Cucumbers have practically no pests. They are damaged only by some omnivorous insects. Greatest harm they cause damage to greenhouse cucumbers. The most dangerous pests are spider mites and aphids. We will learn how to effectively deal with them in this article.

Main pests and ways to combat them Spider mite Naked slugs All garden crops are damaged, especially carrots, cabbage, and strawberries. In rainy weather, the pest can attack cucumbers. Greenhouse plants are especially susceptible to slugs. The greenhouse has very favorable conditions for them. In open ground, slugs do not attack cucumbers, preferring other crops. Description of the pest. The pests are 4-12 cm long, do not have a shell, are gray-brown in color, and covered with mucus. Some types have a tapered end. At the front end there are two pairs of tentacles that retract when necessary. The tongue is covered with sharp teeth. The eggs overwinter under lumps of earth and plant debris. In the spring, young individuals emerge from them and live for 6-7 months. 2 months after hatching from the egg, the pests become sexually mature and begin to reproduce. The female lays 30-50 eggs in the soil. Fighting slugs It is not recommended to use molluscicides in a greenhouse, since the drugs are quite toxic. In the greenhouse, be sure to mulch the ground with sawdust, pine needles, and straw. The lower leaves of the cucumbers are removed. Removing boards, bricks, loosening the soil. It is necessary to create unfavorable conditions for slugs, then they will not appear. When there is a strong spread of pests, the drug Ulicide is applied superficially; it is safer. But this is only if there is no other choice. Sprinkle the ground around the lashes with dry mustard, ash, fluff, and tobacco dust. The drugs are not sealed. Small grooves are made along the cucumbers, filled with eggshell, sand. When trying to get close to cucumbers, slugs scratch the tender abdomen and move on to other plants. Folk remedies are based on baits and subsequent destruction of the pest. Slug trap. Place wet boards and rags in the greenhouse overnight. At night, a large number of pests accumulate under them. They are collected in the morning. Spill a bed of cucumbers with mustard infusion, hot pepper, ash. Using corn flour. It is a delicacy for slugs, but in large quantities it causes paralysis and death of mollusks. Cornmeal is poured into a jar and placed under the lashes. You can use cornstarch instead of flour. Prevention consists of daily ventilation of the greenhouse and destruction of weeds around its perimeter. Woodlice Sometimes they appear in greenhouses and damage young plants. They are practically never found in open ground. Description of the pest. Woodlice belongs to the crustacean family. It has a frightening and repulsive appearance. The body of the woodlice is oval-shaped, 1-2 cm long. There are plates on the back, their color is from light to dark gray. When threatened, the woodlouse curls up, turning into a small gray hard lump that is difficult to distinguish on the surface of the soil. They feed at night on decaying plant remains, but in a greenhouse they can damage crops growing there. They eat the lower leaves, make tunnels in the ground and eat the roots of plants. During the day they hide under lumps of damp soil and under damaged leaves. X nature of damage. The pest eats out irregularly shaped cavities and holes on the upper side of the leaf (since it cannot crawl on the lower side) and on the stems. In places of damage, the leaf begins to turn yellow and dry. Damaged stems dry out. The pest can completely chew through the whip, then the cucumber dies. When it gets to the roots, it eats them away, as a result of which the cucumbers die after 2-4 days. How to get rid of woodlice The main control measures are to reduce soil and air humidity. The pest cannot live not only in dry, but even in insufficiently moist soil. When the soil dries out, woodlice hastily leave the greenhouse, looking for a more humid place. Trim the lower leaves as the cucumbers grow. Then the surface of the earth will not be too damp, and therefore woodlice will not appear. It is highly undesirable to use insecticides on growing cucumbers. Traditional methods of pest control combined with ventilation and air drying are very effective. Prevention. The best preventative measures are compliance with agricultural practices. Then the pest will not appear at all. These are all the most common pests of cucumbers. The most common spider mite found on crops. The melon aphid more often damages cucumbers in the south. In the northern regions it appears on cucumbers less often. Other pests are found in borage only when agricultural practices for cultivating cucumbers are violated. You might be interested in:

Today I would like to draw attention to such an issue as pests of cucumbers. After all, it is he who worries summer residents, who, wanting to get the fruits of their work, sometimes do not know how to behave when pests appear. In our article we will describe in detail control and prevention methods that can be carried out both on open ground and in greenhouse conditions.

It is the aphid that is recognized as the most harmful, because it is capable of infecting the entire plant, from flowers to shoots. During its development on cucumbers, the plant dies. The melon plant appears mainly in July-August, it multiplies very quickly and after a few days the whole bottom part leaves, ovaries and flowers.

Fighting methods

All weeds on the site must be destroyed; it is important to remove plant debris in a timely manner, because aphids appear on cucumbers mainly from weeds. If the pest appears, then it is worth preparing the following solution: 10 liters of water, the temperature of which is 60 ° C, 30 g of capsicum, finely chopped (you can replace 10 g of dry red pepper) and 200 g of tobacco dust. All this is infused for 24 hours, then mixed, filtered, and 2 tablespoons are added. liquid soap, 2 tbsp. wood ash. Spraying consumption reaches 2 liters per 1 sq.m. It is necessary to process the lower and upper parts of the leaves. Repeat spraying after a week.

Also effective is a solution consisting of 1 cup of wood ash, 2 tbsp. liquid soap diluted in 10 liters of hot water. You also need to leave it for a day and spray it, as in the previous case. It is more correct to carry out work in calm weather, in the late afternoon.

Kalbofos solution is also an effective means of combating aphids. You need to dilute 1-2 tbsp. drug in 10 liters of warm water. A highly concentrated solution is suitable for treating paths and films in greenhouses, a weakly concentrated solution is suitable for the plants themselves. Work should be carried out in sunny weather after 16.00. If cucumbers are planted in a greenhouse, then during the procedures you need to close the transoms, vents and doors.

Insecticidal infusions, such as dope, garlic, onion, henbane and others, will also be a solution in the fight against aphids. Recipes for preparing the solution are diluted in 10 liters of water.

1. Leaves and roots of henbane - 1 kg dry or 0.5 kg fresh, leave for 15 hours.
2. 1 kg of dry mustard, leave for 24 hours.
3. 0.4 kg of fresh dandelion leaves (can be replaced with 0.3 kg of crushed plant roots), leave for 2 hours, add mustard and pepper 1 tsp each.
4. 1 kg of green potato tops, 10 g of ground red pepper, leave for 4 hours and use immediately.
5. 1 cup finely chopped or minced onions, 1 tbsp. soda ash, leave for 3 hours and strain.

Before use, you must add 1-2 tbsp to all the described infusions. liquid soap.

Spider mites especially attack cucumbers growing indoors. The number of ticks increases with increasing temperature, when the air warms up from 20 degrees and above. The mite feeds on both adult plants and cucumber seedlings. The arrival of a pest can be easily determined: a web begins to appear on the leaves, along which mites are able to move. Fighting spider mites is not an easy task, it is worth remembering that first of all you need to get rid of the female. Although its lifespan is no more than 4 weeks, during this period it lays several hundred eggs.

Fighting methods

It is worth remembering that folk remedies are not always beneficial. There are special drugs against spider mites called acaricides. They have an effect on both eggs and live ticks. We must not forget that this pest is addictive to drugs, so they must often be replaced with others. Among the effective ones, it is worth noting Talstar, Bicol, Clipper, Fitovern, Akarin and others. During use, follow the instructions in the instructions.

In addition, it is important to take care of other pest control measures. So, after harvesting cucumbers, you need to remove and destroy plant remains, disinfect greenhouses and greenhouses with sulfur bombs, and fumigate with sulfur at a rate of 100 g per 1 m3 before planting seeds or seedlings. During the growth of cucumbers, it is necessary to remember to maintain a favorable microclimate, when the temperature does not exceed or fall below +32 degrees, air humidity is 80-85%. Thanks to such conditions, the development of the mite is suspended, females bear less fruit, and the percentage of larvae appearing is reduced to a minimum.

Greenhouse whitefly

Whitefly infects plants growing indoors. The pest causes particular damage to cucumbers. Lays eggs on the leaves on the underside. The female is capable of laying about 130 eggs. The most optimal conditions for the development of the pest are considered to be air humidity of 65-75%, temperature - 21-23 degrees. More than 12 generations can develop in a year. IN summer period The pest is able to move from greenhouses to open areas of the ground. Nymphs, larvae, and adults feed on the plant; in addition, they secrete a sweet mass that negatively affects the processing of carbon dioxide; the plant is completely inhibited. Leaves that are damaged by the sticky mass dry out.

Fighting methods

The main preventive measures are disinfection of greenhouses and greenhouses, removal of plant debris after the end of their growing season. An important point is the destruction of weeds, both in the greenhouses themselves and in the area around them. In addition, special attention should be paid to preventing the cultivation of fruit and ornamental plants, on which the whitefly can survive the winter.

In winter, fly pupae overwinter on grain crops and vegetable crops, as well as clover. In the spring, when the birch tree blooms, the flies fly out. They lay eggs under lumps of soil in April-May. The best place for this is damp, where the soil is poorly covered with manure. In the period from 2 to 10 days, larvae appear that can harm germinating seeds and cucumber seedlings. Moreover, the larvae of the germ fly make their way inside the stem. After finishing feeding, they become pupae, this happens after about 15 days. During the season, 3 generations of this pest can develop.

Fighting methods

If you see a fly on plants in the autumn season, then you should dig up the soil, turning around the soil. A prerequisite is to incorporate the manure into the ground so that lumps are not visible on the surface. It is also worth using methods that promote the rapid growth of cucumbers. For example, to plant seedlings rather than seeds; if you decide to plant seeds, then it is better to give preference to sprouted rather than dry ones. The seedlings can be covered with film and mineral fertilizers can be used to help the plant grow faster. After harvesting the last harvest, it is recommended to remove plant debris.

Insecticides are also good way combating the germ fly. Thus, you can use drugs from the Malathion group “Funanon”, “Kemifos” and “Novaction” for cucumbers open ground, spraying is carried out during the growing season. The group Cypermethin + permethrin “Iskra” is also sprayed during the growing season and is suitable for open ground plants.

It's even harder to see the male. In this situation, it is worth rinsing the root of the plant well, grinding it along the fibers and adding water. You need to leave the cucumber root for 3 hours, and then you can see the male in the water.

The spread of nematodes on cucumbers leads to a significant weakening of the plant. New roots are practically not formed. Nutrients are not absorbed, the affected roots can become infected with fungal and bacterial infections. Over time, the plant dies.

Fighting methods

Preventing the appearance of a pest is much easier than getting rid of it afterwards. Therefore, prevention has a special place in this issue. In addition to cucumbers, potted ornamental and flower plants cannot be planted in greenhouses.

If nematodes appear, then the plants must be dug up, removed from the greenhouse along with the soil, placed in a hole and filled with a 2% carbation solution. 5% formaldehyde will also work. The same solutions can be useful for watering the ground under removed plants. After watering, the soil must be covered with roofing felt or film. After the last harvest, all plants are removed and the roots are inspected. If even single nematodes are noticed, then the entire area must be disinfected.

Slugs

Every gardener has seen on his land, but not everyone suspected that these mollusks can cause enormous harm: productivity decreases, product quality deteriorates, vegetables are unsuitable for storage, they quickly begin to rot. In addition, slugs can carry fungal spores and infect the plant, for example, with gray rot or powdery mildew. Slugs often spread in areas of the soil where there are a lot of weeds, burlap, pieces of film, and where the climate is humid and cool. It is also worth remembering that the fewer voids in the soil, the fewer slugs there will be in the area. It is more correct to plant cucumbers on early stages, since in this case the plants have time to develop and become stronger. After harvesting the last crop, it is worth removing all vegetation that slugs can use for food.

Fighting methods

The first method of control is to manually collect slugs using tweezers. You can also create grooves and protective strips in the area that help make it difficult for slugs to move around. It is better to collect pests during the day, better after rain. Also a good time would be the morning when there is dew on the plants.

Chemicals are used if the number of slugs is large. For these purposes, a preparation of metaldehyde 5% has been developed, which should be used to treat the crop twice. To do this, granules are scattered over the soil; over time, the mollusks, having eaten the bait, die.

You can also use copper and iron sulfate, ground superphosphate, and fluff lime. But such methods of combating slugs are ineffective after rain, since these drugs easily dissolve in water. The number of slugs can also be reduced thanks to natural enemies, for example, brown frogs, legless lizards, toads, etc. Birds are also assistants in the fight against mollusks. These could be magpies, hooded crows, starlings, thrushes and other birds.

Medvedki

Mole crickets are large insects that can reach 5 cm in length. Cucumbers can suffer not only from the pest itself, but also from its larvae. Mole crickets gnaw both the trunk of the plant and its root. Mole crickets develop very rapidly in places where it is damp and manure, here the pest can lay approximately 300 eggs every 3 weeks. Mole crickets also hatch very quickly. If you don't start fighting the pest, they can fill the entire area.

Fighting methods

Mostly effective method The fight becomes traps that need to be set either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn. Manure is considered one of the traps; it is laid out on pre-laid boards or plywood in your area. Mole crickets crawl here, every 2 weeks the manure must be collected and burned, and then new traps must be made.

In addition, hot pepper tincture can also be used for traps. To prepare it, cut 200 g of pepper into small pieces, add 10 liters of hot water, leave for 4 hours, then strain and add 10 tbsp. honey Pour the resulting infusion into a cut-off plastic bottle and bury it in the ground so that the edges of the bottle remain on the surface. Mole crickets react very quickly to such a smell. Once trapped, they will not be able to get out of it.

If the cucumbers are already bearing fruit, and the mole crickets do not give rest, then you can use alder branches. They need to be placed in the soil at a distance of approximately 1 m from each other. The smell of alder repels pests.

In addition, ready-made baits, which can be purchased at specialized retail outlets, are also effective. For example, “Medvedko-s”, which has many advantages. Thus, the granules do not dissolve in water and kill the pest within 2 hours of its absorption.

Thrips are small insects that are able to overwinter in plant debris, in the top layer of soil, and move to their winter hut in September. About 7 generations of the pest can develop during a season. The larvae are able to suck juices from cucumber tissues.

When thrips appear on cucumbers, the leaves of the plant acquire angular yellow spots. After the damage becomes severe, the leaves turn brown and dry out over time. Given negative impact causes irreparable harm to the crop; it dies and, therefore, does not bear fruit.

Fighting methods

First of all, one should not forget about crop rotation, weed control and removal of plant residues after the last harvest. In addition, in the fall you can dig the soil deeply. Disinfection of greenhouses and greenhouses after harvesting will also be an excellent way to protect against pests. Disinfection is carried out with 0.15% karbofos or actellik. These products are also suitable for spraying the plants themselves.

Also, experienced gardeners use for spraying an infusion prepared from 1 kg of fresh hot pepper, which is diluted in 10 liters of water. You need to boil it for an hour, then let it sit for a day. This concentrate does not disappear; it can be bottled. Before spraying the plants, add 40 g of laundry soap and 125 g of the resulting concentrate to 10 liters of water. Spraying interval is from 10 to 15 days.

This pest causes particular harm to those plants that are already affected by root diseases. Mosquitoes can damage the roots and the inside of the stem with small passages, after which the plant rots. Also dangerous are the larvae of cucumber mosquitoes that live in manure or humus.

Tender shoots and weak root systems of cucumbers attract many pests. Common aphids and various types of spider mites are not averse to feasting on the foliage of these vegetable vines. But besides them, there are many who like to feast on a cucumber patch.

Article outline

Scoop

Only in the evening did the cucumbers hatch, and in the morning it was as if someone had eaten a small sprout. Most likely, this owl went out hunting at night. It is not the butterfly that poses the greatest danger to cucumbers, but its larva. A caterpillar up to 5 cm long, light gray in color, lives in the top layer of soil. Moving around, this voracious insect can gnaw and destroy up to a dozen cucumber seedlings in one night.

Cutworm eggs wait out the cold season in the soil and plant debris. In the spring, they are often transported by owners along with garbage and manure to warm cucumber beds.

The moth moth is very difficult to spot. During the day she hides under the foliage, and at night she comes out of her hiding place. The presence of larvae can only be determined by digging the soil. Otherwise, only the result of the pest’s work is visible in the form of dead cucumber shoots or seedlings. In general, it is quite difficult to fight an enemy when you are not aware of his presence.

To identify the armyworm, you can make special traps:

1. Pour some fermented jam, old beer, or prepare a liquid from sugar and yeast into a small container. The smell of fermentation attracts armyworms.
2. Place these vessels on the bed with cucumbers and deepen them a little so that the edge of the container is 1-2 cm above the soil surface.

In the morning it will become clear whether there is a pest in the garden. This method not only allows you to determine the presence of cutworms, but also helps reduce its population. Scent traps should be changed every other day. And if the “harvest” is rich, then more often.

During the period of mass emergence, the armyworm feeds on nectar flowering plants, like most butterflies. If you try to remove all flowering weeds around the plantings, this will cause great damage to the pest. He will have to look for food far from the beds, which means he will lay his eggs to the side.

Loosening cucumber beds can harm the root system, so do not disturb them. But between the rows the soil needs to be loosened as often as possible. This will help bring the sleeping larvae out into the light.

Insecticide treatments are ineffective against cutworms. To destroy the larvae, you need to spill a few centimeters of soil with a toxic composition. Naturally, this can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the cucumbers. And it will be impossible to eat gherkins. In the butterfly stage, the cutworm does not feed on foliage, so insecticides are powerless against it.

In large areas and when growing cucumbers on an industrial scale, the natural enemy of the cutworm, Trichogramma, is used. This tiny insect feeds on the eggs of many pests. To attract it, you can plant dill next to the cucumber bed, the smell of which attracts the helper.

To avoid the death of cucumbers, it is better to take care of the garden bed in the fall. Carefully dig up the ground, selecting hidden caterpillars.

Medvedka

No wonder this pest has a formidable name. A fairly large beetle quickly spreads throughout the area. Both adults and larvae are dangerous for garden plants. In cucumbers, the insect attacks seedlings in the root region. The seedling looks cut off at the soil if the mole cricket has worked. Pest larvae overwinter in the top layer of soil and rotting remains of compost heaps.

You can determine that there is a mole cricket in the garden bed by the characteristic holes in the soil. The insect digs passages in the top layer of soil and leaves exits open.

You can fight the pest with traps, similar topics, which are used to catch cutworms. But for hard-shelled beetles, you need to add something caustic to the liquid. Red pepper or mustard will do.

But folk remedies against mole crickets are not particularly effective. The pest multiplies too quickly. If you miss the moment, you may be left completely without a cucumber harvest. Therefore, the use of powerful chemical insecticides against mole crickets is justified.

Complex drugs with enteric contact action are often used, such as:

But the best remedy specialized and similar ones are recognized. The finished granules are applied to the soil according to application rates and the degree of contamination of the site. One application is enough to get rid of the pest for the entire season.

Aphid

Aphids are considered the most common pest in the garden. It affects all plants. Settling on the underside of leaves and feeding on sap, the small insect quickly spreads. Aphids attack cucumber vines both in open ground and in greenhouses. If you notice the pest in time, then it’s easy to deal with it.

For effective protection plant leaves can be:

1. Wash with infusion of garlic and laundry soap;
2. Sprinkle with tobacco dust;
3. Spray with tobacco infusion and...

It is better to do without using chemical insecticides so as not to harm your own health. The growing season of cucumbers is very short. For most varieties, it takes about 35-40 days from germination to fruit. And for drugs the waiting period reaches 20 days.

Therefore, most gardeners try to use insecticides only in case of severe aphid infestation in the initial stage of plant development.

Spider mite

This small pest affects cucumbers everywhere. Signs of its activity are visible on the leaves. The insect feeds on the sap and entangles the leaf blades with a thin web. The leaves curl and dry out. The action of the mite leads to the death of the entire cucumber plant. Often the insect infects an already mature plant. This makes it difficult to fight him.

The use of toxic chemical insecticides can ruin the cucumber crop. Therefore, they use home remedies and agricultural techniques to control the pest on cucumbers.

The tick cannot tolerate moisture. And cucumbers will benefit from daily watering. To get rid of the pest, it is recommended to water the cucumber beds on the leaves in the early morning and evening. The soil should be constantly moist.

Plants are planted between rows that attract ladybugs, which happily feed on small mites and aphids. Planted next to the cucumber bed will protect the crop from the pest:

• Dill;
• Caraway;
• Parsley;
• Carrot.

Instead of chemicals, you can use herbal infusions with the addition of hot pepper and mustard. Dandelion, wormwood, horseradish root and garlic, crushed and filled with water in a ratio of 1 to 1, work well against spider mites. The infusion is prepared for several hours and filtered. Spraying of cucumbers is carried out in the evening.

How to get rid of spider mites on plants -.

Whitefly

A cute light butterfly about 2 mm in size is dangerous due to its offspring. On the underside of the leaf, the insect lays eggs, from which voracious larvae hatch. Damaged leaves turn yellow and dry out. This inhibits the development and growth of cucumber vines. This means that the harvest is minimal.

To combat flying whiteflies in greenhouses and greenhouses, sticky traps are used that are hung between plants.

Sprout fly

Few people know that responsibility for ungerminated cucumber seeds lies with this small insect, or rather, with its larvae. Sometimes you have to replant cucumbers several times to get strong shoots. A small fly (only 3-5 mm) is almost invisible. And its even smaller larvae can only be seen if you dig up a planted seed. The millimeter worm is very voracious and feeds on the tender sprouts of cucumbers and other crops.

To avoid unwanted thinning of seedlings by fly larvae, you need to treat the seeds before planting. This type of food is not to the taste of the pest.

The fly lays eggs in the top layer of soil and under plant waste. Cleaning the area in the fall and digging up the soil will help get rid of the sprout fly larvae.

Tobacco thrips

Although these bladder-footed pests are called tobacco pests, they do not ignore cucumbers. If this small insect has settled in the garden bed, then all the leaves will be bitten and damaged. After all, both larvae and adult insects are dangerous to plants. Thrips multiply very quickly. Their population can double in a week if the insect is not removed in time.

To detect and catch thrips, sticky traps are hung in greenhouses. To destroy the pest, spray with a caustic decoction:

• tobacco;
• garlic;
• celandine.

Thrips love dry and warm air. It is necessary to deprive the pest of comfortable conditions. Water the cucumbers in the morning and evening from a watering can. This way you can partially wash off the insects from the leaf.

Root nematode

A small worm lives in the soil and disrupts the root system of the plant. The pest can only be noticed by exposing the roots. But for a cucumber, such actions are no less destructive than the work of a nematode. Experienced gardeners determine the problem by the type of cucumber seedling or adult plant.

If a cucumber seedling is stunted and looks sick, you will have to examine its roots.

Swollen, disfigured roots will indicate that the pest has infested the greenhouse. The plant must be destroyed along with the lump of earth in which it grew. And disinfect the resulting hole with lime or any other composition.

To avoid this problem next year, you will have to change the soil layer at least half a meter deep. Otherwise, the nematodes will spread throughout the entire greenhouse and destroy the crop.

Cucumber mosquito

The tawny mosquito, only about 3.5 mm in size, lays up to 300 eggs in the top layer of soil and cracks in trunks. This whole horde, hatching, pounces on the tender sprouts of cucumbers, eggplants, and zucchini. An insect can enter a greenhouse along with soil or untested planting material.

The larvae gnaw roots, stems and leaves. A damaged plant does not survive to fruiting age.

You can get rid of mosquitoes by pre-treating the soil with thermal or chemical insecticides.

To combat adults:

1. Sticky traps can be used;
2. The walls of greenhouses, glass and all wooden parts should be treated with insecticides against mosquitoes;
3. Sometimes spraying preparations like Dichlorvos in a closed greenhouse helps.

If the plants are already bearing fruit, then you should not spray. It is enough to add a short-acting contact insecticide to the water for irrigation.

Slugs

Slugs or slugs are gastropods. These pests can be a real disaster if they settle in a cucumber bed. Similar to a snail without a shell, they hide under leaves during the day and come out to hunt at night. By gnawing holes in fruits and stems, they can very quickly ruin the entire crop.

Fortunately, there are enough methods to combat slugs:

1. Slugs love shade and moisture. Gardeners take advantage of this property of the pest. Planks are laid out on the beds, after watering the soil. During the day, the pest climbs into such shelters where it can be easily collected and destroyed.
2. They love slugs and the smell of fermentation. To catch them, small containers filled with beer or fermented jam are dug into the ground. In the morning, liquid traps are removed to install new ones at night.
3. You can sprinkle the rows with a mixture of wood ash and hot pepper. The pest's body is not protected, and such sanitary zones will become an obstacle for him.

And how to deal with them.

Midges on cucumbers: studying the pest

Black midge (its other name is) appears when there is too much soil, especially in cold weather. It is difficult to fight it; you will need potent ones.

As for the white midge (or), its larvae pose a particular danger to plants. They are able to penetrate the soil and damage the root system.

Did you know? Green cucumber The vegetable we eat is actually an unripe vegetable. Among the ancient Greeks, this vegetable was called “aguros”, which translates as “unripe”, “green”-that's where it came from modern name. A ripe cucumber is unsuitable for eating; it is used only for seeds.

Description, harm, methods of control

Let's take a closer look at the main types of midges on cucumbers and discuss what to do to combat them. If signs of midge infestation are detected, protective measures must be taken immediately. Sometimes you can get by only, and in some cases you will have to use chemicals.

Black midges (melon aphid)

Did you know? Reproduction in aphids occurs by viviparity, that is, insects are born already pregnant. The egg inside the mother begins to develop even before the mother herself is born, and after 10-15 days a new aphid is born again.

So, let's discuss what to do when you find black midges on cucumbers and how to effectively deal with them.

Important! To treat cucumber plants, first consider using biological products. These are the safest means for people. Already 2 days after spraying with biological products, the fruits can be safely eaten. When using insecticides, it is necessary to remember their toxicity. Therefore, they should be used at least 20 days before harvesting cucumbers. In addition, prolonged stay in a room where chemical treatment was carried out is dangerous. Do not carry out work without protective equipment: overalls, gloves, respirator, goggles.

White midges (whitefly)

Description.(Aleurodid) is another dangerous pest of cucumbers. The length of the whitefly ranges from 1.3-3 mm. These small plant enemies resemble miniature white moths or small mole-like lepidoptera. Insects have 4 wings. The wings are covered with a white, flour-like dusty coating. The larvae are mobile, but as they develop they become immobile.

Subsequently, sooty mycelium develops and the surface of the leaf turns black. These sooty fungi are the main threat to plants. A stunting of shoot growth is often observed.

Let's figure out how to identify white midges and how to get rid of them. Eggs and larvae of pests can be easily detected on the foliage - they look like small grayish grains.

Methods of struggle. The following are effective in the fight against whiteflies: “Verticillin”, “Mospilan”, “Pegasus”, “Fosbecid”. Use the medications as directed in the instructions.

To catch mature individuals, use glue baits. To do this, paint pieces of plywood yellow or white, then lubricate them with castor oil, Vaseline or rosin with. You can also use commercial fly traps.

Herbal infusions are used as folk remedies. An infusion of crushed garlic (150 g) poured into 1 liter of water is relatively effective against whiteflies. Infuse the liquid for 5 days under a tightly closed lid. Spray the bushes no more than 5 times a season.

Also try wash the bushes clean water - whiteflies are washed off well with water.

Harm. feed on plant cells, causing damage. They can destroy plants in just 1-2 weeks. In addition, they infect the bushes with various bacteria.

Pest can be identified by yellowish dots on the foliage. Then, from multiple lesions, the leaves turn white. Sometimes you can see a thin cobweb covering areas of bushes. Many colonies of parasites accumulate on the tops. If no action is taken, the leaves will dry out and fall off.

To get a high yield of cucumbers, you need to know what diseases and pests threaten this vegetable. Proper prevention, recognizing the symptoms of infections at an early stage - all this will prevent insects from invading the ridges, avoiding epidemics, and therefore the death of plants.

Three types of infections occur in cucumbers cultivated in open and closed ground:

• fungal;
• bacterial;
• viral.

Some infect plants in garden beds, others in greenhouses, and others appear everywhere.

Powdery mildew

The most common fungal infection is powdery mildew. It is more often found in shelters (greenhouses, greenhouses, tunnels), but it does not ignore cucumbers in garden beds. Whitish spots similar to flour appear on the leaf blades, hence the name of the infection.

Plaque first appears on the underside, then spots cover the top of the sheets. Gradually, mealy discharge “captures” the entire area of ​​the leaves, the surface darkens, and the leaves curl. Green plants are not affected, but the general condition of the plant deteriorates and growth stops. Cucumbers turn yellow and wilt.

Causes of the disease

1. Not proper care.
2. Excess nitrogen in the soil.
3. Irregular watering.
4. Watering with cold water.
5. Temperature changes.
6. Failure to comply with crop rotation.

Spores persist in plant debris and on weeds near ridges.

Treatment

When the first signs of disease appear on cucumbers, it is necessary to promptly treat the plants with special compounds. Effective folk remedies:

1. A solution of water and sour milk. To obtain it, take an equal amount of products (for example, a liter of milk and a liter of water), mix thoroughly, and filter. The resulting mixture is sprayed onto the plants.
2. Mullein infusion. Mullein (1 kg) is stirred in three liters of water and left for 2-3 days. Then add water (3 liters), mix and spray the cucumbers.

The following chemicals are used:

1. HOM (contains copper oxychloride). Dilute 40 grams of powder in a bucket of water and spray according to the norm: per 10 square meters. meters – liter of composition.
2. Copper sulfate solution (5%). Spraying bushes.
3. Drug Karatan. For the solution you will need to dissolve 10 grams of powder in a bucket of warm water. Then the plants are sprayed.

Prevention

To prevent powdery mildew from appearing on cucumbers, follow simple recommendations:

• do not allow a sharp increase or decrease in temperature indicators in shelters;
• weed the beds;
• remove all plant debris from the site;
• alternate planting vegetables in the garden;

Note!

Cucumbers are returned to their original place no earlier than after 3-4 years

• use warm, settled water for irrigation;
• Infection-resistant varieties and hybrids are planted.

Downy mildew (downy mildew)

With false powdery mildew, yellowish spots appear on the leaf blades and a gray-purple coating appears below. After some time, the spots grow in size, darken, and acquire a brown color. The leaves swell, become brittle, crumble, and fall off. Plant stems become bare.

The infection does not affect the fruits, but due to the disease the number of ovaries decreases, and the taste of ripe cucumbers deteriorates.

Causes of the disease

1. Changes in day and night temperatures.
2. The presence of condensation on the film or polycarbonate of the greenhouse.
3. Watering with cold water.
4. High humidity.
5. Cold dew, fog (for open ground plants).

Downy mildew appears in mid-summer, but occurs earlier in cloudy weather. Without prompt measures, the disease covers the plantings in the shortest possible time.

Treatment

1. Treatment of plants with Ridomil, Ordan, Planriz (used according to instructions).
2. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture.

1. Milk-iodine solution. You will need to stir a liter of milk or whey in water (9 liters), add 8-10 drops of iodine (5%). Spray the plants.
2. Ash tea. For three liters of boiling water, take 0.5 liters of ash, mix and cool. Then add up to 10 liters of water and treat the leaves with the prepared mixture.
3. Decoction of garlic cloves. Pour 70-80 grams of finely chopped garlic into a bucket of hot water and mix. Cool and spray the cucumbers.

Processing is carried out in calm weather. The listed compositions are suitable for the prevention of disease.

Prevention

Preventing disease is easier than treating plants. Prevention measures:

• seed treatment before planting (preparations Fitosporin-M, Gamair, potassium permanganate);
• selection of hybrids and varieties resistant to downy mildew;
• maintaining distances between plants when planting;
• watering warm water.

Anthracnose (Copperhead)

Yellow-brown spots on the leaves, and then on other parts of the plants, are the first symptoms of copperhead (anthracnose). Gradually the leaves dry out, wet spots and a pinkish coating appear on the green leaves. The spots “spread” throughout the bush, the fruits shrink, then the infection gets to the roots and the plant dies.

Reasons for appearance

1. Wet weather.
2. Temperature changes.
3. Watering with cold water, irregular watering.
4. Use for sowing infected seeds.

Treatment

As soon as the first manifestations of anthracnose are noticed, they immediately begin spraying the cucumber bushes.

• Bordeaux mixture (once a week).
• Bleach suspension. Prepare the solution in advance and process it every 10 days. Take 40 grams of lime per bucket of water.

Plants are sprayed several days before harvest, maintaining the timing.

• After the treatments, the affected areas on the cucumbers are sprinkled with charcoal.

Alternaria blight

The infection most often affects cucumbers growing in film greenhouses, although open ground plants are also not protected from the disease.

The first signs are the appearance of microscopic convex brown spots on the leaves. Then they grow, the leaves become covered with spores, and gradually die off.

Reasons for appearance

Hot weather, high air humidity, sprinkling of plants - all these factors contribute to the creation of conditions favorable for pathogenic fungi.

Treatment

At the first signs of infection, the plants should be immediately treated with the following preparations:

1. Bravo;
2. Polisher;
3. Quadris.

Treatment with Bordeaux mixture (1%) and copper oxychloride (0.3%) gives a good effect.

Prevention

• Alternate planting of pumpkin crops on the site, returning cucumbers to their original place no earlier than after 2-3 years.
• Disinfection of greenhouses.
• Replacement of topsoil in shelters.

Ascochyta blight (black rot of cucumber)

A fungal infection appears during fruit release, but it happens that it appears in the first half of the growing season. The stem becomes covered with gray spots, then the spots turn white, covering a large area. The cucumber leaves turn yellow at the edges, then the border becomes brown, and the process of tissue drying is noticeable.

The greens on the affected plants look wilted, although their skin remains hard. With severe damage, weeping ulcers appear on the surface of the fruit, the skin turns white, a brown coating forms and the cucumber either mummifies or turns black and rots.

Black rot is dangerous because it affects large areas of plantings in a short time, and treatment at the height of the epidemic is ineffective. Exit - carrying out preventive measures to prevent illness.

Causes of diseases

1. Weakened plants.
2. High air humidity.
3. Thickened plantings.

In plants in beds, ascochyta blight is less common; the disease usually affects cucumbers in shelters.

Treatment

There are no radical treatments for black rot of cucumbers. The use of the following compounds can help contain the spread of infection:

1. A weak solution of copper sulfate (take 5 grams of the drug per bucket).
2. Bordeaux mixture.
3. Copper oxychloride (0.3% solution).

Cucumbers are sprayed 3-4 times every 8-10 days.

Dusting the affected stems with a mixture of copper sulfate and chalk (1:1) helps.

Prevention

By organizing proper care, even in the presence of infection, you can get a good harvest.

• Avoid sudden temperature fluctuations.
• Disinfect the greenhouse annually (5% aqueous formaldehyde solution is recommended);
• Use for irrigation with warm water.
• Selection of cucumber varieties from reliable and trusted producers.
• Mandatory disinfection of seeds before planting.

Cucumber mosaic

Among the viral diseases of cucumbers, the most common are various types mosaics. An effective remedy There is no fight against these infections, so you will need to learn preventive measures.

Diseases are caused by viruses, and there are different types of pathogens, which means different types diseases. Viruses have a destructive effect on plant tissue, causing damage to chloroplasts. Leaves, stems, shoots dry out and die.

Types of mosaics:

• speckled;
• ordinary;
• white.

The features of an ordinary mosaic are:

• the appearance of mosaic yellowish or light green spots on the leaf blades;
• shredding leaves;
• reduction in the number of ovaries;
• short internodes.

White mosaic is manifested by the appearance of star-shaped or annular spots on the leaves, speckled green - by light veins, shortened green leaves. The fruits on affected plants are deformed, the taste deteriorates, and the seeds are not developed. At the stages of severe infection by the virus, the greens become covered with black spots.

Prevention

1. Use uninfected seeds.
2. Destruction of insect pests that are carriers of infections.
3. Spraying plants with whey solutions (take a liter of milk or fermented milk product per bucket of water), iodine solution.

Bacteriosis (Corner spot)

A common disease of cucumbers in greenhouses is angular or corner spot, which occurs in conditions of high humidity. Yellowish oily spots appear on all parts of the plant, but especially on the leaf blades. At the initial stage their number is small, then they increase. The leaves, stems, cotyledons, and fruits become covered with spots, which dry out and fall off along with the tissues.

In the last stages of the disease, with necrotic spots, cucumbers can no longer be saved.

The disease manifests itself throughout the growing season. When affected by bacteriosis, yield losses amount to up to 50%. Ripe cucumbers are not suitable for food.

Reasons for appearance

1. Change of hot and cold weather.
2. High humidity.
3. Thickened plantings.

Treatment

1. Treatment of plants with Bordeaux mixture (at the first signs of bacteriosis).
2. Spraying with Fitolavin (prepare a 0.2% solution according to the instructions).

Prevention

When cultivating cucumbers, follow all the rules of agricultural technology:

• use seeds of healthy plants for planting (when independently preparing seed material);
• be sure to disinfect the greenhouse (frames, stands) before the season or after harvesting, wooden elements whiten with lime;
• ventilate shelters, not allowing humidity (over 70%) and temperature (over 25-27 degrees) to exceed;
• choose varieties that are resistant to bacteriosis.

Cladosporiosis

Popularly, this infection is often called olive spot, as brown spots appear on plant fruits, stems, shoots and leaves. Conidial spores are formed on all parts of the plant. The disease is caused by pathogenic fungi.

Reasons

1. High humidity.
2. Improper watering (using cold water, sprinkling plants).
3. Temperature changes.

Treatment

Treatment with fungicidal preparations on dry leaves. The following compositions are suitable:

• Topaz;
• Vectra;
• Fitosporin-M.

Viral diseases are difficult to treat, so it is advisable to take preventive measures.

Prevention

1. Collection plant residues
2. Changing plantings of cucumbers (every year the plants are planted in different places).
3. Use of disease-resistant varieties and cucumber hybrids.
4. Treating seeds before sowing.

Sclerotinia (white rot)

The sclerotium fungus affects all parts of cucumber plants. Initially, damp spots appear on them, then growths with plaque white. After this, mucus forms, the plant rots and dies.

When an infection appears in greenhouses at the height of fruiting, the greens become deformed, rot, and are unsuitable for food.

Treatment

Drugs used:

• Oksikhom;
• Topaz.

With severe damage to sclerotia, the plants cannot be saved. They are removed from the garden and destroyed.

Prevention

1. Maintaining the distance between bushes when planting plants.
2. Cleaning the garden after harvesting.
3. Disinfection of soil in greenhouses (potassium permanganate solution).

Gray rot

A dangerous disease of cucumbers that affects all parts of healthy plants. It is easy to recognize the infection: brown spots with mucus appear on the stems and shoots when broken. An unpleasant putrid odor emanates from the plantings.

Reasons for appearance

1. Changes in day and night temperatures.
2. Failure to maintain distances when planting cucumbers.
3. Watering with cold water.
4. Poor ventilation in the greenhouse.

Treatment

Application of fungicides:

• Byleton;
• Screening

Prevention

1. Water rationing for irrigation.
2. Alternating plantings on the site.
3. Disinfection of soil in a greenhouse in spring.

Root rot

This disease affects the roots of plants, but the first signs are noticeable on the stem: in the lower part it becomes thinner, changes color from green to yellow, brown, and dries out. When such a plant is removed from the soil, brown spots on the roots and damage to the root collar are visible.

Without surgical treatment, cucumbers wither, dry out, leaves die, the stem darkens and turns into dust.

Reasons for appearance

1. Excess nitrogen fertilizers in the soil.
2. Deep planting of seedlings in the ground.
3. Watering with cold water.
4. Constantly planting cucumbers on the same beds.

Treatment

In case of severe damage, the plants are carefully removed from the soil and burned. For minor damage, treat the stems with a mixture of copper sulfate (a teaspoon) and ash (three cups).

Prevention

1. Annual change of cucumber plantings on the site.
2. Treatment of seeds before planting.
3. Selection of varieties resistant to rot.
4. Water with warm water and only at the root.

Verticillium

A dangerous infection that harms cucumber plantings in greenhouses and beds. Signs are the appearance of curling leaves from below, which are simultaneously covered with yellowish and brown spots.

Reasons for appearance

Favorable conditions for the appearance of verticillium are high temperatures, over 25 degrees, and humidity over 60%.

This leads to:

• hot weather;
• excessive watering without ventilation of greenhouses;
• watering with cold water;
• thickened plantings.

Treatment

If cucumbers are severely damaged, no drugs will help, so diseased plants are removed from the garden and destroyed. On early stages It is recommended to treat plants with the following preparations:

• Fundazol;
• Previkur;
• Vitaros.

Prevention

1. Disinfection of soil with potassium permanganate before planting crops.
2. Sowing green manure.
3. Use only healthy seed material for sowing.
4. Compliance with the rules of care: watering with warm water, regular weeding, cleaning up plant debris.

Fusarium

The disease is caused by the Fusarium mold, whose spores penetrate the stems and shoots of cucumbers through the root system and damaged leaves. In the early stages, fusarium is determined by the wilting of the upper leaves of the plants. This happens during the day; at night, the leaf blades are restored.

As the disease develops in subsequent stages, the leaves turn yellow and dry out. The cucumber vines dry out, the plants stop growing and die. Most often, fusarium occurs during flowering and fruit production. The infection is typical for cucumbers growing in greenhouses; plants in garden beds are affected to a lesser extent.

Reasons for appearance

1. Contaminated soil.
2. Watering plants with water that contains fungal spores.
3. Irregular and unbalanced feeding.
4. High soil acidity.

Treatment

Among the chemical preparations, the following preparations showed excellent results in the fight against fusarium:

• Fundazol;
• Quadris (best used in the early stages of the disease);
• Previkur.

Effective folk remedies:

• Whey solution - dilute 3-4 liters of product in a bucket of water, spray on cucumbers

Prevention

• Properly prepare the beds before planting cucumbers: disinfect (potassium permanganate), pre-plant green manure (phacelia, mustard), pour boiling water over them.
• Weeding the beds, removing all plant debris.
• Watering bushes at the roots, in furrows, between rows, while controlling the level of soil moisture.

Pests of cucumbers

Reduced yields and plant death are caused by numerous pests. They are especially dangerous for cucumbers growing in shelters, the favorable microclimate of which is suitable for both plants and insects.

melon aphid

A microscopic insect of dark green or black color, the length of which does not exceed 2 mm, settles in colonies. Appears in mid-summer, on the underside of leaf blades and plant vines.

It feeds on plant sap, which is why the leaves and stems initially wither, wrinkle, then dry out and die.

In the garden, the insect appears thanks to ants, as well as from weeds. Insects secrete honeydew, a sweet, honey-like liquid that ants feed on. Therefore, simultaneously with melon aphids, ants living in the beds are destroyed.

Note!

Aphids are not only a pest, but also a carrier of dangerous diseases of garden crops.

Control measures

Folk remedies against melon aphids are non-toxic and not dangerous to human health.

1. Infusion of celandine. Dry celandine herb (300 grams) is poured with boiling water (3 liters) and infused for 2-3 hours. Add hot water to a full bucket and leave for another 2 days. Strain and process the cucumbers.
2. Finely chopped garlic is poured with hot water (take the same amount), closed tightly with a lid, and left for 8-10 days. Then 30 ml of infusion is diluted in a bucket and the leaves affected by aphids are sprayed.
3. 0.5 kg of green dandelion leaves and stems are infused in a bucket of hot water. Time – 3-4 hours. Then the infusion is filtered and sprayed on the plantings.

Biological products are effective, including:

• Arrow;
• Aktofit;
• Fitoverm.

Use the products according to the instructions.

Among the chemicals used to combat melon aphids are:

1. A special solution of superphosphate and calcium chloride. A bucket of water will require 20 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of calcium. Treat the affected parts of the plants.
2. Inta-Vir.
3. Kinmiks.
4. Decis.

Prevention

To repel aphids, it is recommended to plant plants with a strong odor near cucumbers:

• marigold;
• sagebrush;
• mint.

Water the cucumbers with water not lower than +23ºC, reduce the amount of watering in cool weather. Be sure to inspect the plantings in order to notice any changes on the plants in time and detect uninvited guests.

Spider mite

A dangerous pest of cucumbers is difficult to detect on the plant, since its size does not exceed 1 mm. Females lay tens of hundreds of eggs, so the insect reproduces quickly. In a favorable summer season, up to 18-20 generations of ticks are born.

The mite feeds on plant sap, moving from leaves to stems, side shoots, and fruits. A web appears on the affected areas, which facilitates the movement of the insect, but at the same time impedes oxygen exchange and the process of photosynthesis. As a result, numerous white spots on the leaf blades grow, brown spots form, and the leaves dry out and die. The yield of cucumbers is reduced by 1.5-2 times.

Control measures

Chemical preparations help to quickly destroy spider mites.

• karbofos;
• Iskra-BIO.
• Fitoverm;
• Actellik.

Folk remedies are used more for prevention, as well as for small quantities of insects. Effective:

• a strong solution of laundry soap (200-300 grams of shavings per bucket of water);
• infusion onion peel(100 grams of husks are infused in a liter of hot water, then the bushes are sprayed);
• tops of potatoes or tomatoes (a kilogram of tops is poured with a bucket of water and infused).

Prevention

Preventive measures will help prevent the appearance of harmful insects in beds with cucumbers:

1. Maintain rotation of plantings in the garden (it is recommended to swap cucumbers and tomatoes in greenhouses every year).
2. Weeding the beds.
3. Loosening the soil.
4. Disinfection of soil in shelters (a strong solution of potassium permanganate is suitable) or replacement of the top layer of soil.

Spider mites appear on various garden crops, so it is recommended to regularly inspect all plantings.

Greenhouse whitefly

A dangerous pest is the greenhouse whitefly, which is a miniature butterfly with whitish wings. Its dimensions are up to 2 mm; the female lays clutches of larvae, which then live on the underside of the leaves. Nymphs (larvae) in size do not exceed 0.7-0.8 mm, pale yellow, flat. Whiteflies feed on plant sap, which causes the stems and leaves to dry, shrivel and die.

On average, an adult insect lives for about a month, managing to lay dozens of eggs. With severe damage, entire colonies of larvae, clutches, as well as flocks of adults are noticeable on plants.

The pest can be recognized by whitish spots on the leaves, curled blades, and the lethargic appearance of plants. The larvae secrete a sticky liquid that coats the undersides of the leaves. Also, at a late stage, a black coating forms on the bottom of the leaves - the mycelium of sooty fungus. If such symptoms appear, the cucumbers should be treated immediately.

Control measures

• Aktar;
• Monsoon;
• Inta-Vir.

The plants are treated strictly following the instructions, observing the timing, dose and frequency of spraying. Each drug has its own duration of protection (for example, Aktara protects cucumbers for up to 28-30 days, Actellik – up to 12 days), which must be taken into account when spraying.

Of the most simple methods– manual collection of larvae and butterflies, and then treatment of the affected areas with a soap solution. Use water hoses to wash off the pest, carefully directing the stream onto the leaves and shoots of cucumbers.

Prevention

The following measures can help reduce the likelihood of pest occurrence:

• regular weeding of beds;
• compliance with the watering regime for cucumbers;
• removal of plant residues;
• digging up the soil of greenhouse beds, replacing the top layer;
• disinfection of structural elements of greenhouses and greenhouses with bleach.

Sprout fly

One of the pests of cucumber plantings is the sprout fly, a tiny insect whose larvae gnaw out the sprouts of young plants. Of all garden crops, the fly prefers to lay eggs on cucumbers; this is especially dangerous for young bushes that are still weak and immature.

Control measures

To destroy flies, it is effective to use natural enemies - ground beetles, ichneumon beetles. When there is a large concentration of the pest, the following drugs are used:

• Fufanon;
• Karbofos.

Prevention

1. Planting cucumbers on ridges and in shelters not with seeds, but with seedlings.
2. Using high-quality manure for fertilizers.
3. Removing plant residues from beds.
4. Disinfection of the soil before planting, deep digging in the autumn.

Slugs

Considerable damage to plants is caused by slugs, invisible during the day, but active at night. These representatives of the class gastropods, at first glance, are harmless, but they spread pathogens of dangerous diseases throughout the plantings.

In addition, they leave waste products on the leaves and fruits, which spoils appearance cucumbers

A large number of slugs are observed in beds where weeds grow next to vegetables, and the amount of watering is not regulated.

Control measures

1. Manual collection of slugs.
2. Treatment of the soil surface with fluff lime, metaldehyde, dusting with ash.

Prevention

If you follow basic care rules, there will be no problems with the appearance of pests. To do this:

• weed the beds regularly;
• remove all plant remains;
• plant strong-smelling herbs nearby;
• attract frogs and lizards to the garden;
• In the spring, birdhouses are set up, and in winter, feeders are made to attract a large number of useful birds in the summer.

Cucumber mosquito

An insect from the sciarid family, small, from 3.5 to 4.5 mm in size, causing serious damage to greenhouse cucumbers. Female mosquitoes lay eggs in the top layer of soil, and the hatched larvae move to the roots and lower part of the stems of cucumbers, damaging them. As a result, the cucumber bush dries out, withers, and stops growing. The root part of the stems rots, after which general rotting of the plant and death occurs.

Control measures

Special sticky tapes that are hung in greenhouses are effective against adult insects. Recommended chemical insecticides:

• Aktellik;
• Spark;
• chlorophos;
• Thiophos.

These toxic drugs are used according to the instructions, observing the timing of cucumber treatments. Usually the root parts of the stems and the surface layer of soil around the plants are treated.

Root nematode

The pest is prolific; an adult female lays up to 800-900 eggs. Signs of damage are yellowing of leaves, stunting of growth. The final confirmation that the plantings are affected by the nematode will be made by examining the roots of the plants. They show pear-shaped growths in which insect larvae develop.

Control measures

1. Soil treatment with Fitoverm.
2. Introducing special fungi into greenhouses.

Removing root-knot nematodes is a complex and lengthy process that is not always successful. Prevention is what will be the main thing in the fight against the pest:

• rotation of crops in greenhouses;
• deep digging of the soil (in autumn, spring) with replacement of the top layer before planting;
• sowing legume green manure on ridges with subsequent embedding of plants into the soil;
• watering with clean water;
• removal of plant residues during harvesting, as well as during weeding.

To treat the soil before planting cucumbers, special sulfur bombs are used; freezing the soil in shelters is also recommended. heat treatment ferry.

Medvedka

Unlike numerous pests that attack cucumbers and are miniature in size, the mole cricket is a large insect (up to 7-8 cm) that creates labyrinths of passages in the garden. The pest mainly lives in warm regions, making its nests in humus or compost.

The pest is especially dangerous for root crops, but the mole cricket also causes serious damage to cucumbers. It gnaws the roots of plants, destroys fruits lying on the ground, and eats beneficial earthworms.

You can determine that an “enemy” has appeared on the site by dying young plants (they dry out and fall), small-diameter tunnels that appear in the soil, and small mounds of earth in the beds.

Control measures

Biological preparations Boverin and Nemabact, containing special bacteria, are effective against mole crickets. Once on the larvae or on the body of an adult, microorganisms germinate in them and are slowly destroyed.

Chemicals:

• Grizzly - available in granules, highly toxic;
• Chops - granules are poured into the mole cricket's passages;
• Medvetox is highly toxic and effective.

The most commonly used folk remedies are:

• soap solution - 60 grams of shavings are diluted in a bucket of water and poured into the nests and burrows of mole crickets;
• eggshells - dried and crushed, lightly fried in a frying pan and added to the aisles or holes of plants.

A common method is to set up traps (dung, honey, beer), when insects attracted by the smell fall into the trap. Usually glass jars are used, buried at a slight slope in the ground. Baits are placed inside:

• a small amount of beer;
• spoon of honey;
• vegetable oil.

Attracted by the smell, the mole cricket climbs inside, but can no longer get out of the trap.

Prevention

To scare away mole crickets in the garden next to the cucumber beds, marigolds, cilantro, and parsley are planted, spruce branches are laid (the mole cricket does not tolerate the smell of pine needles), and fish waste is buried in the holes when planting cucumbers.

Mulching the soil helps (the insect does not like the wet surface under the mulch), and careful digging of the beds in the fall. It is recommended to dose the application of manure, since eggs and larvae of the pest, as well as adult individuals, are introduced into the beds with it.

Thrips

A dangerous pest of cucumbers is thrips, which infects plants and also spreads viruses. It is a microscopic, up to 1-1.5 mm, yellow insect with wings. Thrips larvae are greenish in color and lack wings.

For cucumbers, larvae and adults are dangerous, since they all feed on the juices of the plant. Silvery spots and black dots (traces of thrips activity) are visible on the leaves of cucumbers; the plants themselves begin to dry out and wither.

Control measures

• Aktara;
• Vertimek;
• Agravertine;
• Spark.

A good result is achieved by introducing thrips enemies into a greenhouse with cucumbers: orius bugs, macrolophus, and phytoseiid mites.

Folk remedies:

• garlic infusion - crushed cloves, plant arrows are poured with hot water, then the plants are sprayed;
• marigold tincture - take 50 grams of dried flowers per liter of water, bring to a boil, then leave for 2 days, filter and spray on the cucumbers.

Wireworm

This is the name of the larvae of the click beetle, known to many, reaching sizes of 4-5 mm. The appearance of an adult is preceded by a long period, up to 3-4 years, during which the wireworm feeds on the sap and tissues of garden crops.

In cucumbers, the pest gnaws through the stems and vines and makes its way inside. Over time, the plant withers and dies.

Control measures

Most effective way– this means digging up ridges in spring and autumn and manually collecting wireworms. The following drugs are used:

• Calypso;
• Diazinon;
• Bazudin.

Scoop

A moth with reddish-brown wings produces voracious caterpillars that feed on plant tissue. The larvae gnaw holes in the green leaves and devour the leaves completely, down to the veins.

In conditions middle zone And northern regions The armyworm produces one generation of larvae, in the south - two generations. If the plantings are heavily infested by the pest, serious damage is caused. garden crops Therefore, control measures must be comprehensive.

Control measures

Drugs used:

• Agrovertin;
• Fitoverm.

• burdock infusion - a 10-liter bucket is filled ½ full with burdock leaves, filled with water, infused for two days, sprayed on the plantings in the beds;
• wormwood infusion - take 300-400 grams of dry grass in a bucket, leave for several hours and treat the bushes;
• infusion of potato tops - the preparation method is similar to the preparation of burdock infusion.

Traps are hung in the garden - small jars of water, into which yeast, beer, and sweet molasses are added. Butterflies, attracted by the smell, land on the water and drown.

Cucumber beetles

One of the rarest crop pests, they are small, brightly colored beetles with stripes on their backs. They are rare on the territory of Russia, since the main distribution area is the American continent.

Usually appears on cucumbers growing outdoors. The danger comes from beetle larvae that feed on plant juices. The lashes, leaves, and stems of cucumbers turn yellow, dry out and then die.

Control measures

Application of traditional insecticides (Inta-Vir, Iskra), manual collection of beetles. It is also recommended to disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before planting.

Knowledge of the signs of diseases, pest damage to plants, as well as methods of treatment and control will allow you to win the “battle” for the harvest and get healthy, tasty fruits.