse by the appearance of the plant. Moving along the leaf, they leave gray-white spots, which over time turn into white stripes. The mite, destroying the cells and blood vessels of the plant, stops its growth. The cucumber leaf turns yellow and curls.
After 2-3 days, the female pests begin to lay eggs, the number reaches up to 400 pieces. And after 7-8 days the number of insects increases significantly. If you begin to see cobwebs on cucumbers in a greenhouse, then this is a sure sign of the appearance of a whole colony of insects.
Ticks develop their active activity if it is warm and dry. For the winter, the tick burrows into the leaves, into the remains of tops after harvesting, and hides in the corners of the greenhouse or in manure. Can be carried by gusts of wind. This small insect cannot cause harm to the human body, but it can destroy all cucumber beds. The insect, devastating the inside of the leaves, leads to a decrease in immunity.
Various diseases of cucumbers develop in the greenhouse. Their treatment begins with the complete destruction of pests.
Most often, the mite causes the development of gray rot. Large brown spots are found on the leaves, and a gray coating appears on the fruits.You can treat rot in a greenhouse with chemicals (Hom, Oxy), you can use biological products (Sodium Humate, Stimpo) or use traditional methods (iodine or soda solution, composition with whey).
How to deal with spider mites on cucumbers
It's quite difficult to get rid of it. Sometimes, the methods that helped before cannot cope again. Therefore, answering the question of how to save the crop, it is easier to carry out preventive control methods.
Spider mites reduce the yield or lead to its complete loss. The taste of ripe fruits deteriorates and the shape becomes deformed. Cucumber beds where ticks have settled are more likely to get sick, which is why it is so important to know how to deal with them.
- Before sowing seeds, it is recommended to dig up the soil, as mites can overwinter in the surface layer of soil.
- It is best to choose cucumber varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests.
- When planting seedlings, it is recommended to alternate beds of cucumbers with tomato bushes. A tomato bed will protect against the rapid spread of the pest.
- Weed control is a must.
- The watering regime must be observed. Humidity prevents insects from breeding.
- It is useful to loosen the soil. The procedure that makes the plant strong is best carried out after watering. Loosening will allow better supply of oxygen and nutrients to the roots.
- It is necessary to apply fertilizers in a timely manner. This will increase disease resistance and resist pest invasions.
- They also fight pest infestations using mulching.
- Be sure to periodically inspect the plants.What to do if a spider mite is found on cucumbers? If a small number of leaves with mites are found, they should be torn off and burned, and the beds should be treated with any preventive agent.
- The tick loves asters, so this type of flower should not be planted with cucumber beds.
Measures to combat spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse consist of the following:
- It is recommended to maintain high air humidity; for ticks, a humidity of about 80% is considered an unfavorable environment;
- be sure to disinfect equipment and the entire structure;
- It is recommended in the fall, after harvesting, to replace the top layer of soil;
- fertilizing the soil with phosphorus elements.
Prevention of spider mites is also carried out using folk formulations. The compositions will not only help protect plants from ticks, but will also help enrich the soil with nutrients.
To prevent spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse, you can use the tops or shoots of tomatoes. Pour the greens, put on the fire, bring to a boil and then cook for another 30 minutes. Add 50 g of crushed laundry soap to the finished solution. Before watering or spraying, the resulting solution is diluted with water.
Popular chemicals
The fight against spider mites on cucumbers can be carried out with chemicals purchased in the store. There are proven and effective chemicals to treat cucumbers against spider mites.
A proven remedy for spider mites on cucumbers is Aktara.. After just 30 minutes, the parasites lose their ability to suck out juices and begin to die. To water cucumber beds, you will need to dilute 3 g of the drug in 10 liters of water; if you plan to spray, then take 8 g.
The drug Fitoverm will help answer the question of how to combat spider mites on cucumbers. You need to add 10 ml of the drug to a bucket of water. The protective properties last for three weeks, but provided that there is no heavy rain. The only disadvantage is that the solution is addictive, so it cannot be used to remove pests several times a season.
Iskra-Bio is considered a safe drug against spider mites in a greenhouse. It is not addictive and can quickly destroy spider mites. The composition contains potassium components that help the damaged plant recover. After treatment with the solution, you can enjoy the cucumber within two days. 1 ml of the drug should be diluted in 1 liter of water.
Plant-Pin or Etisso sticks are used against spider mites. They are installed in the soil next to the cucumbers. During watering, substances that destroy insects begin to fall into the ground. Protection with drugs is provided for 1.5 months.
Karbofos is a highly effective remedy for controlling spider mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse. Can be used many times, but within a week interval. Be sure to spray not only the outside, but also the inside of the leaves. Take 40 g of the drug and dilute it in 10 liters of water.
Insecticide control methods are considered the most reliable, but caution must be exercised. When diluting drugs and using them, the instructions and safety rules must be strictly followed. Vapors from solutions can lead to poisoning of the body. Therefore, when treating beds with chemical solutions, you need to use personal protective equipment.
Processing vegetable beds should be carried out in clear, dry weather, without wind or in the evening, but only if there is confidence that there will be no rain in the next hour. The last chemical treatment is carried out two weeks before the expected mass harvest. During this period, all toxic vapors will have time to disappear from the plant.
How to prepare the composition yourself
How to get rid of spider mites on cucumbers without chemical additives, using folk remedies? At home, you can independently prepare compositions for cucumber seedlings from natural and safe ingredients, following the recommendations of well-known recipes.
Onion peel-based remedies for spider mites on cucumbers help. It is filled with water and left to infuse for the whole day. The resulting solution can be sprayed on the green part of the vegetable crop.
To completely get rid of insect pests, folk remedies containing an alcohol solution are used. Ammonia is often used against ticks. 30 ml of ammonia is diluted in a bucket of water. The resulting solution can be used to wipe the leaves of the plant and treat the greenhouse structure. You can spray the leaves on both sides. Ammonia is harmless to the plant and is perceived as a nitrogen fertilizer.
How to deal with cobwebs on cucumbers in a greenhouse
Dandelion or calendula will help. Calendula flowers in the amount of 400 g are poured with two liters of water and left to infuse for five days. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water. Dandelion leaves need to be poured with 10 liters of water and left to infuse for two hours.
Cucumbers in a greenhouse can be treated with yarrow infusion. You need to collect the yarrow and dry it.For 2 liters of boiling water you need to take 1 kg of dry grass. You should insist for two hours. After this, you need to dilute the resulting infusion with 10 liters of water and leave for another two days.
Garlic can remove spider mites for a long time. Chop garlic cloves (100 g) and pour boiling water (10 l) for 30 minutes. After infusion, you can use the composition for its intended purpose.
A simple recipe based on medicinal aloe leaves will help you fight mites on cucumbers in a greenhouse. The fleshy leaves are crushed using a meat grinder, and the resulting mass is diluted with water. To make the solution stay on the leaves longer, it is useful to add soap. Can be used once a week. Helps not only treat the plant, but also protect against insect attacks.
