How to get rid of aphids on currants

Currant is one of the most common berry crops in our latitudes. Valued gardeners for unpretentiousness in the care, lush, fragrant greens and delicious berries, rich in vitamins and trace elements. For successful cultivation of crops should clarify how to deal with aphids on currants - a fairly common pest.

Aphids on currants: what the pest looks like

Aphid is a small insect (2-3 mm), settling on currants, with a piercing-sucking mouth apparatus and two pairs of wings (winged individuals). The little body may have a light green, grayish-green or yellow-green color.

In spring, during the appearance of the first leaves, young insects hatch from overwintered eggs. Females quickly multiply without fertilization. Only female individuals are born. A colony of aphids is growing rapidly. When food becomes scarce, winged forms appear, migrating to neighboring bushes. In the fall males begin to be born. They will fertilize females, and they lay eggs on the branches near the kidneys before the onset of cold weather.

What is dangerous, signs of the appearance of aphids in the currants

Before you learn how to get rid of aphids on currants, you need to find out how it harms the culture.

An insect with a proboscis pierces the foliage of currants and young branches to feed on the sap of the plant.

A large colony of aphids inhibits currants, it begins to wither, fall behind in growth, does not bear fruit, and eventually dies. Also, aphids, feeding on sap, can tolerate viral diseases dangerous for the plant.

With aphids affecting white and red currants, characteristic swellings (galls) are visible on the leaves and branches of reddish color, and on the black foliage twisted into a straw. It is necessary to begin the fight with gallic aphids as soon as possible.

Ways to combat pest

The question of how to destroy aphids on currants is relevant for almost every summer resident.

How to deal with aphids on currants, manual way

If a small number of insects are found, they can simply be collected in a bucket with a wet rag and then destroyed. Damaged leaves with galls are also taken from the site. Also aphids can be rinsed with water from a hose.

Manual assembly requires a lot of time and physical strength from the gardener.

Gallic aphids on currants often require more serious control measures.

How to process currants from aphids, chemicals

Aphids can be removed on currants using modern insecticides:

• "Inta-Vir";
• Aktara;
• "Malathion";
• "Vofatoks";
• "Rovikurt";
• Kinmiks and others.

The fight against aphids on currants with chemicals begins in early spring, before the opening of the kidneys. The next spraying is carried out as soon as the first leaves appear, the third - at the height of summer.

How to get rid of aphids on currants folk methods

Folk remedies for aphids on currants are cheap, safe and quite effective. For example, for spraying, you can use a mixture of wood ash and tobacco (tobacco). 400 g of one and the second substance is stirred in 10 liters of water.

The fight against aphids on currants folk remedies includes the use of a solution of soda ash (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water). In the tool add a little soap.

Successfully used for spraying the affected bushes and infusion of celandine. 3.5 kg of fresh raw materials for 24 hours, throw in 10 liters of water.

Infusion of onion peel (0.2 kg) or plant feathers (3.5 kg) has good efficacy. Raw materials for several days pour 10 liters of water. Instead of onion peel and feathers, you can use 3-4 finely chopped onions.

One of the most effective ways to get rid of aphids is to use wood ash. 250 g of the substance is poured boiling water (1.5-2 l). After cooling, filter, add a little soap to the liquid and add the required amount of water. Should get 10 liters of funds.

Preventive measures

When aphids are detected in a currant, control measures may include both chemical and folk remedies, but it is better to take care of preventionwhich is to:

• treating seedlings before planting and the land under the bushes with a solution of ammonia (3-5 drops per half liter of water);
• loosening the soil near the bushes and between them;
• thorough cleaning of all plant residues at the end of the season;
• attracting natural enemies of aphids to the garden plot (small birds, ladybugs);
• planting near currant plants that scare away the pest (mint, parsley, onion, coriander, basil, tomatoes, garlic, dill, coriander, yarrow, tansy, marigolds).

Aphids on currants is a serious problem threatening the crop, but many effective ways have been developed to deal with this scourge. Each gardener chooses his own method or combination of those.