Every gardener who grows crops on his plot has encountered radish pests. In nature, there are enough people who want to feast on the juicy root vegetables of insects.
Often the gardener does not pay attention to the condition of the plants. The tops are damaged - just think, there is enough for everyone. Some adhere to the rule: plant enough to have enough for yourself, your friends and your enemies.
Sometimes there are too many of the latter.By the time it ripens, there is nothing to harvest: the radish is small, corroded, and tough. Who is guilty? Pests!
But an experienced gardener does not miss a single detail. He regularly inspects the plantings. If necessary, it begins to act immediately. And the harvest is pleasing: the root crops are smooth and juicy. And there are many of them: there is something to share with friends.
General signs of radish pest damage
The gardener should inspect the plantings throughout the ripening period of the root crop. It is recommended to be wary of:
- damage to the growing point on young plants;
- perforated leaves;
- oppression of seedlings;
- slow development and growth of tops;
- damage to the protruding part of the root crops.
Even in isolated cases, it is necessary to identify the pest and carry out work to protect the crop.
The main pests of radishes and ways to combat them
Radish belongs to the Cruciferous family. It shares common pests with cabbage, turnips, and rutabaga. If related crops are affected, attention should be paid to the condition of the crop plantings.
Cruciferous flea beetle
A very dangerous pest. Capable of destroying seedlings before true leaves grow.
It's a jumping bug. It overwinters as an adult under unharvested plant debris. When warm weather sets in, it becomes more active. Before sowing cultivated plants, it lives on wild representatives of the Cruciferous family. After radishes, turnips, and radishes sprout, they feed on young leaves.
It gnaws holes through tender plants. Makes indentations on the tougher ones. Activity period: from morning to 13 o'clock and from 16 o'clock to 18 o'clock. Hot weather promotes reproduction.
The flea flea lays its eggs in the ground. The larvae live on young roots. They also feed on them. Landings are disappearing.
For prevention it is recommended:
- remove plant debris;
- dig the ground deeply in the fall;
- apply mineral fertilizers to the soil;
- observe crop rotation;
- fight weeds;
- use compacting plantings of protective plants.
Gardeners dust the beds with ash and tobacco dust. In difficult cases, it is recommended to use insecticides.
White butterfly caterpillars
This insect is familiar to every adult. Children and townspeople are touched by him. The butterfly itself is not harmful to the radish: it feeds on the nectar of flowers (alfalfa, dandelion, clover).
But she lays eggs on the tops. They develop into voracious caterpillars that feed on leaves. In advanced cases, they destroy the radish tops completely. The root crop stops developing.
The gardener should regularly inspect the plantings. Pay attention to the back of the leaves. Immediately destroy discovered clutches of eggs and caterpillars.
It is recommended to combine mechanical methods of protection with treating plantings with insecticides (according to the instructions).
There are traditional methods of protecting plants from whiteweed. Along the perimeter of the ridge sticks with halves of egg shells are stuck. The butterfly does not like competition and flies to lay eggs elsewhere.
Some gardeners sprinkle the plantings thickly with sifted stove ash. Belyaka is a neat guy. It will not reproduce on dirty leaves. After rain and wind, the protection is renewed.
Spring cabbage fly
Belongs to the type of flower flies. The mass summer begins from the moment the bird cherry and cherry blossom, and ends after the lilac fades.
The fly itself feeds on nectar. She pollinates plants. But its larvae cause harm to gardeners. The fly lays eggs in the soil under radish planting. The hatched larvae gnaw through tender roots and build tunnels. Outwardly, the radish looks depressed, the tops begin to wither.
At the first signs of damage to plantings by the flower fly, it is necessary to begin the fight. Damaged root vegetables should be dug up and burned. Treat the soil with an insecticide.
Prevention gives excellent results. Weeds must be removed from the site. Protective measures:
- It is recommended to plant plants with a pungent aroma along the perimeter: marigolds, celery. They will scare away the fly.
- The beds should be mulched with coarse wood chips or covered with dark non-woven material: there is no place for the fly to lay eggs.
- Stretch a net with small cells over the plantings: the fly will not overcome the obstacle.
Some gardeners thickly sprinkle the beds with stove ash: this prevents the pest from laying eggs.
Cruciferous bug
The cabbage bug overwinters under plant debris. When it gets warm, it flies out and lives on the weeds of cruciferous plants. After the appearance of cultural ones, he switches to them.
The female lays eggs on the reverse side of the leaf. The larvae feed on the sap of the tops. When exposed to light, small dots are visible, they turn into spots. The leaf dies and the plant weakens.
Insecticides are used to control the pest. Prevention gives excellent results: killing weeds and digging up the soil before winter.
Some gardeners attract enemies of the cabbage bug to the plot: the mottled phasia fly and the Trissolcus ovi eater. They naturally reduce the pest population.
Cabbage moth
This is an inconspicuous beige butterfly. She feeds on nectar. But its caterpillars are capable of destroying the radish crop.
As soon as the pest begins to flutter over the ridges, the fight should begin. It is recommended to inspect the back of the leaves and the middle of the rosette. The caterpillars must be collected and destroyed, the eggs must be washed off with a solution of green soap.In case of severe damage, radish plantings should be treated with insecticides.
Some gardeners reduce the pest population using traps. A long-drying substance (pine resin, glue, lubricant) is applied to a piece of cardboard or yellow plastic. Butterflies stick to the composition. Traps with insects are destroyed and replaced with new ones. This method helps to identify other winged radish pests..
Cabbage moth
This is a nocturnal pest. The butterfly is painted dirty gray. She lays her eggs on the underside of the egg. Young caterpillars make holes in the radish leaves, and when they become stronger, they gnaw right through the leaves. Then the caterpillars go underground to spend the winter.
Preventive measures will help get rid of the pest. You should dig the soil deeply, remove weeds, observe crop rotation and neighborhood rules.
Some gardeners place pieces of synthetic material soaked in kerosene or tar among the plantings to repel butterflies. Insecticides should be used with caution in early radish varieties.
Rapeseed sawfly
The insect's ovipositor resembles a saw with jagged edges. The female pierces the leaves on the underside with it and lays eggs. The caterpillars hatch. They eat the tops. After them, veins remain from the leaves.
They are most active in warm, dry weather. Precipitation and cold temperatures are destructive for them. The false caterpillars wait out short rains on the underside of the leaves.
Agronomists recommend creating areas with bait plants from the Cruciferous family. Pests move onto it. The grass is cut and burned.
The ichneumon wasp is a natural enemy of the sawfly. She lays eggs in the body of false caterpillars. Beneficial insects should be attracted to the site.
In rainy weather, false caterpillars need to be collected and destroyed.For large pest populations, it is recommended to use insecticides.
Rapeseed flower beetle
A shiny blue-green bug. Overwinters in the ground. When the soil warms up to 10 degrees Celsius, it comes to the surface.
Active from May to the end of June. Eats the buds from the inside. Prefers rapeseed, but damages any cruciferous crops (and radishes too). Capable of destroying 70% of the crop. At the first signs of planting, it is recommended to treat it with an insecticide.
Slugs
The tops and parts of root crops protruding above the soil surface are damaged. They feed at night. During the day they hide under boards and plant debris.
To protect the plantings, it is recommended to collect and destroy pests during the day. A thick layer of crushed eggshells or lime should be poured around the perimeter. This prevents mollusks from crawling towards the plants.
Aphid
It parasitizes tender, young radish leaves. Sucks out juices and weakens plants.
The insect is passive. It is carried to radish plantings by garden ants. Aphids secrete a sweet juice that ants like.
To combat the pest, it is recommended to destroy anthills. Treatment with the drug “Muracid” gives a good result.
Aphids should be washed off the leaves with a solution of green soap. To attract ladybugs, marigolds, calendula, and chamomile are planted next to radish ridges. Spraying with infusions of tobacco or orange peels will help repel aphids.
Babanukha
Shiny green bug. Spends the winter in the upper layers of the soil, under manure, and plant heaps. When warm weather comes, it climbs up.
Gnawing leaves. The plant weakens and stops developing. Additional harm: transfers fungal and bacterial diseases to healthy plants.
Gardeners fight babanukha in different ways:
- collected by hand;
- try not to miss the deadline for planting radishes;
- spray the ridges with insecticides.
To reduce the risk of pest invasion, crop rotation of vegetable crops should be observed and plant residues should be removed.
Preventive methods of protection
Pest control takes a lot of time. The gardener spends energy spraying and manually collecting insects. Prevention is much more effective. Required:
- clear the area of weeds;
- attract beneficial insects;
- observe crop rotation of vegetable crops;
- plant friendly plants nearby;
- observe sowing dates;
- apply mineral fertilizers.
It is recommended to follow the agricultural techniques for growing radishes: strong, healthy plants are less damaged by pests.
