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A greenhouse on the site is a guarantee of an abundance of healthy vegetables, herbs, berries on your table. But growing crops indoors is fraught with some difficulties, a favorable microclimate for plants is also comfortable for the occurrence and reproduction of infections, diseases, and insects. One of the most destructive and tenacious misfortunes is the whitefly, which is capable of destroying the entire crop in the bud.

Next, we will tell you in detail why the whitefly appears in the greenhouse, how to get rid of the insect, what preventive measures should be taken, how and with what preparations to treat surfaces and soil so that the infection does not start in the greenhouse.

How to recognize a whitefly in a greenhouse

Whitefly - a small moth, 1-1.5 mm in size, with a yellowish body and white wings, is very dangerous for plants and prolific. The danger to plants in a greenhouse is not only the whitefly moth itself (it is an active carrier of infections), but also its metabolic products. Eating foliage, the whitefly releases a special substance that is a favorable nutrient medium for the emergence and reproduction of the fungus.

Females lay slightly yellowish, small eggs from the bottom of the leaf, there may be several hundred of them from one individual. After 9 days, the eggs increase in size and turn black, larvae appear from them. At the initial stage of development of the whitefly larva, it has legs and antennae, with which it sticks to the leaf surface. The legs fall off and the insect becomes like a shiny plaque-scale. A few days later, the nymph stage begins, on the leaf it looks like a transparent greenish droplet, but if you look closely, you can distinguish red eyes.

If you do not detect the source of the insect in time and do not take measures for disinfection, then it will multiply in a short time to a great number.

How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in autumn

To secure the next year's harvest, it is necessary to thoroughly disinfect the greenhouse before winter. Before treating the greenhouse in the fall from the whitefly, a general cleaning is done using household chemicals. Then the surfaces are treated with bleach, copper sulphate, polycarbonate structures are washed with a manganese solution.

When cleaning the greenhouse in the fall, be sure to brush all the nodes and mates with a brush

The fight against whiteflies in the greenhouse in the fall will be more effective if you fumigate the room with a sulfuric smoke bomb. But such a measure will harm the greenhouse on a galvanized metal frame, so it should be treated with copper sulfate 2 times.

The soil must be poured with boiling water, covered with a dense film for steaming, the procedure is repeated 2-3 times. After that, the soil is sprinkled with quicklime, dug up, spilled with a solution of copper dioxide.

If we raise the question of where the whitefly winters in the greenhouse, it becomes clear why experts recommend removing the soil layer, taking it outside for freezing in winter. It turns out that the eggs and larvae of insects settle in the upper layer of the earth, where they calmly endure a slight frost. Therefore, even if there were no infections during the season, it is better to freeze the soil.

Watch the video, which demonstrates the thorough processing of the greenhouse from the whitefly in the fall, the video will tell you how to properly steam the soil.

How to get the whitefly out of the greenhouse

From the stage of the larva to the adult, the insect causes serious harm to plants, weakens them, creates a favorable environment for other infections, so the question of how to deal with the whitefly in the greenhouse is relevant and paramount.

You can determine the presence of a whitefly in a greenhouse by white dots on the sheets, chlorosis - a yellow mosaic, a brilliant coating, black spots also indicate the settlement of an uninvited, harmful guest. The leaves are deformed, dry, the ovaries die.

If you do not start the destruction of the pest, then the entire crop will die. The first symptoms of the appearance of the whitefly in the greenhouse should be a signal for immediate control and prevention measures.

Prevention measures

The whitefly in the greenhouse cannot appear from anywhere, most often it is brought in by the owners themselves with seedlings or soil. Therefore, in order to avoid the question of how to destroy the whitefly in the greenhouse, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

  • The new soil must be frozen, sprinkled with bleach, mixed, spilled with copper sulphate.
  • After thoroughly cleaning and decontaminating the greenhouse in the fall, close the doors so that the insect larvae are not swept away by gusts of wind and find a warm place to spend the winter.
  • Even if the polycarbonate greenhouse was treated in the fall from the whitefly, then in the spring the disinfection procedure should be repeated, the soil and surfaces should be additionally treated with pesticides.
  • Carefully inspect the seedlings, at the slightest sign of plant disease, refuse to plant them.
  • In the process of development and growth of plants, try to maintain the correct microclimate in the greenhouse, ventilate the room in time to get rid of dampness.

These simple preventive measures will help to avoid the appearance of whitefly and other dangerous diseases in the greenhouse.

Before planting in closed ground, plants are recommended to be treated with biological products so as not to cause infection.

Whitefly in a greenhouse - chemical and biological control methods

The most effective method of dealing with whitefly in a greenhouse today is the treatment with chemicals and biological preparations.

Good to know: If after the initial treatment it was not possible to remove the whitefly from the greenhouse, it is necessary to carry out secondary disinfection, but change the preparations, since the insect quickly adapts to the active substances.

Inta-Vir, Fufanol, Iskra, Aktellik are considered the most popular substances for the fight against whitefly in the greenhouse. The preparations are applied under the root, or dissolved in water and sprayed on plants and surfaces. In order not to harm with your own hands, any purchased whitefly remedy in a greenhouse must be used strictly according to the instructions on the package.

  • Confidor is diluted in water 0.1 ml of the drug per 1 liter. It is recommended to use once per season.
  • Mospilan per 1 liter of water add 0.05 g, used once.
  • Fufanol requires 1.5 ml per 1 liter of pure water, used once.
  • 2 ml of Pegasus substance per 1 liter of water, spraying solution is used 2 times per season, at intervals of a week.
  • Aktellik is a very effective tool for the destruction of not only adult insects, but also eggs, larvae, whitefly nymphs in the greenhouse. For spraying, 1 ampoule is dissolved in a liter of water, which is enough for 5 m2 of the treated surface. It is allowed to use the product 4 times per season.
  • Verticillin is similar in its action to Pegasus, but much more substance is required for processing, approximately 25 ml per liter.

Watch a video that will tell you how to treat a greenhouse from a whitefly and how to properly dilute the preparations.

Whitefly in a greenhouse - how to get rid of folk remedies

If for some reason you are forced to abandon the use of biological and chemical substances, there are effective folk methods in the fight against the whitefly in the greenhouse:

  • Hang glue traps, you can buy at the store or do it yourself from a bright tape, smearing it with rosin.
  • Plant a ghoul, dill between plants, which attract other insects that are dangerous for the whitefly moth. Insects attracted by dill lay their larvae in moth larvae, destroying them.
  • Fumigating a greenhouse with smoke bombs is considered the most effective way to kill an insect.
Good to know: The use of sulfur checkers is recommended for disinfecting greenhouses in autumn or spring, before planting. Tobacco checkers are harmless to plants, so they can be used at any time.
  • An infusion of garlic helps a lot in the fight against whiteflies, crush 5 large cloves and dissolve in a liter of water, pour into a spray bottle, carefully spray plants and surfaces.

Bright traps attract insects and kill them

We have tried to make a complete overview of the measures on how to get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse. But we emphasize once again that in the absence of proper prevention, all methods of struggle are temporary.

Whitefly - a miniature, 1.5-3.0 mm insect with translucent wings of fabulous elves is a formidable pest of green plants, especially in confined spaces. No, even the most toxic chemicals are not able to destroy the whitefly "in the bud". Every year it returns with rare tenacity to the greenhouses and necessitates a new wave of merciless and sometimes futile struggle against it. Why is this happening? What measures are necessary to clear the greenhouse and the surrounding area from whitefly attacks?

Big problems with the protection of vegetable and other crops from whiteflies in greenhouses most often arise in novice gardeners. It seems that if you spray the plants several times with a strong pesticide, then the whitefly is finished! Not! In the process of natural development, the whitefly has developed a unique ability to survive. And there are two such moments in the cycle of its development:

  1. oviposition protected by a special waxy substance, invulnerable to pesticides;
  2. the nymph stage, in order to save life and “give birth” to the egg-laying stage of insects, it stops feeding and is also covered with a wax-like substance that is inaccessible to the vast majority of pesticides. During the period of life allotted to her, a hatching female manages to lay several dozen protected ovipositions, in which the survival rate of larvae is up to 90%. For all stages of development, about 80-90% reach the stage of nymphs - a whole army of pests. During the season, the whitefly manages to form 15 or more generations, the development cycle of which is only 25 days. In autumn, she goes to any gap where she calmly endures bad weather, especially under a thick snow cover.

An analysis of the literature data and our own experience showed that those who fail to get rid of the whitefly and it returns again and again to greenhouses violate the basic rule of dealing with this pest. In order to destroy the whitefly, it is necessary to annually carry out a full cycle of preventive work, including autumn and spring processing of the greenhouse and the surrounding area.

Preventive work against whitefly

For tips to work, they must be fully implemented. Separate lines, doses, periods of treatment torn from articles will not have a positive effect. Most often, this effect will be limited to just one season.

Carry out all preventive autumn work in the greenhouse.

Empty the greenhouse completely. If necessary, cover the soil with a film and disinfect all internal greenhouse parts. The processing of hard-to-reach corners, crevices, spaces between frames, etc. is very important. Accessible places can be painted, and hard-to-reach places can be blown with a disinfectant solution. Against the whitefly, this should be a substance that will dissolve the protective shell of the ovipositors:

  • Creolin solution (cypermethrin), which acts as Mospilan, Sharpei, Inta-Vir,
  • aerosol ("KRA - deo super"),
  • solution of technical alcohol (vodka) with water in the ratio 1:1. The mixture dissolves the protective shell of the masonry and destroys the whitefly eggs. A solution of alcohol with water well destroys the whitefly at any stage of development and when spraying plants. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of 96% alcohol in 1 liter of water and spray the plants.

Literally all hard-to-reach places should be washed (remember, the size of the whitefly does not exceed 3 mm, and any gap is accessible to it).

  • 2-3 days after the first treatment, repeat the spraying of all parts of the greenhouse with Aktara, which will have an additional effect and destroy all whitefly offspring, including adults.
  • Effectively use hormonal chemicals, such as Match, Admiral. But their action is aimed only at the destruction of eggs and larvae. These drugs do not work on adults and require additional treatment against adults. It can be additionally treated with Actara, Actellik, Sharpei, Tanrek and other chemicals.

Greenhouse treatments are best done in the evening, in calm weather, taking all measures to protect against toxic substances (glasses, a respirator, a dressing gown, trousers, boots, a hat).

After finishing the processing of walls and all ceilings, you need to disinfect the soil.

The whitefly does not tolerate alkaline environments. Therefore, at first they dig the soil with the introduction of slaked lime, ash, and another powder agent. Sprinkling of soil with slaked lime is carried out at the rate of 100-200 g/sq. m of area and dug up on a layer of newly introduced soil or 10-15 cm. Ashes - 2-3 cups per square meter. m. Other substances contribute in accordance with the recommendations.

The last autumn chord of work against the whitefly is the fumigation of the greenhouse. For fumigation, you can use special smoke bombs Pawn-S, sulfur bombs or Hephaestus tobacco bombs. The latter can also be used during the growing season of greenhouse crops. Smoke does not harm plants. If there are no checkers, you can fumigate with sulfur, laid out on metal baking sheets at the rate of 50-80 g / cu. m of greenhouse space. The greenhouse must be well insulated. After 2-3 days, carry out ventilation. When fumigated, the gas penetrates the soil, causing the death of overwintering larvae and adults. Please note! Whitefly eggs are not harmed by fumigation. Additional tillage is required.

The whitefly and its offspring cannot stand low temperatures, therefore, after the measures taken, it is effective to freeze the greenhouse by lowering the temperature in it to minus 15 ... 20 * C. Some greenhouse growers believe that if the roof of the greenhouse is open and there is a lot of snow, then this is enough to kill the whitefly. Not! She winters well under the snow. Therefore, freezing should be carried out before snowfall or in early spring, removing its excess. Only on open ground in winter conditions the whitefly does not survive. If there are no low winter temperatures in the region, then all disinfecting measures are carried out and preparations (autumn, spring before planting) are completed by fumigation.


Preventive cleaning of the greenhouse area.

It is necessary to remove all rubbish and inventory from the greenhouse and the surrounding area. Clean, rinse, put in an annex, the temperature in which in winter will be equal to the street temperature (natural freezing). Don't forget to disinfect this extension first.

The whitefly can be destroyed in the greenhouse, but it will definitely reappear - from neighbors, purchased seedlings, from weeds on which eggs and adults hibernate. Therefore, it is very important to keep the territory adjacent to the greenhouse in a clean condition.

Be sure to destroy all weeds, especially gout, nettle, wood lice. You can fence off your neighbors with a Moorish lawn, on which you can plant plants that attract whiteflies. A small layer of dill, celery, parsley plants will serve as a natural barrier for the whitefly. They are inhabited by riders, macrolofus bugs, ladybugs, lacewings and other predatory insects that destroy the pest. You can plant fragrant martinia on the lawn and in the greenhouse. The sticky substance on martini leaves serves as a natural adhesive, on which the whitefly dies. Some gardeners recommend planting Ageratum Houston (Hauston) in greenhouses. We advise you to be careful with this plant. It contains coumarin - a substance dangerous for humans, especially for allergy sufferers. Vapors of the alkaloid (and it's hot in the greenhouse) can cause bleeding if it gets on the mucous membranes. But this plant can be used outdoors in a makeshift lawn or flower garden, where it will successfully exterminate the whitefly. Mint and tansy are attractive to whiteflies. Their fragrance is always rushed by adults. By cultivating the lawn in the summer and mowing it for the winter, you can protect vegetable crops from the whitefly that enters the country house from the outside.


Dear reader! The article shows only some of the ways to protect greenhouses from whiteflies. This article is a reminder that it is only possible to fully protect greenhouse crops from pests when performing a set of works. 1-2 single spraying is only a temporary escape from the problem. More complete materials about the whitefly, its development, reproduction and control measures during the growing season of plants can be found in the article.

In order to guarantee the provision of the family table with high-quality vegetable products, summer residents install greenhouses on their plots. But quite often in these facilities, comfortable for the growth of plants, pests, infections and diseases appear. The whitefly in the greenhouse is one of the most common and destructive misfortunes, capable of destroying almost the entire crop in the bud.

Signs of a whitefly in a greenhouse

Greenhouses, greenhouses and greenhouse structures are ideal breeding grounds for whiteflies. The insect prefers a humid microclimate with a high temperature, therefore it feels comfortable, it rapidly multiplies in closed ground. The pest is mainly transferred with plant seedlings. Therefore, it is a matter of honor for every farmer to notice the presence of a whitefly in a greenhouse in a timely manner.

The following factors indicate the presence of a pest:

  • sticky and shiny stems of plants and leaves;
  • cloudy white dot plaque on the surface of the foliage;
  • twisted, with signs of wilting leaves;
  • the appearance of chlorosis and a specific yellow mosaic on their plate;
  • the presence of soot fungus;
  • the formation of eggs and wax scales on the inner surface of the plant plate;
  • fruit necrosis.

Touching such a plant is accompanied by the appearance of a flock of white small flies, which instantly fly to another bush. All these signs are irrefutable evidence that the fight against the whitefly in the greenhouse must be started immediately. To dispel all doubts, you can compare the insect with the representatives of this family shown in the photo.

The life cycle of a pest

Aleirodida or whitefly belongs to the family of small flying insects. Outwardly, it resembles either a small moth with long snow-white wings. The body length of the pest is about 2 mm. In nature, there are about two hundred varieties of aleurodides. It lives in a temperate climate. In the central part of Russia, there are several species of voracious whitefly. Pests can infect woody, shrubby and herbaceous plants. In total there are about 300 varieties. The whitefly in the greenhouse leads to the death and spoilage of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, gourds, lettuce, as well as on open ground and even.


Adults appear in greenhouses and settle on the inside of plant leaves. Here they lay small oblong eggs. Fertile females are capable of laying up to two hundred of them in one cycle. A week later, a huge number of children appear, in appearance resembling yellowish-transparent scales. In its development, the insect goes through several stages:

  1. Larval stage. Initially, they are almost invisible, they can be detected with great difficulty. Worms move in search of a comfortable place within a few hours after birth. Having found it, they become motionless, the process of intensive begins. It is this time that is most favorable in order to destroy the whitefly in the greenhouse. After two weeks, she stops eating, her body is enveloped in a dense wax coating, making the larva invulnerable.
  2. Nymph or chrysalis. In this state, insects are resistant to any drugs. They continue to feed on the juice of plants, after 10-16 days they turn into adults.
  3. adult. For some time, adults remain on the leaves. With a small number, whiteflies do not scatter from a chosen bush.

The time of the complete life cycle of insect development is determined by environmental conditions. The higher the temperature, the faster the adult is formed.

7-11.5°C is the death temperature of all phases of a harmful insect.

Greenhouse whitefly in one year is able to grow more than fifteen generations. Throughout the entire period of their lives, pests feed on the amino acids contained in the sap of plants, depriving them of their strength.

Harm inflicted


The product of the vital activity of insects is a cloudy white liquid called honeydew. It serves as a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microflora. When infected, the plant is covered with a sticky dark coating, which leads to the death of green spaces. All this makes you think about how to deal with the whitefly in the greenhouse in order to save the crop.

Methods of pest control in the greenhouse

  • freeze the new soil, add bleach to it and pour it with a solution of copper sulphate;
  • tightly close the doors of the greenhouse after cleaning the remains of plants and disinfecting it in the fall;
  • after autumn cleaning in a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is necessary to repeat the treatment from the whitefly in the spring with the help of pesticides and disinfectants;
  • inspect seedlings for greenhouse pests;
  • during the entire period of growing plants, monitor the quality of the microclimate in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse treatment in autumn and spring is carried out before planting.
These simple but effective measures will also allow other cultures. If the pest did appear, you will have to solve the difficult problem of how to get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse.

Chemical and biological methods


Chemical preparations today are the most effective means to remove the whitefly from the greenhouse. Insecticides are injected under the root of plantings or dissolved in an appropriate amount of water, the plants and surfaces of the room are treated. Used chemicals for whiteflies in the greenhouse should be applied in accordance with the recommendations set out in the instructions.

Folk remedies

If the use of the above drugs is not possible, then it is recommended to use folk remedies that help remove pests. Against the whitefly, you can use:

  • bright glue traps;
  • plant umbrella plants in the greenhouse - dill and ghoul;
  • infusion of garlic and tobacco, which need to process plants;
  • smoke bombs.

Interesting!

The whitefly prefers yellow and blue hues. Therefore, there must be exactly these colors.

All the above information will make it possible to detect and recognize the pest in time, take all necessary measures to destroy the pest.

Description

It is difficult to find a bigger problem than a whitefly in a greenhouse. Small insects are unremarkable at first glance, but if you do not fight them, you can lose the entire crop by autumn. Plants in the greenhouse are most often attacked by these midges, since favorable conditions for their reproduction are created here. Tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants are most often affected. The greenhouse whitefly is no different in appearance from its counterpart, which settles in the open field.

An adult insect and a larva feed on plant sap, thereby inhibiting its growth and development. As a rule, the whitefly will settle on the bush as a whole colony, multiplying rapidly and causing irreparable damage. Therefore, when the first signs appear, you must immediately take up the destruction of the pest. But this little midge is not only afraid of this. Its secretions are excellent soil for sooty fungus, which spreads throughout the bush. And we already have to deal with two troubles.

In the greenhouse, the whitefly breeds even better than on the open ground, since all the conditions for its habitat are created here: there is no wind, heat, high humidity and a lot of juicy food. The insect is small and dies at temperatures less than +10C. The life cycle is quite short. The greenhouse whitefly lives for about 30 days, but during this time the female manages to lay up to 130 eggs. Within a month, all stages of development pass: pupae turn into larvae, and those, in turn, into adult midges. The difficulty in identifying the pest is that it hides on the inside of the leaves. Therefore, a sign of its appearance is the darkening of the leaf from the appearance of a soot fungus and inhibition in the growth of the plant itself. In autumn, when it becomes cold, the greenhouse whitefly dies, but the larvae hibernate in the ground and wake up with the onset of heat.

Whitefly control methods in a polycarbonate greenhouse

Gardeners distinguish for themselves 3 main methods of dealing with whiteflies:

  • Mechanical;
  • Chemical;
  • folk methods.

The following factors guarantee the appearance of whiteflies in a polycarbonate greenhouse:

  • Close planting bushes;
  • Violation of ventilation and temperature conditions;
  • Lack of preventive pest control measures;
  • Lack of regular application of fertilizers that strengthen the immunity of plants;
  • Spraying seedlings in the greenhouse.

Mechanical way to fight

The mechanical method is understood as the fight against the whitefly with the help of a powerful jet of water. This is a dubious method, because it is difficult to destroy all the midges hiding under the sheets. After that, make soapy water and wipe the leaves with a sponge. Soap solution is prepared from 100 g of laundry soap shavings in 600 ml of warm water. But experts recommend taking tar soap, because its smell additionally repels insects.

If the greenhouse is small and there are few plants in it, then this method is suitable. It is also useful for processing indoor plants. But for large areas it is not effective. Therefore, you can hang traps with an adhesive coating. These are used to catch flies. Do-it-yourself sticky trap is very easy to prepare. Castor oil, honey, petroleum jelly and rosin are taken, mixed and spread on plastic or thick cardboard. The smell attracts midges and they stick to the surface. By replacing the adhesive tape regularly, a significant reduction in the midge population can be achieved.

For greenhouses, fumigators can be used. By releasing harmful substances, they poison the whitefly. But it should be remembered that people cannot be in the greenhouse while the fumigator is running.

Chemicals

It should be noted that almost all of the drugs listed below are very good and effective. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions and observe safety measures when processing plants, since the toxic substances that make up the composition are also harmful to humans.

"Aktar". Treatment with this substance helps to remove the whitefly for a period of up to 1 month. Processing is repeated 3 times after 7 days to destroy midges in all life cycles of development. Vegetables can be eaten only after 60 days after the last application of Aktar. 1 sachet, in which 4 g, is diluted with 5 liters of water. This is enough for a large greenhouse area. For destruction, spraying and watering under the root are carried out.

"Aplaud". Can be used both in greenhouses and outdoors. Japanese insecticide allows you to get rid of the insect for 1 month. Diluted 0.5 kg per 1 ha. To process 1 ha, 1500 liters of water will be required.

"Confidor". A fairly effective drug, so one treatment is enough. An hour later, the midges begin to die.

"Iskra Golden". These are tablets that dissolve easily in water. Also available in the form of ampoules, powder and sticks. A solution of 2 ml per 10 liters of water is prepared and sprayed on the plants. Enough 1 or 2 treatments "Iskra Golden".

"Tanrek". A very effective and low-toxic substance that practically does not accumulate in fruits. For spraying vegetables and indoor plants, it is necessary to take 5 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water, for trees and bushes, 3 ml each. Safety precautions should be observed when working with Tanrek, so be sure to wear respirators or face masks.

Folk methods

  1. An effective way can be called wiping with water. But the method is only suitable for indoor plants and a small amount of seedlings. A sponge is taken, wetted in water and the leaves are rubbed with it. The method is painstaking, but you know for sure that you have removed all the larvae.
  2. The composition of water and laundry soap is prepared in the proportion of 1 part of soap to 6 parts of water. Water the soil, but not much, so as not to harm the roots and the plant. Repeat in a week.
  3. Garlic tincture is prepared from 2 large cloves of garlic and 1 liter of hot water. Leave to brew overnight and then you can spray.
  4. Yarrow tincture is prepared at the rate of 90 g of leaves per 1 liter of water. Let it brew for 2 days and spray plants or seedlings. Repeat 3 times in a week.
  5. tobacco solution. Experienced gardeners recommend using Prima cigarettes. Tobacco from them is poured into a jar and filled with water. Let it brew for 5 days, strain and spray. Repeat the treatment until the midge completely disappears.
  6. Dandelion tincture is prepared from 40 g of leaves, 40 g of roots, which are crushed and poured with water. Let it brew for 4 days, strain and process the plants.
  7. Ammonia is diluted 35 ml per 1 bucket of water. Treatment with ammonia is carried out every 3 days.
  8. Birch tar is part of the tar tincture. Diluted 5 ml per 10 liters of water.
  9. Acetic solution is prepared as follows: 5 tablespoons are taken for 10 liters of water. vinegar essence.

Resistant varieties of tomato

Among the resistant tomato varieties, there are: "Pushistik pink F1", "Fluffy red F1" and "Algol F1".

Video reviews

Today, every second gardener on the site has one, which allows you to get an earlier harvest of vegetables and protect plants from changeable weather conditions in open ground. However, not only plants like the warm and humid greenhouse microclimate. Such comfortable conditions turn out to be very attractive for, which in a short time can ruin the entire crop.


Greenhousefavorite habitat of the whitefly

Description of the pest

An adult whitefly (Aleyrodidae) resembles a miniature snow-white moth - the length of its body does not exceed 2 mm. But this gentle, at first glance, creation can be compared with a powerful pump, so actively the insect sucks the juice from the leaves of plants (cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage and many other crops). They stop developing, refuse to bloom and bear fruit normally, and often die when the pest dominates.


The whitefly in the greenhouse feels great. A windless warm microclimate (this heat-loving insect dies when the temperature drops below +10°C), high humidity and an abundance of succulent foliage are the best way to promote its active reproduction. One female for 30-day life, which she spends on the relentless absorption of plant sap, lays up to 130 eggs. After 20-40 days, having passed the stage of larvae, a new army of butterflies is ready for battle.

The larvae, like the "mothers", feed on plant sap and are practically indistinguishable to the naked eye - their body length is only 0.3-0.9 mm. Adds inconvenience in recognizing this tiny enemy and its secretive lifestyle - insects usually huddle on the inner surface of the leaf plates.


The first signs of a pest invasion are as follows: slow development of plants, their depressed appearance, brittle shoots, as well as yellow spots on deformed leaves. A distinctive feature of the activity of the whitefly is a sticky coating on the foliage of vegetables, which in turn becomes a favorable environment for the reproduction of spores.

If you find in your greenhouse such saddened and “sticky” plants, and when you shake them, a flock of small white moths that shyly flew to neighboring bushes, immediately start defending. Delay in this case can lead to the most deplorable consequences. Tiny "pumps" in a short time will breed to an incredible amount and destroy your entire crop.

mechanical way

Gardeners who do not want to "poison" plants with chemicals prefer to deal with the whitefly manually. To this end, they first knock adult butterflies off the plants with a jet of water, and then, armed with a soapy solution and a sponge, they wash off the larvae, eggs and sticky deposits left by insects from the leaves (primarily from their inside). A soap solution is prepared from 100 g of laundry soap shavings (tar is even better) and 600 ml of warm water.


If you have free time, and most importantly, the desire to quickly help your green pets, feel free to start this painstaking task - this method really works.

Fumigators

Some smart gardeners rid the greenhouse of the whitefly with the help of fumigators designed to combat and. To do this, an extension cord is pulled to the room and a fumigator with repellent liquid or a plate is connected to the outlet.


The device is left in the active state, after closing all the windows and tightly closing the greenhouse door. After a few hours, the pests die. True, in an unequal battle with a “fragrant” fumigator, many other insects, including useful ones, lay down their heads.

Traps

You can significantly reduce the number of pests with the help of glue traps. Preference should be given to yellow traps - moths are attracted to this particular color. Such devices can be bought at a gardening store or made independently.

To do this, take pieces of plywood (or other improvised material), cover them with yellow paint, and after drying, some kind of adhesive is applied to the surface - petroleum jelly, grease, honey with rosin or glue from rodents. Above the greenhouse beds, U-shaped supports are constructed or transverse bars are attached to the roof. They are tied to them on twine, placing them at the level of the tops of the plants.


As the green pets grow, the strings are pulled up, the purchased traps are replaced with new ones after “filling in”, and the dead butterflies are periodically cleaned from self-made ones and the adhesive layer is renewed. Such devices do an excellent job of trapping the pest, especially if you shake the plants daily and disturb the moths, forcing them to fly over the bushes. The first thing they will do after the “alarm” is rush to the yellow color of the trap.

Chemistry

If the number of moths on the glue traps "goes off scale", and they clearly do not cope with the task, it's time to move on to heavy artillery - arm yourself with a sprayer and a solution (Fufanon, Aliot, Aktara, Konfidor, Iskra and etc.).


Whatever insecticide you choose, strictly follow the instructions when preparing the solution and do not forget that you will not have to work outdoors, but indoors, so take care of reliable personal protective equipment - work clothes, a respirator, glasses, gloves, etc. P.

In our market you can choose the right drug in the selection.

For its preparation, grass is collected during the flowering period, crushed and filled with a bucket of 10 liters per quarter. The container is filled with water to the top and left in a warm place for 2-3 days. After that, the infusion is filtered and the plants are treated with it 1-2 times a week.


The infusion has proven itself excellently in the fight against whiteflies, which, due to its bactericidal properties, also helps prevent the development of fungal diseases on the bushes. For this purpose, 1 cup of garlic cloves passed through a press is poured into 10 liters of warm water and insisted for two days. Strained infusion is abundantly moistened with the outer and inner side of the leaves of plants from the sprayer, repeating the procedure every 4-5 days until the complete disappearance of insects.

Prevention

If this season you had to fight the whitefly in the greenhouse, be sure to take a number of preventive measures in the fall that minimize the risks of pest reproduction next year:
  • collect and burn all plant residues and those left in the greenhouse after harvesting;
  • disinfect the room, paying special attention to the cracks and joints of the structure;
  • before the onset of stable ones, dig the soil onto a shovel bayonet, and then do not level the surface;
  • if possible, partially disassemble the frame of the greenhouse, or at least leave the doors and windows open for the winter - frost will kill the pests left to winter in the soil.


Consistently comfortable greenhouse conditions help the gardener to achieve a generous harvest of vegetables. True, having protected plants from weather disasters in open ground, the owner of such a useful structure may face a new problem - a whitefly can choose a greenhouse. But this pest is not as terrible as it is "painted" - timely protective measures will help you overcome this scourge and maintain the health of cultivated plants. And if you have already encountered such a hothouse enemy, be sure to share with us in the comments your experience in dealing with this unwanted insect.