Garden plots Belarus, Russia, Ukraine abound in currant bushes. The mass of useful substances contained in the fruits of this shrub have brought it enormous popularity. Currant fruits have healing properties, are widely used in folk medicine. However, not only people love currants, but also pests, the main of which is aphids. How to get rid of aphids on currants? You can find out what methods of controlling aphids exist by reading this article.
It is very easy to notice the presence of aphids on currants. Having carefully looked at the bush and noticed ants scurrying around on it, we can safely assume that there is a colony of aphids here.
After all, aphids and ants form a single whole. Ants feed on honeydew, which is secreted by aphids, during the digestion process. The aphid itself is clumsy and slow, so the ants carry it on themselves to the very tasty plots plants. Therefore, you need to start the fight against aphids by destroying ants. Carefully examining the surroundings near the bush in search of an anthill, you can definitely find it not far from the currant, or even in its roots. Now it remains in early spring pour a bucket of boiling water into the anthill. The ants will die, and then you can begin to destroy the aphids.
Aphids are found inside unopened buds, which appearance easy to determine. The buds with aphids inside are larger and have a rounded shape. All such buds are collected and burned.
How to get rid of aphids on currant leaves?
You can often notice red bumps on the leaves. The leaves become swollen and look very unhealthy. This means that the leaves have been infected by red gall aphids. The eggs she lays overwinter on the branches of the bush, and with the onset of spring, larvae emerge from them and settle on back side young currant leaves. In places where aphids accumulate, the leaves swell and acquire a reddish tint.
Black currant leaves are more often affected by gooseberry shoot aphids. It appears at the tops of the shoots, sucks the juice out of them, the leaves curl and bend.
Measures to combat aphids on currants
You need to immediately understand that it is impossible to get rid of aphids forever. But it is necessary to correctly build and apply a line of defense.
There are two ways to combat aphids, namely:
- organic;
- chemical.
The organic method of aphids involves a variety of methods associated with natural remedies, without the use of pesticides. Such methods are especially effective for preventing disease or at an early stage of aphid damage to a plant.
To prevent the spread of aphids, excess shoots and tops in which aphids reproduce freely are cut out. Next, you should regularly water, feed and mulch the plant. On healthy bush With hard, dark leaves, aphids will feel uncomfortable. It is imperative to clean the bark in places where it has peeled off, where aphids overwintered, which helps to significantly reduce it.
We must not forget about the natural predators of aphids - ladybugs. To attract these beneficial insects You need to plant nasturtium, tansy, mallow, cosmos, and calendula near the currants. The scents of these flowers attract ladybugs and promote their reproduction.
There is no need to rush to remove all the weeds under the currant bits. It is advisable to leave one or two bushes of quinoa, which is a delicacy for aphids. An affected quinoa bush can easily be pulled out and destroyed when it has fulfilled its function, taking the fire upon itself.
Chemical methods are used when natural remedies no longer help or when time is limited.
Chemical preparations for controlling aphids are:
- contact;
- intestinal;
- systemic.
Contact preparations “Fufan”, “Fury”, “Karbafos” instantly rid the plant of aphids, since penetrating through its cover, they immediately kill it.
Intestinal ones penetrate the digestive system during the absorption of leaves treated with the chemicals “Confidor”, “BI-58 New”.
The effect of systemic drugs is extended over time for 15-20 days. Treating the bush with such preparations makes the juice very poisonous. long time. Such a drug could be Aktara.
Video: how to protect red currants from aphids
WITH early spring Summer residents have a lot of worries: watering, weeding and pests that bother them. When the first leaves on the currants bloom, aphids immediately appear. The pest settles on young shoots, which become deformed and dry out. The currant harvest is declining. What to do and how to fight aphids on currants?
How to detect aphids on currants
Most often, gall aphids, a small sucking insect, settle on currants. Aphids feed on young shoots and currant leaves. You can find a colony of pests on the bottom of the currant leaf. On damaged leaves Red or yellow swellings and tubercles—galls—are formed.
Around mid-July, when the currant leaves stop growing, the aphids develop wings. At this moment the pest leaves the bush. If there are a lot of weeds around the plantings, gall aphids will move to them, where they will feed until autumn. During the season, more than one generation of pests is hatched, which in the fall, around September, migrate back to the currant bush. The females begin laying eggs.
Gall aphids on currant bushes are a great danger, especially for young plants. Frail bushes, affected big amount pests are unable to develop normally. The yield of adult bushes drops sharply, the berries become smaller.
How to fight aphids on currant bushes
One of important factors When fighting gall aphids on currants, prevention is the key. From early spring it is necessary to carry out basic preventive actions:
Be sure to remove all weeds under the bushes;
Carry out sanitary pruning of the bush, cutting out all diseased branches;
Attract beneficial insects that feed on gall aphids, e.g. ladybugs;
Scald the bush with boiling water in spring.
Important! If ladybugs and lacewings have settled on currant bushes, then insecticides must be used carefully. It is better to replace them with herbal infusions. Beneficial insects will help quickly get rid of aphids.
By attracting beneficial insects to the garden, you can get rid of gall aphid without resorting to chemicals. To attract insects, experienced gardeners practice planting medicinal plants under the currant bushes:
Marigold;
Allisum;
Yarrow;
Many insects that are beneficial to the garden prefer to live in dill or buckwheat plantings.
How to get rid of aphids on currant bushes: fumigating the garden
Very often, one of the methods of combating aphids is to fumigate the garden. Experienced gardeners They practice fumigation with rubber, tobacco and mushrooms.
Fumigation should be carried out before the buds open, at the moment of their opening.
Fumigation with rubber is carried out as follows: in old saucepan They put a bush of rubber and leave it to smolder under each currant bush.
Fumigation with tobacco and mushrooms is carried out using a beekeeper's smoker.
You need to fumigate the garden for at least three hours. This must be done in evening time, in calm weather. The aphids die completely; there is no need to use chemicals.
The disadvantage of this method is the acrid smoke, which has a bad effect on human health.
Fighting aphids on currants: treating bushes with chemicals
Chemicals that need to be applied in several stages will help get rid of gall aphid colonies on currants. Use chemicals only needed in advanced cases and mass pest attacks.
1. The first spraying of currants is carried out in the spring, at the time of bud bloom.
2. The treatment should be carried out a second time when the bush is flowering.
3. It is better to spray currants for the third time immediately after flowering.
4. The last treatment should be carried out only after the harvest is complete.
How to treat currants against gall aphids?
For treatments, chemicals are used that are dissolved in water. The following drugs have proven themselves well:
Actellik (dilute 15 ml per 10 liters of water);
Novaktion (dilute 5 ml per 10 liters of water).
Folk remedies for fighting aphids on currants
Applying folk remedies in the fight against aphids, you can get rid of the pest without interfering with beneficial insects. For these purposes, the following infusions are used:
Tobacco infusion;
Infusion of marigolds;
Red infusion hot pepper;
Infusion of tomato tops;
Infusion of onion and garlic;
Ash infusion with wormwood;
Solution soda ash;
Infusion of celandine.
1. Tobacco infusion
An infusion is prepared from tobacco dust or shag, with the addition of laundry soap and water. To do this, pour 500 grams of tobacco dust into 10 liters of water and leave the mixture for several days. The finished infusion is filtered, diluted with 10 liters of water and 100 grams of grated laundry soap is added as an adhesive.
Spraying is carried out in the evening, in clear weather. After rain, repeat the treatment.
2. Infusion of marigolds
An infusion of marigolds, which is prepared from dried flowers, is very effective in combating gall aphids. For a 10 liter bucket take ½ part of the crushed marigolds, which are poured warm water. Infuse the mixture for three days. The finished solution is decanted and 50 grams of grated laundry soap is added.
3. Red infusion hot pepper
You can prepare a concentrated infusion from red capsicum. To do this, 1 kg of fresh pepper needs to be cut and placed in a pan, pour 10 liters cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over low heat for 1 hour. The cooled solution is removed into warm place for a few days. The finished solution is filtered and stored in the cold.
For spraying, a working solution is prepared from the concentrate. For 10 liters of water use 1 glass of concentrate. You can add grated powder to the solution as an adhesive. laundry soap.
Important! The ready-made working solution and red hot pepper are used not only in the fight against aphids. It is good to use against slugs.
4. Infusion of tomato tops
Tomato tops make a good infusion for controlling gall aphids on currants. To do this, dry tomato tops, about 2 kg, and fresh tops, 4 kg, are crushed and filled with 10 liters of water. The mixture is boiled for 30 minutes. The resulting concentrate is cooled and stored refrigerated. Before spraying, prepare a working solution. To do this, the concentrate is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5, adding grated laundry soap.
Important! A working solution of their tomato tops concentrate can be used to combat mites, cutworms, codling moths, cruciferous flea beetle and gooseberry sawfly.
5. Infusion of onion and garlic
Experienced gardeners advise spraying currants with an infusion of green onions. To do this, pour 1 kg of chopped onion into 10 liters of water and leave the mixture for 6 hours. Strain the prepared solution and spray.
You can use pre-prepared onion skins. For this, 500 gr. The husks are infused in 10 liters of water for about 5 days.
Important! Infusions of onions and garlic not only fight pests on currants, but also increase plant immunity.
6. Ash infusion with wormwood
Affected currant bushes are treated for aphids ash solution with the addition of wormwood. To do this, pour 500 grams of crushed wormwood with water, about 5 liters, adding 1 glass of ash and 50 grams of laundry soap. The mixture is infused for about 5 hours. Spraying is carried out with a working solution, which is prepared from 1 part infusion and 2 parts water.
7. Soda ash solution
You can treat currants against aphids with a soda solution. Prepare a working solution from 1 tbsp. l. soda ash and 1 liter of water.
Spraying with this solution will help not only get rid of aphids, but also drive away the fungus from the bush.
8. Infusion of celandine
Summer residents fight aphids using celandine infusion. Prepare a solution from 4 kg of fresh celandine herb, which is crushed and filled with 10 liters of water. The solution needs to infuse for a day. Ready solution spraying currant bushes.
Important! When treating currant plantings with a solution of celandine, be sure to use personal protection, since celandine juice is very poisonous.
What you need to consider when treating currants against gall aphids
Young currant shoots bend well, they can be dipped in any recipe prepared and washed well, without the risk of breaking the branch.
You need to spray and wash every branch, without missing a single section of the bush.
You need to spray not only the bush, but also the soil underneath it.
The weather during processing should be calm. When using chemicals, keep an eye on the bees. It is important not to poison beneficial insects, which are very necessary in the garden. It is better to postpone spraying to the evening, when the bees are no longer flying.
When spraying, be sure to wet the bottom of the leaf; to do this, point the sprayer inside the bush.
You should not place high hopes on traditional methods of combating aphids on currants if time is lost and the pest has chosen roses, plums and gooseberries. In such a situation, you cannot do without the use of chemicals.
In the fight against aphids on currants, it is important to monitor the cleanliness of the area, to prevent a riot of weeds and the proximity of shrubs to anthills. Carry out preventive spraying with herbal infusions more often, monitor the density of the bush and cut out diseased branches in a timely manner.
Currants are one of the most common crops in our area. The berry is extremely healthy and lends itself well to canning. The most a big problem, which occurs during the process of growing a plant, annoys gardeners - aphids on currants. small insect forms entire colonies, damages the bush, spoils the inflorescences, and reduces the yield. How to deal with aphids on currants - important question for summer residents.
Folk remedies
You can get rid of aphids on currants with safe preparations that are easy to prepare yourself. The necessary ingredients are available in household, grow in the garden, in the vegetable garden, or are sold in the grocery store.
It is necessary to pick several plants entirely. You should work with gloves. Grind, throw in a bucket, pour 10 liters of water, let it brew for a day. Strain the tincture, add 100 g of laundry soap. Currants are sprayed with the solution, deformed shoots and twigs are soaked. Particularly afraid of such procedures green aphid.
Folk remedies allow you to get rid of aphids without chemicals. May be used at any time during the growing season.
Other folk remedies
Other effective remedies include:
Professional products
Fighting aphids with chemicals is much faster, but some nuances should be taken into account. Aphids on black and red currants can appear at any time during the growing season. Use is allowed only before flowering in early spring, or immediately after it. Because the poisonous properties are stored for 20 days or more.
Biological drugs work a little slower. The active components are the waste products of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. The poison is not harmful to humans, but you should not process currants 10 days before the start of harvest.
- Copper sulfate. A drug wide range actions, protects horticultural crops against diseases, increases plant resistance, effectively fights aphids. Spray the bush in early spring before the buds open. 50 g copper sulfate diluted in 1 liter of water, then add 4 more. For 1 currant bush, 1000 ml of the prepared solution is needed. Required amount the drug is calculated from these ratios.
- Bordeaux mixture. Used to prevent and cure many diseases. Early spring spraying with a 3% solution before the first leaves appear is recommended. Combination with copper sulfate is allowed.
- Biotlin against aphids is an insecticidal preparation based on strong toxic substance. The destruction of aphids occurs instantly. The active ingredients are amazing nervous system, causes paralysis and death. The result is noticeable 4 hours after spraying the currants. The solution is prepared immediately before use. An ampoule of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water and 9 liters of liquid are added.
- – a broad-spectrum insecticidal preparation. The concentration of the toxic component is small, but enough for quick destruction aphids. The result is noticeable the next day, retains its properties for about 14 days, depending on weather conditions. Treatment is carried out once in early spring.
- Actofit against aphids is a biological product. Can be used at any time during the growing season. The result is noticeable 3 days after complete treatment of the bushes. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 8 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water. After 15 days the treatment should be repeated.
Aphids cause irreparable damage to the currant bush - the tops of the leaves curl, young shoots dry out, inflorescences fall off, branches droop. Productivity decreases and the risk of developing many diseases increases. It is necessary to respond to aphids in a timely manner, or even better in advance. It follows in parallel, since these insects spread aphids throughout the garden.
Gardeners who have great experience, they know that if red and white currants have red veins on the surface of the foliage, it is affected by hairy and red gall aphids. When rolling blackcurrant leaves into a tube, the need arises to fight gooseberry aphids. Favorable conditions for the spread of the pest are elevated temperature and dry air. About other reasons for the appearance of insects, principles of their destruction, popular folk ways and preventive measures, read the article.
The result of the life activity of insect colonies is yellowed and curled leaves of bushes, deformation of branches, underdeveloped fruits and their further drying. It is also usually observed that a characteristic sticky film appears on the surface of the foliage, having White color. It is also present on the buds.
As a result, the culture's resistance to virus attack decreases. Pests are most active in early summer. And the grown winged offspring are able to move through the air and continue to harm the bushes, piercing the leaves with their proboscis and sucking the juice from them.
General principles
When processing leaves, be sure to rinse them with water and blot them with cotton swabs. It is customary to spray the bushes with soap solutions together with ash. Well proven herbal infusions and decoctions that exhibit excellent insecticidal and phytoncidal properties.
For greater effectiveness, laundry soap is added to the decoctions at the rate of 35 - 45 grams per bucket of tincture water. Treatment of plants should be scheduled for the evening hours on dry days. Deserves the greatest attention inner side sheet plate. This is where they most often settle harmful insects. A week after the first treatment, it is customary to carry out the second.
Effective folk remedies
If a gardener finds aphids on currants, what folk remedies should be used?
- The practical experience of many summer residents testifies to the effectiveness of a solution based on laundry soap. When preparing it yourself, take 300 grams of soap per 1 bucket of water. The soap must be ground first.
- You can prepare a solution of ash. To do this, 300 grams need to be filled with 1 bucket of liquid. After you boil the mixture, add no more than 50 grams of any soap you have in your household.
- An excellent choice among others popular measures The fight will be the use of potato tops. It needs to be crushed, poured with warm water and left for 1 hour.
- The gardener will also come to the aid onion. You should grind it in an amount of 200 grams, then add 10 liters of water. When the mixture has infused for 24 hours, you can start spraying the bushes.
- To prepare an infusion of garlic, you need to take 1 glass of it in crushed form. You will also need 1 liter of water. You need to infuse this remedy for 5 days. Shortly before scheduled spraying, it is necessary to dilute the prepared solution at the rate of 25 ml per 1 bucket of liquid.
- Good preparations of natural origin are infusions of tobacco and shag. They need to be taken in an amount of 400 grams, filled with 1 bucket of water at room temperature. After 1 day has passed, you should strain the solution, dilute it in half with the liquid, and also add 50 grams of crushed soap.
- Another great tool - pharmaceutical chamomile. You need to take 1 kg per 1 bucket of water. Leave for about 12 hours, then be sure to strain. Shortly before the planned treatment, dilute in a ratio of 1:3. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to add a little simple laundry soap.
- Dandelions, which begin to appear everywhere with the arrival of warmer weather, can be used to eliminate insects. You will need to take 600 grams of flowers, pour them into containers of a suitable size with 10 liters of water. After soaking for no more than 3 hours, it is permissible to treat shrubs with the prepared infusion.
- A good folk remedy can also be obtained from the dry stems and leaves of the yarrow herb. It is necessary to prepare 1 kg of raw materials, pour boiling water and leave in a water bath for 30 minutes. Before processing, the infusion is diluted, bringing its quantity to 10 liters. Then you should insist it a little more, and in a fairly dark place.
- Some gardeners use an infusion of horse sorrel. To do this, take approximately 400 grams of grass per 10 liters of water. Don't forget to strain the product before use.
- You can use celandine in an amount of 3 kg of foliage per fresh. It needs to be infused for about 1 day in 10 liters of liquid.
- It is also permissible to make a solution from 1 kg of capsicum with the addition of 0.5 kg of dry pepper. All components are filled with 10 liters of water. Before use, you need to dilute 0.5 cups of pepper solution in 10 liters of water.
- Sometimes a tomato solution is used. You need to take 5 kg of fruit, add boiling water, then cook for no longer than 30 minutes. After straining, add soap. More ready-made product you need to bring it up to 10 liters by adding liquid.
- It is recommended to pour 500 grams of marigold flowers into 1 liter of water. Then they are left in a secluded place for several days. Before use, do not forget to strain the infusion.
- Do not throw away the remaining citrus peels after peeling them. It can be beneficial if you pour 100 grams of raw material into 1 liter of water. After waiting 3 days, you can start spraying your currants.
- A decoction of alder leaves is also often used. 1 kg of them should be infused in 5 liters of liquid. After the solution has boiled for no more than half an hour, it needs to be cooled and can be used to treat shrubs.
Prevention of aphids
It is always better to carry out prevention than to be puzzled by the choice later the best remedy to get rid of insects. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to get rid of all weeds under currant bushes in early spring. Planned sanitary pruning also helps, in which all branches affected by various ailments must be removed.
Experienced gardeners attract beneficial insects using accessible methods, for which food is, for example, a gall type of pest. These are the well-known and peaceful ladybugs.
Scalding the bush with boiling water also gives excellent results. To make beneficial insects want to settle on your site, it is recommended to plant marigolds, yarrow, tansy and allisum near currants. Some beneficial insects prefer to live in crops such as buckwheat and dill.
Video “Effective control of aphids”
In this video you will learn about effective ways control of aphids on plants.
With the onset of summer, many pests appear in the garden that can cause significant damage to fruit plants. This is both a leaf roller and spider mites, and scale insects. Aphid colonies on currants cause particularly harmful damage, so you need to figure out how to deal with them in advance. You can recognize her visit by curled leaves, characteristic swellings on them, and premature drying of the crown. In addition to the main damage, aphids lead to infection with vector-borne infections.
The harmful effects of aphids can be seen by curled and swollen leaves.
Twisted foliage when attacked by a pest
It is quite difficult to fight aphids due to the fact that most species do not lay eggs, but are viviparous. Per season at favorable conditions Up to 10 generations are born.
Types of aphids and signs of their appearance
There are more than 4 thousand species of aphids in nature, 8 of which are dangerous for currants and others. fruit and berry crops. Each species is recognized not only by its external characteristics, but also by secondary signs of its life activity.
The following are considered harmful for currants:
- red gall aphid;
- bird cherry;
- beet;
- blackberry;
- green;
- currant-salad;
- peach
The result of the harmful activity of gall aphids
The red gall type has winged and wingless varieties. The first is distinguished by its larger size and rich green color. Winged representatives have a watery-yellow body and a pair of transparent wings. The pest can be recognized by reddish swellings in the central part of currant leaves. The branches of an infected bush are dotted with galls - red-brown growths in which aphids breed. When damaged, insects patch up the holes with their own bodies and milk, as a result of which they die.
The bird cherry type is brown in color and is the main carrier vector-borne infections. When it appears, the leaves of the plant dry out and curl into a tube.
The beet (bean) type has an oval shape and a black (less often olive) color. It rarely affects currants, as it specializes in legumes and root vegetables. Signs of infestation include yellowed punctures on young shoots and curled foliage.
Blackberry aphids are yellow-green in color. It feeds on the fruiting buds of plants, causing their productivity to suffer. Identified by drying tops and yellowing buds. It attacks not only blackberry bushes, but also settles on currants, raspberries, grapes, and apple trees.
Currant aphid is a green aphid, the period of active activity of which falls in June and July; in 4-5 generations it gives birth to winged forms that can migrate to neighboring bushes and branches. Belongs to the oviparous species. The breeding season falls in September. Females lay eggs under the currant bark and cover the laying site with milk. Overwintered larvae are capable of reproduction on the 2nd day of life. Signs of appearance of this type in spring, summer, and autumn there are curled leaves and slow growth of the bush.
The currant-lettuce aphid differs from the one above in its orange color and ability to transmit Gooseberry virus.
The peach form has a light green color and small dimensions. It is most dangerous for currants, since one puncture can transmit up to 120 types of infection to the bush.
Biological products and chemicals against aphids
Chemical preparations against the pest are most often used before the appearance of fruit ovaries on red, black and golden currant. In case of severe infection, the bush is treated 7-10 days before harvesting.
The most effective chemicals are:
- Kalash,
- Tanker,
- Spark double effect,
- Aktara,
- Aktellik,
- Decis,
- Intavir and others
Jaguar – effective remedy against aphids and weeds based on ethyl fenoxaprop-P. Sold in 5 liter containers. It is characterized by rapid absorption. The effect lasts from 3 to 4 weeks. Treatment is carried out in dry, lightly windy weather, at least 3 hours before precipitation. Optimal temperature for spraying from +25°C. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 1 part Jaguar to 10 parts water.
Dosages of the most popular chemicals are given in the memo.
Biological products that help with aphid infestations include:
- Acrofit,
- Fitoverm,
- Lepidocide,
- Bicol,
- Bitoxibacillin and others.
Biological drug Fitoverm
A product based on aversectin C, produced in ampoules of 2.4, 5 ml, or bottles of 20 ml. Has a prolonged action. The poisoned insect dies 4-5 days after spraying.
The treatment is carried out in dry, clear weather. During the dry period, the drug remains effective from a week to three. When dew or rain occurs, spraying must be repeated. During the flowering period, Fitoverm is prohibited for use. The berries are edible after 5 days from the date of treatment, since the active components of the drug provoke poisoning.
It is forbidden to combine with alkaline solutions.
A test must be carried out before any planned combination treatment. Fitoverm is mixed with other drugs and the appearance of sediment is monitored. When this occurs, chemical combinations are prohibited.
To prepare the solution, use 5 ml of Fitoverm per 600 ml of water with a neutral pH. Liquid consumption is 10 l/100 m2. The treatment is carried out in a special suit with protection respiratory tract, mucous membranes and skin. Repeated spraying is carried out after 20 days.
Fufanon with fast-acting effect
Organophosphorus emulsion, produced in 10 ml bottles and 5 ml ampoules. Main component drug – melation. Has a fast-acting effect. When contacted with aphids, it causes complete paralysis after 2 hours of action and death after 24 hours.
Before treating currants with this product, it is necessary to wait at least 15 days from the day last feeding. It is completely incompatible with other chemicals. For cooking aqueous solution use 5 ml of substance and 5 l clean water. Spray currants on a cloudy day in the early morning or at sunset. The duration of action does not exceed 4-7 days; after the specified time period, the bushes must be sprayed again.
Acrophyte in the fight against aphids
Acrofit is a concentrated solution of aversectin C with paralytic action. Sold in 40, 200 and 900 ml packaging, as well as in 4.8 liter bottles. When caught on the body of an aphid, it causes instant paralysis. The infected insect dies within 48 hours after treatment. The drug is resistant to precipitation and remains in the plant for 2-3 weeks. Pests drinking the juice of treated currants die out after 2-3 days. Acrofit is not addictive.
Acrophyte is not used during flowering.
The optimal time for spraying is dry, windless weather at a temperature of +20 °C. For spraying, 8 ml of the substance is diluted in 1 liter of water. Bushes and berries are treated with the prepared solution. The fruits are edible after 2-3 days. Repeated spraying is carried out after 2 weeks. The solution is not suitable for storage in water active substance avesectin is degraded.
Folk remedies to combat aphid colonies in spring and during fruiting
Folk pest control measures are numerous. Treatment in the spring against aphids is reduced to the destruction of larvae and overwintered individuals. For these purposes, insecticides, pesticides or boiling water are used. In April, marigolds, Dalmatian chamomile, garlic or onions are planted around the infected currant bush. The smell of these plants repels not only aphids, but also ants.
In April, the stems of the bushes are wrapped in rags soaked in tar, and also sprayed with a solution of laundry soap. Currants can also be treated with folk remedies during fruiting. They are safe for humans and bees, but effective against insect pests.
When folk remedies help, and in what cases you cannot do without chemistry, is described in the video.
Laundry soap, tobacco, esters
If young shoots and berries are eaten by aphids, and the gardener does not risk using chemicals, soap solution is an effective replacement. To prepare it, use dark-colored laundry soap and warm water. Soap is grated, then 4 tbsp. l. The mixture is diluted in 200 ml of water, mixed, and poured into a spray bottle. The resulting mixture should be sprayed onto the affected bushes.
Tobacco is harmless to bees and humans. Currants can be watered with infusion in June, during the period of active flowering of the bush. To prepare, take 100 g of shag or tobacco leaves, pour in a liter of boiling water, and let it brew for about 8-12 hours. The cooled infusion is sprayed onto the crown once every 2 weeks, no earlier than 7 days before harvest.
Tobacco infusion can be used throughout the summer until the aphids are completely destroyed.
Citrus fruits, spruce needles, onions and garlic contain a high concentration of phytoncides. Their pungent aroma repels pests and helps fight not only aphids, but also ants.
15 drops essential oil add to 100 mg cream and stir in 400 ml warm water. The mixture is sprayed on currants in the morning and evening for 10 days. The number of aphids will be reduced by 1/3 already on the 3rd day; after a week, the vectors will also leave the plant. Repeat treatment as necessary.
Trichopolum and tar
Trichopolum is an oral metronidazole-based drug used to treat bacterial diseases. They are often used to treat currants during aphid infestations. Trichopolum instantly penetrates the body of insect pests and causes paralysis. The solution is prepared from 20 tablets per 10 liters of water. The treatment is carried out in dry weather and, if necessary, repeated daily for 1 week.
Tar tires applied to currant trunks prevent ants from entering the crown and the spread of aphids. To prepare the splint, birch tar and gauze bandages are used. The fabric is generously moistened in liquid, and the trunks are wrapped at a level of 10 cm from the ground. The soil around the hole is spilled with a water-tar solution in a ratio of 5:10. After precipitation falls, the bundles are again moistened with tar. To do this, draw concentrated liquid into a syringe and inject it directly into the bandage. The pungent odor repels ants.
Mechanical processing and use of boiling water until the buds swell
Sanitary cleaning is an effective method of controlling aphids. Using pruning shears, cut out all affected leaves from the crown. Branches and shoots are cleaned of insects and coated with garlic juice. After cleaning is completed, the affected foliage is burned.
Video about processing with boiling water.
To finally get rid of gall and green aphids on currant bushes, it is necessary to destroy the clutch of eggs. To do this, in early March, before the buds swell, the crown is doused with hot water repeatedly. It is important that the stream of water is sprayed and hits the cracks in the bark. The acceptable temperature for spraying is +80...90°C. It is worth considering that by the time the gardener reaches the desired shrub, they will take such indicators, and during processing a few more degrees will be lost.
After spraying with boiling water, the trunks are whitened slaked lime. Lime helps destroy the remains of the colony, fill voids in trunks and under the bark, preventing the spread of pests.
Fighting aphids on currants is a responsible undertaking that cannot be delayed, as you may be left without a harvest or, in the worst case, lose the entire bush. That's why preventive measures– the key to healthy fruit plants and abundant harvests.