By using tobacco dust, you can rid your favorite cucumbers of a whole range of pests. More and more gardeners are choosing to practice organic farming. People get good crop yields without the use of chemicals.
Before the development of the era of mineral fertilizers, peasants accumulated rich experience in growing vegetables and fruits. Manure and ash were used as fertilizers. They got rid of pests with infusions and decoctions of cultivated and weed plants.
Tobacco is an ancient plant. In warm regions it is planted in large quantities. Industrial waste (dust, crushed parts of stems and leaves) was buried in the soil.This disinfected it and at the same time fertilized it.
Over time, peasants began to use the toxic properties of the plant. They sprayed crops and pollinated the soil. Modern gardeners actively use the experience of their ancestors.
Beneficial features
The use of tobacco dust for cucumbers is due to its composition. It consists of nitrogen (up to 5%), phosphorus (up to 2%), potassium (up to 3%), nicotine (up to 1%). As a fertilizer, it is used in a mixture with other components (manure, urea, ash). The advantage is that dust is perfectly absorbed by plant roots.
Much more interesting is toxic nicotine. It defines the use of the powder as a natural insecticide. A gardener will be able to protect cucumber plantings from many pests. At the same time, no damage is caused to the environment. The fruits can be eaten immediately after dusting.
Aphid
This insect, up to 1.5 mm in size, infects greenhouse and open-ground plants. But its invasion turns out to be dangerous for cucumbers. Black or green sap-sucking parasites deplete the bushes. Fruiting stops. The ovaries fall off. Young plants die.
Tobacco powder will help cope with the problem. Gardeners prepare an infusion or decoction from it and then spray it on the vines. Treatment of plant leaves should be carried out on both sides: external and internal.
To obtain an infusion, pour 400 g of dust into 10 liters of boiling water. Cover with a blanket. Leave for a day in a dark place. Stir once a day. Strain.
The decoction is made as follows: pour 400 g of dust into 10 liters of cold water, cover with a lid, keep on fire for 1 hour, but do not boil, cool, add water to the original volume (10 liters), strain.
Before spraying with an infusion or decoction of dust, you should supplement the preparation with garden green soap (according to the manufacturer’s recommendation) for better adhesion of the composition. If unavailable, green soap can be replaced with grated laundry soap (72%).
The precipitate from the solution does not need to be thrown away. It will perfectly enrich the compost. Dried - used as soil mulch under plants.
Ants
These pests make their homes in greenhouses and next to garden beds. They make passages under the roots of plants. Cucumbers don't get enough nutrition. Productivity is declining.
Tobacco dust comes to the aid of the gardener. It is recommended to generously sprinkle the ants' habitats with it. The measure is effective in combating black ants.
Spider mite
Sap-sucking pest. Loves warmth and dry air. If the temperature and humidity conditions are not observed, it affects melon crops planted in the greenhouse.
When small dots appear on the leaves, it is time to spray the plantings with an infusion or decoction of tobacco dust. A single treatment will not destroy spider mite eggs: it is recommended to repeat the treatment after 5–7 days.
Whitefly
It often harms greenhouse cucumbers. It feeds on sap and depletes plants. Sometimes it causes flowering to stop. Gardeners use fumigation of plantings with tobacco dust. Procedure:
- Plug all the cracks in the greenhouse and close the windows.
- Fill a baking sheet or flat roasting pan with rotten wood chips or damp firewood. This is important for maintaining low combustion temperatures.
- Place it in a safe place. The fryer should not be placed near wooden or plastic parts. The smoke should not burn the plants.
- Sprinkle a layer of dust 5–7 cm thick on top. Set it on fire.
- Leave the room, close the door.
Treat plants with dust in the evening. Leave the greenhouse closed until the morning. After airing, all that remains is to remove the dead insects. When fumigating large rooms, you should use several braziers with tobacco dust.
Sprout fly
Overwinters in plant debris. In May it begins to actively parasitize. An adult fly lays eggs. The larvae hatch from them. Suck the contents from the stems of the seedlings. The development of cucumbers is slowing down. Weak plants die.
You can defeat the enemy if you dig up the dust scattered on the beds in early spring. Before planting, you should water the bed with a hot infusion or decoction of a natural insecticide. For prevention, it is recommended to remove plant residues in the fall or carefully incorporate them into the soil.
Slugs
During the day they hide under plant debris, boards, and pieces of roofing felt. At night, they eat green parts of plants and fruits. To get rid of them, it is recommended to sprinkle a continuous thick layer of dust mixed with ash or lime around the bushes in the evening. The slugs get burned while overcoming the obstacle course and die. It is recommended to update the fence around the plants every evening.
For prevention, it is recommended to place boards around the garden bed. Keep the soil underneath them moist. During the day, raise shellfish shelters and collect pests.
Cucumber mosquitoes
The parasites are grayish in color, 3–5 mm in size. It is difficult to determine their presence: they do not stand out on the soil. The female lays eggs on the surface of the ground. The larvae move to the stems and feed on plant sap. Additionally, infections are transmitted to cucumbers. In a short time they can destroy all cucumber plantings.
To get rid of the scourge, you should add tobacco dust (a glass per square meter) during spring digging. Before planting, it is recommended to spill the soil with a hot infusion or decoction of a natural preparation.
To determine the presence of insect pests, several sticky tapes should be hung around the greenhouse.Once every 3-5 days you need to examine their surface to identify parasites. Then it is recommended to replace the traps.
How to work with tobacco dust correctly?
This is a natural insecticide. It has a certain toxicity. Causes irritation upon contact with skin. If inhaled, causes an allergic reaction. When working with it, you should follow safety precautions:
- It is necessary to dust plantings in cloudy, windless weather;
- when using, it is recommended to wear a respirator and rubber gloves;
- when fumigating plants, it is prohibited to be inside the greenhouse;
- When spraying with infusion or decoction, you should wear safety glasses.
In case of contact with skin, wash off with plenty of soap and water. In severe cases (redness, itching, hives), you should consult a doctor.
The insecticide repels pollinating insects. Treatment of beds with non-parthenocarpic varieties and hybrids of cucumbers should be carried out before flowering begins.
