How to deal with aphids on eggplant outdoors and in the greenhouse

If aphids appear on eggplants in a greenhouse, it can be completely destroyed in just a few days. Effective insecticides and folk remedies begin to act in the first hours, and after 2-3 days, a significant part of the pests perishes. Therefore, it is useful to know what to do when aphids are detected and how to prepare solutions yourself.

5 signs of aphids

You need to fight aphids immediately after finding it. It is quite easy to establish the presence of pests: green or red-brown insects appear on the leaves and stems of eggplants, which actively reproduce and create large colonies. They can be identified visually, as well as by the following features:

• white bloom is visible on the surface of the eggplant leaves;
• the presence of a sticky, viscous liquid is felt on the stems, which is actively produced by aphids;
• leaves begin to turn yellow, brown blotches appear on them;
• eggplants develop more slowly, their flowers begin to fall off, which threatens with a sharp decrease in yield;
• next to the greenhouse and in the garden, ants became noticeably more active.

The appearance of ants next to eggplant seedlings is an indirect sign, but it often indicates active reproduction of aphids. The fact is that these insects help each other: the ants guard the aphids, and instead feed on the nutritious fluid it synthesizes - honeydew. Therefore, all anthills located nearby the site must be ruined, and vinegar, sunflower oil must be poured inside, hot ash, etc.

How to process eggplant: top 10 chemicals

If the colonies of pests are too large and have spread almost throughout the greenhouse, it remains only to use universal insecticides that destroy both aphids and other insects. Among the advantages of their use is a quick action (after a few days all aphids will really die). But along with it, beneficial insects will also be destroyed - for example, ladybugs, lacewing and others.

Therefore, it is necessary to use chemical agents against aphids on eggplants with caution and only when it is really necessary.

Some of the most popular remedies include:

1. Actellik;
2. "Fufanon";
3. "Decis Profi";
4. "Karbofos";
5. Tanrek;
6. "Spark";
7. "Aktara";
8. "Confidor";
9. Biotlin;
10. "Karate".

Insecticides against aphids are applied strictly according to the instructions with exact adherence to the dosage.

For example, a solution based on the "Biotlin" preparation is made as follows:

1. Measure 5 ml of the product (no more than half a teaspoon).
2. Diluted first in 1 liter of water, insist for several minutes.
3. Then add another 9 liters of liquid and mix.
4. Poured into a spray bottle and processed.

The dosage can be determined based on the ratio of 3 liters of solution per 10 m² processed area. It is best to use gloves and, if necessary, other personal protective equipment when working. Since eggplant crops are usually small, very little insecticide is needed.

Folk ways

You can also get rid of aphids with folk remedies. They are no less effective than chemicals and, moreover, are affordable. For their manufacture, in most cases, you will need an active ingredient (for example, ash) and a standard bucket of water - 10 liters.

The most effective ways to kill aphids include the following:

1. In the classic version, a solution of laundry or tar soap is used to protect the eggplant, which is pre-ground on a grater.Soap (or dish detergent) is taken in the amount of 4 large spoons per standard bucket (you can take a little less tar).
2. To the same amount of soap, you can add 1 large spoonful of soda ash. You cannot use it separately, since it will quickly wash off when watering, and then the aphids will continue to harm the eggplants.
3. An aqueous infusion of finely chopped horseradish root helps to cope with aphids. Vegetable raw materials are taken in the amount of 5–7 tablespoons. You can process it after infusion for 12 hours.
4. A similar effect is given by hot chili peppers: take 2 medium fruits, pour a liter of boiling water and insist overnight. Eggplant can be sprayed with such a product after preliminary bringing the solution to a total volume of 10 liters with clean water.
5. You can also prepare a garlic solution: 200-300 g of chopped cloves are brewed in a liter of boiling water, then infused overnight and diluted to a standard bucket. You can add 1 tablespoon of liquid soap or 2 large tablespoons of sunflower oil before processing.
6. Fumigating the plants with tobacco smoke is especially effective when growing eggplants in a greenhouse. They take a large enough tin container, a jar, put chips there and set them on fire. As soon as they light up well enough, you need to dim them a little and cover them with tobacco dust. Then thick white smoke will gradually spread throughout the greenhouse. The room must be closed for several hours or overnight - during this time the smoke will completely dissipate, and the pests will die.
7. Similarly, you can use the coil, which is sold for mosquito control. For 1 greenhouse, you need to take 4–5 spirals, set them on fire and achieve complete burnout. When aphids are destroyed in open ground, a bush or garden bed is preliminarily covered with a film and act in the same way. You shouldn't breathe these fumes!
8. If there is a zest of lemon, orange and other citrus fruits in the house, it is pre-dried and half a liter jar is measured. Grind with a knife or with a grater (you can also use a meat grinder), immediately pour a liter of boiling water for a day. Then again boil for 8-10 minutes and filter, bring to 10 liters, add a little liquid soap. This remedy helps fight aphids thanks to the essential oils in citrus peels.
9. Weeds are also used to destroy aphids on eggplants. For example, take 1 kg of fresh yarrow greens, grind it. Pour 2 liters of water and insist for an hour. Then it is brought to a total volume of 10 l and insisted for another 2 days.
10. To combat insects, vodka is also used, which can be slightly diluted or used in a concentrated form. This is a rather expensive method, but it is quite suitable for small landings.

You can use other methods, but in general, the effect of the application will be the same.

How to prevent the development of aphids?

Once the colony is completely destroyed, care must be taken for the next season, as individuals can survive and lay eggs again in the roots of plants. Therefore, if nothing is done, the pests will reappear both in the garden and in the greenhouse. To prevent this from happening, use simple preventive methods:

• Weed the beds regularly.
• Planting calendula next to it - its smell attracts ladybirds, which actively eat aphids.
• Planting onions, garlic, dill, pyrethrum around - these plants repel the pest.
• Place the greenhouse and open beds as far as possible from linden and viburnum (if any) - these trees, on the contrary, attract aphids.
• Remove dead bark from trees and shrubs, whitewash the lower part of the trunks.
• Water the plants regularly and wash off the sticky liquid (pad) produced by the pests.
• Attract birds to the garden with the help of feeders and drinkers (they also actively destroy aphids and other insects).

The final disposal of aphids is impossible, so periodically you still have to inspect your plantings. However, if the development of the pest and the laying of eggs are prevented, significant damage will be caused to its population. And then practically nothing will threaten the harvest.