The appearance of midges on tomatoes can be very annoying. They appear mainly in greenhouses and greenhouses, in some years they are settled on tomatoes and in open field. Heat and frequent short rains are the conditions under which insects are activated.
whitefly ( white midge)
mushroom mosquito
Two types of midges harm tomatoes, these are the mushroom mosquito and the whitefly. The mushroom mosquito has a black body and transparent wings; it is popularly called the black midge. The whitefly, on the other hand, is an insect white color, slightly smaller than a mushroom mosquito.
The whitefly sucks the juice from the leaves and shoots of tomatoes, a large accumulation of insects brings significant harm. White midges are gluttonous, they destroy a bed of tomatoes in a week. The whitefly settles mainly on the underside of the leaves, they quickly become covered with a sticky coating - the result of waste products, and then turn black. Left without leaves, tomatoes feel oppressed and do not form full-fledged fruits.
For some time, when the plants are colonized, the whitefly is imperceptible, insects take off if they touch the tomatoes.
The whitefly lays its eggs on the leaves of plants, and its larvae continue to damage the plants by sucking the juice out of them.
The mushroom mosquito is no less dangerous for tomatoes, it is often confused with other midges, which are not dangerous for tomatoes and do not take action in time. It can be distinguished by its transparent wings. The insect lays larvae in the topsoil, they white tone with a black head. Being in the ground, the larvae feed on the roots of tomatoes, they choose those that are thinner. With a massive accumulation of insects, vegetables die. Adult black midges prefer to settle on the tops of plants, feed on young leaves and destroy the growing point.
What harm do midges do to tomatoes
Both black and white midges are dangerous because they carry various diseases, so they need to be dealt with in a timely manner, otherwise, for all measures taken Prevention Tomatoes will become infected with bacterial diseases.
Midge larvae overwinter on plant debris and in the soil, so I always observe crop rotation. Somehow I encountered an invasion of mosquitoes and whiteflies immediately after planting tomatoes, the weather was favorable and insects quickly settled on still fragile tomatoes, and I lost most of the crop. This happened because I planted tomatoes after tomatoes, on the same bed as last season.
How to deal with midges on tomatoes with folk methods
Now, when midges appear, I take action immediately. In greenhouses I hang special sticky yellow ribbons - these are traps for whiteflies. As the tapes fill with insects, I change them. As an alternative, I also fix yellow tape.
In the corners of the greenhouse I plant marigolds and calendula, I prefer dwarf varieties so as not to shade the tomatoes.
In the open ground, to combat midges, I place dill, the plant attracts those pests that prey on midges.
A good effect is given by spraying the plants with an infusion of garlic cloves, I grind a glass of garlic and pour a liter of water, insist for about two days, dilute it in a bucket of liquid and spray it.
I also use a different recipe for spraying tomatoes from midges: I take a spoonful of pepper, three tablespoons of dry mustard, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, stir in a liter of water and insist for a couple of days. Then I dilute with five liters of water and spray.
I spend all spraying in dry weather, preferably in the morning or evening hours, then the pests are most active. During the daytime they hide.
In addition to plants, I also cultivate the soil in order to destroy fallen insects and their larvae. Before spraying, I loosen the ground so that the drug gets on the pests that have settled in it.
Eco-friendly spraying is convenient because it can be carried out at any stage of plant development.
How to drive away midges with ready-made preparations
When a significant number of midges appear on plants, I use ready-made preparations such as basudin and thunder-2, with their help, they fight mosquito larvae in the soil. I mix it with peat or sand and scatter the mixture around the tomatoes. I repeat the operation in a month or a little more often if it rains. In a greenhouse, the action of drugs lasts for a month and a half. Via finished products i protect root system plants.
Against insects on tomatoes, I use Actellik or Karbofos sprays. I carry out the processing with gloves and a respirator.
Processing of foliage of tomatoes can be carried out no closer than three weeks before harvest.
The midge on tomatoes cannot be considered a harmless phenomenon, since these insects can cause irreparable harm to tomatoes in the process of their development, and achieve good harvest will be extremely problematic. The fact is that most varieties of wingless and winged midges belong to aphids.
Small black flies with wings, which often strike the inside of the leaves and feed on juices, are popularly known as cicadas. These insects are winged aphids, and their life cycle is directly related to the ants that are present on the plots. Usually these flies hide in ant nests at night, and midge eggs can also be stored there. Fighting black midges is extremely difficult. The problem is that under the leaves, where they hide, there is often a large accumulation of them, and it is not possible to eliminate them manually, since these insects, although they do not have a high ability to fly, can still move to another bush in case of obvious danger. .
Many gardeners note that the fight against black cicada should be comprehensive. First of all, it is necessary to determine the location of anthills on the site and apply chemical agents to eliminate nests. This will reduce the number of eggs from which adults will later appear.
Given that midges on tomatoes tend to appear in large numbers during periods when spraying plants with chemicals is undesirable, many modern gardeners prefer folk remedies that are more effective. To such effective means relate:
- a solution of hot pepper, mustard and garlic;
- infusion of dandelions;
- decoction of onion peel;
- vinegar solution.
Folk remedies are really effective against the black midge, which often affects the leaves of tomatoes. To protect tomato seedlings and scare away midges, you can effectively use a solution made on the basis of hot pepper, garlic and mustard. All these components contain substances that are a natural poison for midges, so you can get a quick high-quality result.
To prepare a decoction, you should take 1 bag of red hot ground pepper, about 3 tbsp. mustard and 3-5 garlic cloves. It is very important to chop the garlic to a gruel, and then mix with other ingredients and pour 5 liters warm water. The resulting solution should be left to infuse for 3 days, after which it can be filtered and sprayed with the soil around the tomato seedlings and the plants themselves.
Dandelion juice also contains substances that are not tolerated by leafhoppers, so this weed makes an excellent remedy to eliminate pests such as black midges.
- To prepare such a remedy, you need to take about 1 kg of dandelion and pour 1 bucket of water.
- You can add 1 tbsp to the infusion to enhance the effect. washing powder and 1 sachet of red ground pepper.
- The infusion should stand in a warm place for at least 1 day, after which it can be filtered and used to spray tomatoes and the ground around them.
Small flies that stick around tomato seedlings cannot tolerate a decoction of onion peel and vinegar. However, vinegar should be diluted with water so that the plants do not get burned.
Why does a white midge appear on tomatoes and how to eliminate it
The whitefly is easier to deal with folk methods.
On the open areas in order to combat the whitefly, it is recommended to plant a large number of dill, as this umbrella plant attracts ticks and wasps that kill whiteflies in large numbers. With the close proximity of dill and tomatoes, cases of a large accumulation of white midges are extremely rare.
In greenhouse conditions, to eliminate the whitefly, it is possible to treat the entire room with sulfurous smoke, which also contributes to the death of both adult insects and eggs. Garlic solution also helps to cope with pest eggs, for the preparation of which approximately 150 g of peeled garlic is taken per 1 liter of water. After the aqueous solution has been infused for 5 days, it must be diluted with 6 liters of water and sprayed on all plants, giving Special attention areas under the leaves. In addition, tar soap suds can be used to eliminate white midge eggs.
How to prepare an effective ointment from midges (video)
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The midge on tomatoes cannot be considered a harmless phenomenon, since these insects can cause irreparable harm to tomatoes in the process of their development, and it will be extremely problematic to achieve a good harvest. The fact is that most varieties of wingless and winged midges belong to aphids.
Small black flies with wings, which often strike the inside of the leaves and feed on juices, are popularly known as cicadas. These insects are winged aphids and their life cycle is directly related to the ants that are present on the plots. Usually these flies hide in ant nests at night, and midge eggs can also be stored there. Fighting black midges is extremely difficult. The problem is that under the leaves, where they hide, there is often a large accumulation of them, and it is not possible to eliminate them manually, since these insects, although they do not have a high ability to fly, can still move to another bush in case of obvious danger. .
Many gardeners note that the fight against black cicada should be comprehensive. First of all, it is necessary to determine the location of anthills on the site and apply chemical agents to eliminate nests. This will reduce the number of eggs from which adults will later appear.
Given that midges on tomatoes tend to appear in large numbers during periods when spraying plants with chemicals is undesirable, many modern gardeners prefer folk remedies that are more effective. These effective tools include:
- a solution of hot pepper, mustard and garlic;
- infusion of dandelions;
- decoction of onion peel;
- vinegar solution.
Folk remedies are really effective against the black midge, which often affects the leaves of tomatoes. To protect tomato seedlings and scare away midges, you can effectively use a solution made on the basis of hot pepper, garlic and mustard. All these components contain substances that are a natural poison for midges, so you can get a quick high-quality result.
To prepare a decoction, you should take 1 bag of red hot ground pepper, about 3 tbsp. mustard and 3-5 garlic cloves. It is very important to chop the garlic to a gruel, and then mix with other ingredients and pour 5 liters of warm water. The resulting solution should be left to infuse for 3 days, after which it can be filtered and sprayed with the soil around the tomato seedlings and the plants themselves.
Dandelion juice also contains substances that are not tolerated by leafhoppers, so this weed makes an excellent remedy to eliminate pests such as black midges.
- To prepare such a remedy, you need to take about 1 kg of dandelion and pour 1 bucket of water.
- You can add 1 tbsp to the infusion to enhance the effect. washing powder and 1 bag of red ground pepper.
- The infusion should stand in a warm place for at least 1 day, after which it can be filtered and used to spray tomatoes and the ground around them.
Small flies that stick around tomato seedlings cannot tolerate a decoction of onion peel and vinegar. However, vinegar should be diluted with water so that the plants do not get burned.
Why does a white midge appear on tomatoes and how to eliminate it
The whitefly is easier to deal with folk methods.
In open areas, to control whiteflies, it is recommended to plant a large amount of dill, as this umbrella plant attracts ticks and wasps that destroy whiteflies in large numbers. With the close proximity of dill and tomatoes, cases of a large accumulation of white midges are extremely rare.
In greenhouse conditions, to eliminate the whitefly, it is possible to treat the entire room with sulfurous smoke, which also contributes to the death of both adult insects and eggs. Garlic solution also helps to cope with pest eggs, for the preparation of which approximately 150 g of peeled garlic is taken per 1 liter of water. After the aqueous solution has been infused for 5 days, it must be diluted with 6 liters of water and sprayed on all plants, paying special attention to areas under the leaves. In addition, tar soap suds can be used to eliminate white midge eggs.
How to prepare an effective ointment from midges (video)
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» Tomatoes (tomatoes)
It's nice to pick a tomato grown with your own hands from the garden, just eat it or cook something tasty and healthy. But it becomes insulting to tears when pests spoil the crop. In appearance, small, but far from harmless white midges, drink life-giving juices from the plant, multiply, but they are controlled. In this article, we will find out how and with what you can deal with these tomato flies, and whether you can get rid of them forever.
High fecundity leads to the fact that the leaves are completely covered with it. More often, white and black midges settle on tomatoes. The first is called the whitefly, the second winged aphid is popularly called the cicada.
Whitefly close-up on a leaf It also suffers from the enzymes of midges, in the spores of which there are sooty fungi that destroy green tissues. The surface of the leaves acquires a brilliant sheen, and the wounded places become covered with bloom, blacken.
At the sight of yellowed curled plants, some begin to moisten the soil abundantly, do not rush. Initially, you need to inspect or touch the plates. If a flock of small white insects took off, then the problem is not drought.
Black leafhopper and the reasons for its appearance on seedlings
There is black small midge with and without wings. Its life cycle depends on the presence of ants on the household plot. Ant nests serve as a home for them at night, they can also lay eggs there. They do not have good flight ability, but in case of danger they quickly move to neighboring bushes and form mass clusters. They feed, like whiteflies, on nutritious juices, they strike more often inside leaves.
The reasons for the appearance of both are similar:
- heat, high humidity, lack of wind;
- planting density, both in greenhouses and on open ground;
- application of untested fertilizers, incl. infected manure;
- planting seedlings infected with pest larvae.
With the climatic factors listed above, white and black insects can spread to all cultures over the summer. Pests live up to 25 days, i.е. during the warm season, several generations are replaced.
Some summer residents try to deal with small pest formations with a hose, washing them off with water, or destroying them with their hands. Such manipulations are ineffective. Rather help:
- Fumigation method. It is carried out in greenhouses at least 2 times a year. Evaporation, stagnant air, heat in them are an excellent environment for midges and the formation of soot fungus. Sulfur candles will help. Previously, it is better to temporarily carry the tomatoes away.
- Chemical attack. It is carried out with mild pesticidal, organic insecticide substances with an abundance of insects. Means on pyrethrins, fatty acids, vegetable esters will be safer. Popular against midges: "Aktafit", "Fufanon", "Pegasus". Gardening stores offer many options. Strictly according to the attached instructions, solutions are prepared. Tomatoes are processed 3 times every 5 days. There are single use drugs. You need to carefully study the composition and rules for working with them.
Aiming for quick release from pests, do not use aggressive pesticides. They are able to accumulate in the ground, are difficult to remove. Also, the substance must correspond to a certain stage of insect development (adult, larva, caterpillar).
Fly killing methods proven over the years
It would be preferable to give first place to folk methods of dealing with whitefly or black cicada. Chemical treatment should be started when they did not help. The main enemies of midges - laundry soap and vinegar (alkali, acid). Solutions are prepared with them:
- take 2 tbsp. spoons liquid soap, dissolved with 0.5 l of water, add sunflower oil;
- 10 g of soap, diluted in 10 liters of warm water with a glass of ash;
- 1 st. a spoonful of 9% vinegar per liter.
Does not like aphids and individuals of its varieties hot peppers, garlic, mustard. 200 g of chopped garlic insist in a bucket of water, stirring. Before use, 50 g of dry mustard and 20 hot red pepper are poured. onion peel will also help. It is boiled for half an hour, the solution should have a high concentration: 300 g per small bucket.
Processing tomatoes with pesticides Treat with such recharge twice: in the morning and in the evening.
Pulling out weeds, tops, digging up the earth, removing compost will also not be superfluous and will help get rid of flies. If possible, tomatoes are taken out in a cool place. You can build a trap in the greenhouse. Spaced pieces of bright yellow plywood are smeared with glue. A regular sticky tape from flies will come in handy.
Worth a try biological method, which lies in attracting insects that eat midge larvae . Prudent summer residents are planted next to tomato seedlings fragrant herbs, they attract:
- ladybugs;
- wasps, bees;
- lacewing;
- hoverflies.
White and black midges do not tolerate the smell of calendula, dill, onion, garlic.
The sweet liquid secreted by harmful insects attracts ants. The presence of trails near the beds signals their presence. Therefore, anthills also need to be disposed of, because eggs are stored there.
In order for tomatoes to grow healthy, you should not plant them densely, even if there is not much land. When plants are next to each other, a lack of light and nutrients in the soil is formed. The shoots are weakening, and the whitefly is not asleep. She finishes the culture, ruins the harvest. So no need to make a close landing. Preferably fewer large whole tomatoes than large quantity painful fruits from one site.
It is often found, and brings quite a few problems, as it sticks around tomato bushes and interferes with the further growth of fruits. If the midge is not destroyed in a timely manner, this will lead to the death of the crop.
Leafhopper reproduction occurs very quickly, the larvae intensively settle throughout the plant. Per short term aphids with maximum speed move to tomato bushes in the neighborhood and fill the entire plantation. If the necessary measures are not taken to combat the black midge, the damaged stems begin to dry out and die.
Experienced gardeners are taking preventive measures to keep the leafhopper out of tomato bushes. Various fragrant herbs are planted next to the tomatoes, which attract insects dangerous for the black midge:
- hoverflies;
- lacewing;
- ladybugs.
If there are anthills on the site, immediately get rid of them. Ants protect black aphids, as they love to feed on the sweet secret that they secrete.
Get rid of weeds in a timely manner, as aphids feed on the juice of tomato bushes, and settle on weeds.
The black midge does not tolerate the smell of some plants, so you can plant tomatoes next to bushes:
- garlic;
- horseradish;
- calendula;
- Dill.
Black midges, sucking out plant sap, not only make tomato bushes weaker, reducing their resistance to diseases, but are also carriers of viral and mycoplasmal diseases. As a result, tomato leaves quickly deform, turn yellow, begin to dry out and eventually fall off. The affected plant subsequently produces ugly and not quite developed fruits with a tasteless taste.
Fighting methods
When there are few black midges on tomatoes, you can simply crush them with your hands, and then wash the bush with water pressure. However, it is worth taking into account that the surviving pests will rush back to the tomato bushes as quickly as possible.
Adults can be easily disposed of with a special adhesive tape for flying insects, and larvae that live in the upper layer of the earth can be removed with a weak solution of vinegar, or potassium permanganate.
If you sprinkle a little tobacco dust into a container with seedlings, or put garlic cloves, the smell will scare away midges, which means they will not be able to breed.
Chemicals
If there are too many black midges, you will have to resort to help chemicals such as, pesticides, organic insecticides. Safer preparations for use in horticulture are those based on fatty acids, plant oils and pyrethrins. They not only help fight aphids, but also increase the plant's resistance to disease.
The most effective drugs to combat black midge are:
- Fozalon;
- Aktafit;
- Fastcord;
- Aktar;
- benzophosphate;
- Fufanon
Any of these means has a fast and strong action, as well as a long period of protection. Each drug comes with detailed instructions indicating the dosage and method of its application. It is necessary to carry out at least three treatments with an interval of approximately 7 days.
Plants are treated from early morning and always in dry weather.
Some gardeners use sulfuric smoke in greenhouses with tomatoes to fight midges. After processing, the entire population dies, both adults and their eggs. Smoke is obtained by spreading sulfur powder on hot baking sheets.
Chemical preparations should not be used when the ripening period of tomatoes begins, in which case it is better to resort to safer folk remedies.
Folk remedies
For effective fight with black midge experienced gardeners apply time-tested folk remedies, which are not only safe for all plants, but also do not harm human health.
Solutions are prepared with the addition of household or any liquid soap for better adhesion to the plant, and any of the following is used as the main component:
- red ground pepper;
- mustard powder;
- arrows of garlic;
- onion peel;
- ash;
- sagebrush;
- dandelion leaves.
To prepare a poisonous potion for mosquitoes, you can combine the listed ingredients.
Aphids do not like a decoction of celandine with wormwood very much:
- one part of the herb is infused for 20 minutes in two parts of hot water;
- the decoction is diluted 1:10;
- 20 g of laundry soap is added; ·
- plantings of tomatoes are plentifully sprayed.
An effective and most common remedy for combating black midge on tomatoes is a solution of ash and garlic:
- finely chop 7-10 cloves of garlic, pour a liter of warm water and leave overnight;
- in a bucket with cold water pour a glass of ash;
- pour in the garlic mass;
- add a little household, or any liquid soap;
- Spray plants generously.
The prepared solutions are effective until the first watering, then their effectiveness is already reduced, so treatments will have to be carried out often.
Save seedlings
Due to too abundant watering in cold weather, midges can start on tomato seedlings. To fight it, folk remedies will help, since chemicals harmful to young shoots.
Tomato seedlings should be watered with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, or 1 tablespoon of vinegar diluted in a liter of water.
Many gardeners, in order to avoid the appearance of midges on young shoots, sprinkle ashes over the soil in pots. Insects will not be able to hide in the ground and lay eggs.
Preventive measures to combat cicada
If the black midge attacks annually, and given its rapid fecundity and unpretentiousness, it is necessary to take preventive measures to reduce the insect population.
- Plant odorous plants along the tomato rows with a sharp and bad smell: garlic, onion, fragrant herbs. They repel pests.
- Kill all weeds in the greenhouse. Adult aphids live on grassy vegetation, flying to tomato bushes, laying eggs.
- Do not dig up accidentally grown dill in the beds with tomatoes. On it, or rather on its umbrellas live beneficial insects aphids.
- Aphids hibernate on fruit bushes and trees, it is necessary to remove the exfoliated bark in a timely manner and whitewash with lime. ·
- Take action against ants.
- After harvesting, destroy all vegetation from infected beds.
Some gardeners in greenhouses put containers with a vigorous infusion of onions and garlic, and mustard is planted along the rows.