How to escape from aphids on currants. How and how to treat currants against aphids after flowering

Aphids are a common pest that like to feast on the green part of the plant. It happens that aphids attack currants when there are already berries on the bush. In this case, it is necessary to do something as quickly as possible to combat these insects and not lose the harvest.

Traditional methods

Every gardener has several effective and safe home methods for controlling aphids in his arsenal.

Soap solution

You need to take 300-400 g of laundry soap, grind it with a grater, and then add it to 10 liters of water. Flexible currant branches can be dipped into the prepared solution.

Or you can use a sprayer to treat the entire bush. In this case, it is necessary to wet the leaves on both sides. But how to use laundry soap against aphids on an apple tree will help you understand this

Garlic infusion

Garlic infusion

Infusion of celandine

Take ½ bucket of finely chopped plant, add water to the brim. Leave for 24 hours, then filter and apply to spray the berry bush. But how to prepare celandine for aphids on trees, and how effective this remedy is, is described in the article

Infusion of celandine

Iodine and milk

You need to take 100 ml of milk and 1 bottle of iodine. Dissolve all this in 1 liter of water. Use the resulting solution to spray the bush. But how does spraying a tomato with iodine during flowering occur, and how effective is this remedy?

Vodka

You need to take a bottle of vodka and place a little liquid soap in it for better adhesion of the solution to the leaves. Treat the affected parts of the plant with the resulting composition. You might also find it useful to know how you can

Soda

You need to take 75 g of soda and add it to 10 liters of water. Spraying with this solution can be carried out at any stage of development of the berry crop.

Infusion of marigolds

This remedy is very effective in the fight against aphids. To prepare the infusion, you need to use dried flowers. Take 10 liters of water and add ½ bucket of fine raw materials. Wait 3 days, then filter and add 50 g of grated soap to the prepared solution. It is also worth paying attention to how you can do

Tomato tops

Using tomato tops, it is possible to obtain an effective solution for combating aphids. For this, 2 kg of dry tops and 4 kg of fresh tops are used. Finely chop the raw material and add 10 liters of water. Set on fire for half an hour.

Cool the resulting solution and store it in the refrigerator. Before use, you need to dilute the concentrated solution with water in a ratio of 1:5.

Celandine

To obtain the solution, take 4 kg of fresh grass. Finely chop it and add 10 liters of water. Wait 24 hours and then apply the solution to treat currant bushes.

Pharmaceutical chamomile

To prepare the solution, take 1 kg of raw materials and 10 liters of water. Wait 12 hours and then filter. Before using the composition, it must be diluted in a ratio of 1:3 with water. To get maximum results, you need to add a little laundry soap.

Dandelions

Yarrow

You need to take 1 kg of dry stems and leaves of the plant, add 2 liters of boiling water. Leave in a water bath for 30 minutes. Before use, dilute the concentrate with 10 liters of water.

Horse sorrel infusion

Take 400 g of raw material, finely chop it and add 10 liters of water. Before using the spray solution, it must be filtered.

Orange peels

Take 100 g of peel, add 1 liter of water. Leave for 3 days. After this, you can spray the plant.

alder leaves

Take 1 kg of raw material and add 5 liters of water. Let it sit for 1 day, but before doing so, simmer the product on the stove for 30 minutes. Before using the decoction, it must be filtered.

In the video - a remedy for aphids on currants:

Chemicals

You can use chemicals to control aphids only a month before the berries ripen. The following formulations remain effective:

  1. Fitoyers, Aktofit. These are biological preparations that effectively control pests. To prepare the solution, you need to use the instructions. The leaves are processed on both sides.

    Phytoyers

  2. Kinmiks. This remedy is also effective against pests. Its components do not accumulate in the fruits, so after 2-3 weeks the berries can be eaten. To prepare the solution, you must use the instructions.

  3. Confidor. This remedy can be called one of the best in the fight against aphids. It is necessary to take 2 g of the drug and dissolve it in a small amount of water (1 l). Before use, the concentrate must be diluted with 10 liters of water. If there is a massive infestation of aphids, then take 4 g of the drug per 10 liters. To obtain maximum results, you can add liquid soap to the solution in an amount of 40-50 g.

    Confidor

  4. Intavir, Decis, Iskra. These drugs are also highly effective, but they should be used when the number of pests on the bushes is insignificant. But how to use the drug spark against the Colorado potato beetle is described in the article

Fumigation of the garden

Fumigation of the garden remains a very common method of combating aphids. For these purposes, you can use tobacco, mushroom or rubber. Fumigation should be carried out before the buds open, as well as at the moment of their opening.

If you choose the option with rubber, then you need to take an old and unnecessary container and place a piece of rubber. Place a smolder under each bush. If you use tobacco or mushroom, then manipulation is carried out using a beekeepers smoker.

It is necessary to fumigate the plants for at least 3 hours. It is best to carry out the manipulation in the evening, when there is no wind. After this, the aphids completely die, and there is no need to use chemicals. The disadvantages of this method include the presence of acrid smoke, which has a detrimental effect on human health.

The video shows the fumigation process:

Ugly swellings and growths on the leaves of red currants at first glance look like a disease, but it was the gall aphid that was at work. Feeding on the juices of the plant, it causes its deformation - traces of vital activity look like healed wounds. The worst thing is that the voracious and prolific insect prefers young shoots, which means it harms not only the current condition of the bush, but also reduces the chances of a good harvest in the future.

Description of the insect, its harmfulness

The leaf gall aphid is one of 4 thousand species of the aphid family that live on the planet. The distribution area of ​​the redcurrant pest is Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, Central Asia, and is currently found wherever this berry bush is grown.

The food source and host plant for the species are red and white currants; sometimes they can slightly colonize black currants. As a facultative (intermediate) plant, it uses herbs of the Lamiaceae family. In the second half of summer or if the colony is overcrowded, the aphid colonizes mint, sage, oregano, thyme, and lavender growing nearby, and is very fond of thyme.

In structure and appearance, gall aphids are similar to their many relatives. A small, egg-shaped insect reaches a length of no more than 2–2.3 mm. The majority of representatives are wingless; winged individuals appear in later generations. Among the differences are a pale, greenish-yellow, almost transparent cover, as well as the presence of small hairs on the body, which is why it is also called hairy.

During the season, from 4 to 19 generations of the insect develop - the warmer the region, the more. It is its fertility that aggravates its harmfulness. One single founder aphid gives life to tens, or even hundreds of thousands of sucking pests. What is the extent of damage from gall aphids that have settled on currants?

  • By sucking out the juices, it depletes the shoots. To “heal” wounds, the plant produces special tissues that form growths at the site of damage - galls. If aphids are not controlled, they will spawn new generations and live on the branches until they dry out.
  • Attracts other pests to the garden, such as ants. Not only do they “graze” aphids, protect their entomophages, and contribute to their spread, but they themselves also feed on the juice of strawberries or grapes.
  • Gall aphids can be carriers of plant viral infections.

Young shoots infected with aphids, even after the destruction of the pest, lag behind in growth, take a long time to recover, and therefore their productivity decreases.

Note! The threat of aphids are entomophagous insects, in particular ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies. But if the colony is guarded by ants, they will not let them get close.

"Family" hierarchy of gall aphids

The life cycle of leaf gall aphids is characterized by the phenomenon of polyformism. This means that different generations of an insect can differ not only in appearance, but also perform different functions. What does the hierarchy of aphids look like throughout the growing season and the full transformation cycle?

  1. The founder aphid hatches from an egg. She is the “foremother” of all generations that will appear during the season. This is a parthenogenetic individual, and is also viviparous, i.e. it gives birth to ready-made insects and only females, which in turn produce the next generation of offspring.
  2. Virgin aphids represent the bulk of gall aphids that we observe on currants. They do not have wings, so the insects are constantly on the host plant; parthenogenetic females give birth to their own kind.
  3. Dispersal aphids are a winged generation; they perform a slightly different function. When the colony grows or the food supply is depleted, they fly to a new place and establish the next settlement.
  4. Aphids are a transitional generation of insects that produce females capable of laying eggs and males.
  5. Female aphids and male aphids are a bisexual generation that provides wintering for the species. Founder aphids emerge from eggs laid in the bark of currant stems in the spring.

How does the pest develop?

The leaf gall aphid lays its eggs under the bark of red currant branches, closer to the buds. Depending on the climate zone and weather conditions, it can stay here for up to 9 months. In the spring, as soon as the buds begin to bloom, the foundresses emerge from the eggs and populate the plant.

Active reproduction of the insect begins from the moment the bush blooms. The peak of harmfulness occurs in June, when the colony reaches its maximum size. In the second half of summer, currant leaves become coarser, and aphids begin to spread to intermediate plants. Several more generations of the pest feed on them. Here a bisexual generation appears, which will return to the currants to lay eggs. This happens closer to autumn.

Ways to combat leaf aphids on currants

An attentive gardener will not miss the appearance of gall aphids on currants; he will immediately take adequate control measures. It is important to notice the deformation of young leaves at the initial stage of the growing season. On them, galls look like small red spots. In addition, the presence of the pest last season is a serious reason to begin preventive measures on the bush as early as possible.

Prevention of infection of berry bushes

In order not to rack your brains about how to get rid of gall aphids, you can try to prevent their appearance. What is recommended to do for this?

  1. In early spring, before the buds open, or in the fall, after leaf fall, spray the bushes and tree trunk area with a solution of nitrafen. The drug is harmful to the leaves (it burns them), so treatment should not be delayed. Its advantage is that it destroys the eggs of wintering pests. For currants, use a 3% solution (30 ml/l of water). To process an adult bush you will need approximately 0.5 liters.
  2. To protect the berry garden from insects from outside, for example, from neighbors, it is recommended to plant plants with a pungent odor - calendula, marigolds, chamomile - next to the berry bush.
  3. Destroy weeds in the garden, especially nettle (another name is dead nettle). This perennial weed is an intermediate host for the gall aphid, for which it will thank you.

Advice! One of the options for destroying gall aphid eggs, which can be found in the literature, is scalding the bush with boiling water in the spring. Only one’s own experience can show how effective this is.

Mechanical method

At the initial stage of infection, mechanical removal of shoots with a colony of pests is recommended. The bush is carefully inspected, all branches with the slightest deformation of the leaves are cut out. If at least a few individuals remain, they will quickly reproduce again. The cut shoots must be disposed of, preferably burned. This control method gives a good effect when combined with treatment with natural insecticides.

Advice! Along with young growth, the insect is very fond of fatty shoots. When pruning a bush in spring, first remove the wen and cut out all the excess shoots.

Spraying with natural insecticides: recipes

Some plants contain large quantities of fungicides, pyrethrins, and other substances that have a destructive effect on gall aphids, so they are widely used to control the pest. To enhance the negative impact, it is recommended to add soap to the infusions, which envelops the insect and blocks its access to oxygen (aphids breathe through the skin). Here are the recipes for several popular infusions.

  1. Based on tobacco dust. To prepare a bucket of infusion you will need 300 g of herbal preparation. It is poured with boiling water and left for 2-3 days. The settled solution is filtered, 100 g of laundry soap dissolved in water is added. You can also use tar soap or other liquid detergent, for example, for dishes.
  2. Infusion of marigolds. For infusion, take half a bucket of crushed flowers, fill them with 10 liters of hot water and infuse for 48 hours. Add 50 g of liquid soap to the finished strained infusion.
  3. Infusion of mustard powder. To prepare 10 liters of working solution you will need 25 g of dry mustard. First, prepare a concentrate - pour mustard powder with a liter of boiling water and leave for 2 days. Then it is brought to full volume, soap is added.

Biochemical method of struggle

When the gall aphid has already multiplied, it is impossible to do without chemicals to combat it. Considering the toxicity and shelf life of toxic components in plant tissues, it is recommended to spray currants with insecticides at the budding stage, and a second time after harvesting. Spraying with Calypso, Confidor Maxi, Aktelik, Vofatox, Proteus gives a long-term effect.

In addition to chemical insecticides, a modern “herbal pharmacy” offers biological preparations that are harmless to humans and domestic animals. They are made from spore bacteria, fungal components, and viruses. Entering the insect's body with food, they affect the intestinal tract, paralyzing and destroying it. Examples of such drugs are Avertin, Actofit, Bitoxibacillin.

Fighting aphids on currants:

Gardeners with extensive experience know that if red and white currants have red veins on the surface of the foliage, they are 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 temperatures and dry air. Read about other reasons for the appearance of insects, principles of their destruction, popular folk methods and preventive measures.

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 white sticky film appears on the surface of the foliage. 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. Herbal infusions and decoctions that exhibit excellent insecticidal and phytoncidal properties have proven themselves well.

For greater efficiency, 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. The inner side of the leaf plate deserves the most attention. This is where harmful insects most often settle. 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 other folk control measures would be the use of potato tops. It needs to be crushed, poured with warm water and left for 1 hour.
  • Onions will also come to the aid of the gardener. 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 excellent remedy is 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 fresh leaves. It needs to be infused for about 1 day in 10 liters of liquid.
  • It is also possible 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. The finished product must be brought 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 later in choosing the best means 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”

From this video you will learn about effective ways to control aphids on plants.

Without guile, we can say that aphids are one of the most terrible pests in a summer cottage. Monstrously tenacious and prolific creatures infect a huge number of garden and vegetable crops, the most “annoying” one. She is able to settle also, and, of course, on berry bushes, which, unfortunately, also does not pass by. To combat a small pest, you need to constantly apply a number of measures aimed at preventing and protecting currants, as well as gooseberries. Moreover, these can be both folk remedies and chemical preparations against pests (insecticides).

What aphid attacks currants: types and signs of damage to the bush

Usually, peak aphid activity falls on May June, although the pest does not sleep during the summer, actively reproducing and populating the entire garden with its offspring.

Life cycle of aphids next: in early spring, when the temperature rises, insects emerge from the laid eggs and begin to multiply quickly, feeding on the juices of the plant. Malicious pests (wingless form) suck them out (the juices) with the help of their proboscis, piercing the youngest and most tender leaves, shoots and buds. When there are too many aphids and the plant dries out, a generation of a winged form is born, the individuals of which scatter to neighboring bushes. In autumn, eggs are laid in favorite places.

Typically damage such as swollen, twisted, and then reddened leaves currants and gooseberries with accumulations of larvae on the inside of young leaves, testify about what's on your site a small and dangerous pest has settled - aphids.

Most often, currants are affected two varieties of aphids, each of which prefers its own berry color: gall - red and white, and gooseberry - black.

By the way! Aphids and ants are good friends (faithful companions), since the latter love to feed on the carbohydrate secretions (molasses) of our small pests, carrying them from one place to another. So the fight against aphids is also...

Gall aphid (leaf)

If on red or white currants characteristic red spots in the form of swellings(these bubbles do not immediately acquire color), this means that your berry bush has been attacked by gall aphids ( Capitophorus ribis).

As a rule, she hiding exactly on the back of the leaves and it is very difficult to see it, since it is even smaller than (less than 2 mm).

If you do not detect it in time and take appropriate measures, it will begin gradual death of leaves. Then, naturally, significantly productivity will fall, and the bush itself will begin to slowly die.

Gooseberry aphid (shoot)

Find out what's on your black currants I was attacked by gooseberry aphids ( Aphis grossulariae), possible by curled leaves at the tops of shoots(looks like a cocoon).

By the way! Leaves twisted into cocoons are very convenient for aphids for their own protection, because predator insects cannot see them.

If you unfold these leaves, you will see a huge number of aphids and their eternal companions, or rather defenders and carriers - ants.

Because of this fruit bush start to get smaller, they have taste disappears and they might even start fall off spontaneously.

Video: aphids on currants - where they come from and how to fight them

Methods for controlling aphids on currants: folk, chemical and biological remedies

You can defeat aphids on currants in a fairly short time if you spray the berry bushes in early spring with certain insecticidal preparations.

But if you know that your shrubs are usually not very heavily affected, then you can use less aggressive folk remedies to control aphids, especially for small infestations.

The easiest way is to wash away the aphids with a sharp stream of water from the hose from the back of the leaves (90% of the aphids fall and die).

Important! The main thing is not to miss the moment and spray the currants before flowering or immediately after the first ovaries form.

The treatment can also be carried out in the fall, after harvesting.

Rules for treating currant bushes against aphids:

  • Self spraying usually do down up so that the lower surface of the sheet is better processed.
  • As for the time of day, treatment of currants against aphids should be carried out in the early morning or late evening, naturally, not in rainy weather.
  • When you treat leaves of white or red currants for gall aphids, do not forget to turn the leaves over, and for gooseberry aphids, unroll them to spray directly on the pest. That is why it is more convenient to use a hand-held sprayer rather than a standard large sprayer.

Note! The means of combating gall and gooseberry aphids are absolutely the same, that is, they will help get rid of any of its varieties.

Video: spraying currants against aphids

Chemicals

If the currant suffers from a severe infestation of the disease, then only chemical agents (insecticides) to combat aphids will help you.

The most popular chemical preparations against aphids are (the active substance, the method of penetration, and the chemical class of the product are indicated in brackets):



By the way! From overwintering stages of pests The drug has proven itself well 30 Plus(Vaseline oil, contact action, mineral oil class) and Preventative(Vaseline oil and Malathion (Karbofos), enteric-contact action, class mineral oils + organophosphorus compounds (OPS).

Note! Aphids are one of those pests that are almost impossible to completely defeat; they will constantly infect your berry bushes.

Therefore, some gardeners believe that if you often use chemicals, this is unlikely to have a good effect on your plants and the usefulness of their fruits.

However, it is still worth considering that at the end of the waiting period, the drug completely dissolves and evaporates, in other words, chemicals do not accumulate in plants.

Biological drugs

It is much more environmentally friendly to use special biological agents against aphids on currants.

As a rule, biological products are based on bacterial strains, but there are also those made from the toxic secretions of a soil fungus - Aversectin S (for example, Fitoverm, Aktofit - these are all analogues).

Among the most common biological remedies for aphids on berry bushes are the following (the active substance, method of penetration, and chemical class of the product are indicated in brackets):


  • Tobacco dust (Nicotine , enteric contact action, class plant insecticides).

Important! The main advantage of using biological and folk remedies to combat aphids is that literally 1-2 days after treatment (be sure to read the instructions) you can eat currant berries.

Many of the listed drugs also help in the fight against weevils, including other plants.

Plucking and destroying affected leaves

If in early spring you notice curled, swollen and reddened currant leaves affected by aphids (when their numbers are still minimal), then simply tear them all off or cut them off, and then burn them.

Video: aphids on currants, what to do - pick off infected leaves

By the way! also carried out as a treatment against aphids.

Folk remedies: ammonia, soda

A fairly safe and effective means of controlling aphids on currants is ammonia (ammonia solution).

Important! This treatment can be carried out even when the currants are already forming fruits (that is, in June). Moreover, you can completely safely use the leaves to make tea.

To prepare the spray solution you will need:

  • any detergent (it is best to make a soap solution from laundry soap, although you can take the most ordinary liquid soap or use some kind of dishwashing detergent) for better adhesion. Approximately 30-40 grams or 2 tbsp. spoons of liquid product.
  • 8-10 liters of warm clean water (initially you can dissolve everything in 1 liter);
  • 10% ammonia (ammonia) - 2 tbsp. spoons (or 30-40 ml).

By the way! In general, ammonia is also a very effective nitrogen fertilizer.

Video: ammonia for aphids on currants

Soda

To prepare the working solution you will need to take approximately 10 tbsp. spoons baking soda and dissolve in 1 bucket of water. To make the product stick better to the leaves, also add a little grated laundry soap (30-40 grams per 10 liters).

But, according to gardeners, a much more effective remedy against aphids on currant leaves is to spray them soda ash with the addition of iodine (will help against powdery mildew).

The recipe is as follows: 2 tbsp. l. soda ash, 1 tsp. iodine per 10 liters of water, as well as 30-40 grams of laundry or tar (even better) soap, if liquid, then 2 tbsp. spoons.

Video: super remedy for aphids - soda ash and iodine

Herbal infusions and decoctions

Important recommendation! Berry bushes should be treated with herbal infusions before they bloom or after harvesting. In other words, you need to spray them when there are no aphids yet, then they simply won’t land on this plant. It is hardly possible to get rid of aphids on currants during the period of their activation in this way.

The following plants are suitable as folk remedies for fighting aphids using herbal infusions (calculating approximately 300-400 grams per 10 liters of warm water):

  • tomato tops (infusion time - 5 hours);
  • potato tops ( 1 kg, let it brew for 3 hours);
  • onions (namely chopped heads, 5 hours);
  • garlic (chopped heads, 4-5 days);
  • dry tobacco leaves (2 days);
  • chamomile (dry grass and inflorescences, 12 hours);
  • dandelions (leaves and roots, 3 hours);
  • marigolds (fill a bucket with green mass along with inflorescences, let it brew for 2 days);
  • horse sorrel (roots, infusion time - 3 hours);
  • pine (1 kg of needles, leave for 7 days);

Important! Before using it, do not forget to add 40 grams of soap (laundry or tar) per 10 liters to each solution and first strain.

Aphids are very small in size, due to which their colonies include hundreds and thousands of individuals. These insects are fertile and voracious. A colony of aphids can destroy an entire currant plantation in the shortest possible time. Individuals actively suck juice from leaves and young shoots, which ultimately leads to the death of the plant.

Periods

At different periods of plant development, aphids can destroy its most unprotected parts. In addition, strong insecticides cannot be used in certain life cycles, which complicates the fight against insects. In early spring, as soon as the temperature rises, insects begin to emerge from the clutch of eggs and reproduce very quickly, feeding on the sap of the plant. Read about processing currants with ammonia.

It will be easier to deal with aphids if in the spring you remove all the leaves on which reddish swellings have formed - galls, since they contain colonies of insects.

During flowering

At this time, aphids begin to actively reproduce and destroy young foliage. During the flowering period of currants, very limited use of pesticides is allowed, since toxic substances can accumulate in the ovary and the crop may be unfit for consumption. Destruction of aphids by treating with insecticides during flowering is justified only if the entire currant plantation may be under threat of damage.

After flowering

After flowering and during fruit set, aphids can cause serious harm to currant bushes. During this period, you should choose the right means of insect control so as not to damage the crop. If the aphid colony is small, then they can be collected from the plant with a damp cloth and then destroyed. It is better to carefully tear off leaves that are heavily covered with insects. This method is labor-intensive and not very effective, so gardeners have to use chemicals.

These drugs should be used very carefully, following the enclosed instructions. A simple and quite effective method is sprinkling. Water should be supplied under pressure and in thin streams. In this case, small insects will simply be washed away to the ground. Sprinkling should not be used during the flowering process, as this will lead to shedding of flowers.

During berry ripening

When currant berries begin to ripen, they receive all their substances from the juices of the plant itself. During this period, strong chemical insecticides cannot be used to kill aphids, since the active components enter the currant bush through the pores of the leaves and, together with the juices, end up in the berries. The active ingredients of chemicals are nerve poisons that can have a negative effect on humans. To destroy aphids, you can use the drug "Inta-Vir".

During the fruiting period

At this time, chemical insecticides are strictly prohibited, since after treating the plant the drug will remain on the berries. Even thorough washing cannot always rid the berries of chemical residues. You can use the biological preparation “Fitoverm”, but experienced gardeners recommend using only environmentally friendly components during this period. These can be decoctions or infusions of fragrant herbs that aphids cannot tolerate.

It is best for gardeners to prevent large colonies of aphids from forming at harvest time. Preventive preventive measures should be carried out in early spring. Many gardeners use a solution of laundry soap to spray currant bushes. Take 2-3 tablespoons of soap per liter of water and spray the plants with this solution using a spray bottle. Scented toilet soap cannot be used for this purpose, since some aromatic components do not repel, but, on the contrary, attract pests. Read how to treat currants against aphids during flowering.

When the leaves bloomed

Fresh greens are a favorite food of aphids, so colonies of these insects can be easily seen on the underside of the leaves.

Compositions based on garlic and red pepper not only destroy insects, but also increase the immunity of currants.

To combat gall aphids, you can use an infusion of tomato tops. This simple remedy also helps fight mites, moths and fleas.

Root treatments

Root treatments of currants should begin in the spring, as soon as the snow melts.

At this time, aphid individuals begin to emerge from oviposition, and the plant buds have not yet woken up and begun to open. At this time, the bushes can be safely treated with any preparations.

It is necessary to completely clear the root circle from the remains of old foliage and dig it up. The top layer of soil can be treated with insecticides.

During the summer, you need to regularly remove weeds, as many of them are breeding grounds for harmful insects.

Tillage

The main type of soil treatment, in addition to loosening it, is disinfection. The first procedure is carried out in the spring. One of the most popular soil disinfectants is Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate solution. Read about. This inexpensive but effective drug allows you not only to fight harmful bacteria and fungi, but also destroys harmful insects. This composition can treat the soil throughout the season. For autumn tillage, bleach may be suitable, but it must be handled very carefully due to its high toxicity.

Fumigation

It is believed that this procedure is not very effective, but gardeners regularly use it in the fight against various types of aphids. Rubber or tobacco is used for this. This procedure must be carried out before the buds open, when they have only opened a little. For fumigation with rubber, pieces from an old car tire are suitable. The rubber is placed in a metal container, which is placed under a currant bush and set on fire. For fumigation with tobacco, a beekeeping smoker is used. The entire procedure should be carried out in the evening, in calm weather, and take at least three hours, during which the aphid dies completely. He will tell you how to fight aphids using folk remedies.

Folk remedies in the fight against aphids

In addition to the use of folk remedies for spraying bushes, some other techniques have become widespread. This is, first of all, planting certain plants.

What to plant

It has been noticed that aphids cannot stand the smell of some types of plants, so if you plant such plants next to currant bushes, the risk of aphid infection will be minimal.

Aphids and some other insects avoid settling where the following plants are present:

  • tansy;
  • marigold;
  • yarrow
  • pharmaceutical chamomile.

Attracting Birds

Natural enemies of aphids are small birds such as sparrows, tits and warblers. To attract them, you need to hang feeders, drinkers and install birdhouses in your garden plot. He will tell you why swollen buds appear on currants.

Attracting insects

Aphids serve as food for some types of insects. These include earwigs, crickets, hover flies and some other insects. The ladybug and its larvae are especially active in destroying aphids. You can purchase such insects in specialized stores. To attract beneficial insects, you can plant dill and parsley next to the currants, and for earwigs, place small pots with sawdust where these insects will hide.

Video

Video about fighting aphids on currants.

conclusions

  1. It is necessary to begin preventive measures against aphids in early spring.
  2. Scalding bushes with boiling water is a simple but effective method.
  3. When aphids appear, you should use folk remedies and only then apply insecticides.
  4. If the currant bush is severely affected, it needs to be uprooted and burned.