Watermelon aphid - often affects gourds, this is an insect that can damage 40 species of wild and domestic crops. Among them, there are watermelons, which did not settle for aphids - the main reason for the appearance of fungal diseases.
Danger number 1 for gourds!
Adult aphids can be with or without wings; wingless aphids are more harmful to plants. If the melon aphid reproduces on watermelons, then the risk of various diseases - curly tops, cucumber mosaics - increases dramatically. Ants contribute to the infection of plant aphids, it is their kind of "cows" that supply the ants with sweet secretions.
These small insects await the winter period on weeds growing along the edge of the field. In the spring they crawl into the garden and begin to lay eggs on the shoots of garden plants. After a time, when the plants rise, the aphid moves under the leaves of the watermelon and continues to multiply there.
Aphids appear on watermelons after acquiring infected seedlings, they are grown by ants (carry larvae on their paws) and a strong wind blowing from areas infected with the pest.
What is the danger of watermelon aphids?
1. Parasites suck the juice from the plant, after which it withers and dies, as a result, you can lose a significant part of the sweet berries;
2. Insects secrete sticky substances that are almost ideal for the development of fungal and viral diseases.
How to quickly detect aphids
The presence of aphids on plants can be seen with the naked eye. You only need to inspect the watermelon bushes and pay attention to:
• The presence of white plaque from below the leaf blade;
• Inflorescences and ovaries wither and crumble;
• Shoots become thin;
• Leaves curl.
Regularly inspect the bottom of the leaf, this will allow you to detect insects in time and reduce the risk of mass spread of the pest. The main task is to find the first aphid settlements that are easy to destroy even by flushing them with plain water. If you miss this moment, then surely all the watermelon bushes on the melon will be settled by the pest.
Methods of struggle
Agrotechnical
• In autumn you need to clean and burn plant debris;
• Dig the soil in the area to a depth of 20 cm;
• Organize timely watering and proper top dressing;
• Foliar top dressing with a solution of potassium chloride at a concentration of 0.5% and superphosphate 0.1 %%;
• Sow seeds early or prepare seedlings;
• Buy seeds of early ripening hybrids that are well resistant to the pest:
• Permanently destroy weeds.
Biological
• Plant parsley and dill near the watermelon bushes;
• Arrange in grass beds with melons and gourds aphid repellents - horse sorrel, tomato shoots, dandelion, celandine and garlic;
• Spray plants with infusion of tobacco or hot pepper;
• Spray gourds with an ash and soap solution (1 tbsp of laundry soap is diluted in 8 l of water and 1 kg of ash is insisted there day).
Chemical
Watermelons are treated from aphids with insecticides - Fury, Ditox, Golden Spark, Aketellik, Confidor, Decis. They can only be used in strict accordance with the instructions. Processing is carried out only in dry weather, in the evening or in the morning.
If a plantation with watermelons is affected by aphids up to 10% of plants, then you can destroy the pest with a 60% solution of malathion. If the number of affected plants is greater, then you will have to use the drug "Commander". This is one of the most effective and inexpensive formulations against pests. Most importantly, the effect of the drug continues after the treatment of plants, and it acts even during extreme heat.
Important! "Komandor" - a systemic drug is very toxic, including for the gardener. Its effect lasts several days. For this reason, when using it, you can not use grown watermelons for a long time (until the chemical decomposes in the berries), and when preparing the working solution, you must strictly follow the instructions.
If shrubs or trees grow near the beds with watermelons, then in order to prevent the appearance of aphids, it is necessary to process fruit and berry crops in early spring. This work must be done before the sap flow begins without waiting for the swelling of the kidneys. This prevention will help protect your site from the appearance of the pest.
Attention! In open areas, use exclusively systemic drugs, they are very effective. In protected buildings, it is necessary to use preparations of intestinal and contact action, if used correctly, they will not harm a person.
In greenhouses, poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces and people are not desirable to breathe toxic substances. It is not necessary to use insecticides alone for a long time, insects quickly get used to them, after 2-3 years you will not notice the necessary effect.
Folk ways
1. With a small spread of aphids on watermelons, you can use wood ash by adding tobacco dust to it and pollinate the aphids affected by it. For good adhesion of the drug, it is necessary to spray the plants with water in advance;
2. Soak 200 g in 1 liter of water. oven ash, insist 24 hours, after which add 50 gr. finely planed laundry soap, mix the solution, and strain add 9 l of pure water and treat the watermelon bushes, trying to wet the bottom of the leaf blade well;
3. Half a kilogram of dandelion leaves, you need to pour a bucket of water heated to 40 degrees, insist this solution for 5 hours, strain and then spray the plants;
4. Take 200 gr. onion, grind it, add 120 l of water, withstand the solution for 8 hours, then spray the watermelon bushes;
5. For 1/3 of the volume, fill the empty bucket with finely chopped wormwood, fill the bucket to the top with water, soak for 48 hours, strain and process the watermelons;
6. Pour a liter of boiling water, 200 g. crumb of tobacco, insist 5 hours, add to a bucket of water pour boiling water (1 l). Soak the infusion for 5 hours, strain, add a bucket of water and process watermelons;
7. If the aphid plantation aphids are highly infected, it is necessary, after picking the berries, to take out and burn the remains of the plants. After that, you can dig up the site.
There is no accurate assessment of the effectiveness of folk recipes. It can be assumed that there is little effect from the use of tobacco, dandelion, onion and ash products, under suitable external conditions - the presence of pest breeding sites nearby, the number of treatments, irrigation, wind speed, and rainfall.
When growing watermelons, you must not forget that there are great chances of aphids to penetrate your site. Provide preventive procedures in advance, do not spare money and purchase an effective drug in advance. Prevention should be done before planting watermelon seedlings on beds. Use insecticides correctly, plan all treatments in advance.
