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Pest control is the key to a good harvest. Therefore, experienced gardeners take preventive measures to prevent pests in greenhouses in the fall. Getting rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse in the fall is not difficult, there are several ways.
Whitefly: signs of appearance in the greenhouse
The greenhouse is a closed space. On the one hand, favorable conditions for the development of plants are created here, the necessary microclimate is maintained. But, on the other hand, the same microclimate also contributes to the appearance of pests, in particular, whiteflies. Under natural conditions, the whitefly lives in a warm tropical climate. In our region, the insect prefers greenhouses, enclosed spaces, parasitizes on houseplants.
Signs of the dangerous appearance of an insect in a greenhouse:
- on the leaves of plants there are punctures, as well as colorless holes;
- dark spots in the form of necrosis are visible from the bottom of the leaf;
- small white midges are visible on the underside of the leaf plate, if the leaf is shaken, they take off.
If one or more signs appear, pest control measures should be taken. It is important to destroy the whitefly in the greenhouse in the fall, because in the spring it will destroy the plantings and prevent the plants from developing. If you hang yellow traps with liquid glue, then at the end of the day you can see the scale of the problem. A huge number of insects will fall into the “trap”.
Damage caused by whiteflies
This insect makes punctures in the leaves of plants and sucks out the juice from there. This weakens the plant. The whitefly in the process of life releases sweet substances, on which fungi dangerous to garden crops can develop. The insect is especially dangerous for tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and eggplants. This pest contributes to the development of dangerous diseases for plants. There are cases when the yield fell to a minimum. The pest is able to destroy everything that will be planted in open and closed ground. One plant can have pests in different life stages. This makes the fight harder. The harm caused by the whitefly is difficult to calculate, since it can destroy entire plantations of cultivated plants.
life cycle of an insect
The life cycle of an insect consists of three stages: egg, larva, adult.
An adult insect is a small butterfly up to 3 mm in size. Appeared as a pest of protected ground, but also found application in open garden plots. On one plant, 3 stages of insect development are presented. If the weather allows, then 18 days pass from the stage of the larva to the adult pest. In summer, whiteflies breed quickly: in 1 season, each individual lays up to 300 eggs.
In winter, the pest lives under the bark and in the remnants of grass prepared for winter.
Does the whitefly die in a greenhouse in winter
If frosts do not get into the greenhouse, then the whitefly, eggs and pupae will survive the winter calmly. When the soil freezes, the pest pupae will die. Therefore, freezing of the premises is used as a security measure. This method of struggle is not suitable for residents of the southern regions.
How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in autumn: a set of measures
First of all, it is necessary to remove the weeds: often the pest enters the greenhouse with them. Many gardeners burn the entire weed, destroying entire armies of insects that are harmful to cultivated plants. Then you should prepare the room for processing. Control methods can be chemical, biological, and the use of proven folk remedies is also justified. It is optimal to use an integrated approach to fight. In this case, it will turn out to get rid of the insect in a short time and for a long time.
How to treat a greenhouse from a whitefly in the fall
Mechanical action does not help to fully destroy the pest, and therefore you can not do without chemicals. Chemicals help to remove a large number of pests as quickly as possible, and also secure next year’s crop. But they should be handled with care, as they can harm the health of humans, pets and beneficial insects.
Getting rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in winter is easier than doing it at other times of the year. This pest is afraid of frost, and therefore even regular airing will negatively affect the life of the butterfly and its larvae.
Preparing the greenhouse for processing
For effective processing, a greenhouse should be prepared. It is necessary to remove weeds, debris, as well as the remains of sick plants affected by the whitefly from there. General cleaning with cleaning of all surfaces. If there are cracks and cracks on the surfaces, clean and process. It is recommended to whitewash wooden surfaces.
Experts recommend disinfecting a greenhouse with a bleach solution:
- 2 kg to export;
- 10 liters of water;
- 100 g of copper sulfate.
If necessary, the greenhouse should be repaired so as not to carry out repair work in the poisoned room. If the gardener wants to use folk methods, for example, smoke, then in the greenhouse it is necessary to tightly close all doors and windows.
Directly film or glass coating can be washed with soapy water. And it is also necessary to dig, loosen the earth before processing.
How to treat a greenhouse in the fall after a whitefly with chemicals
The fight against whitefly in a greenhouse in the fall necessarily includes chemical treatment. These are the most effective and efficient methods of controlling an insect that can destroy a crop.
The main substances for combating insects dangerous to the crop:
- Copper sulfate. If you are sure that there are pests in the ground, you need to use a dosage of 200 grams of vitriol per 10 liters of water.
- Potassium permanganate. A few grains per 10 liters of water. Treat the soil and the plants themselves. You can sprinkle the leaves or wipe from the back of the plate.
- Aktara – a specialized drug that saves from whiteflies, but is used for watering seedlings.
To combat whitefly eggs in the fall, it is better to use hormonal drugs, such as Admiral. The complex use of hormonal and chemical substances completely destroys the pest in all life cycles.
How to remove a whitefly from a greenhouse in winter with biological preparations
There are drugs that are not chemical, because they do not harm plants, humans and animals. Biological preparations are based on living beneficial microflora.
At 100 m2 greenhouse areas are used:
- lepidocide – 30 ml per 10 liters of water;
- phytocide – 300 ml;
- bitoxibacillin – 100-150 ml.
In these preparations, seeds can be soaked in the spring – additional disinfection.
And also as a biological method, the settlement of natural enemies of the whitefly is used. These include: ladybug, macrolofus bug, lacewing. But these insects do not live in winter, and therefore it is recommended to place them indoors in the spring a few weeks before seedlings. With sufficient reproduction, natural enemies of the whitefly can reduce the insect population several times.
How to deal with the whitefly in the greenhouse in autumn with folk methods
Folk methods include freezing the greenhouse. Suitable for rooms that are located in the northern regions, where frost occurs early. It is necessary to open doors, windows, it is possible to remove the film and leave it open for the night. This will help to significantly reduce the pest population. The larvae in the ground will simply freeze.
The second method is tobacco smoke. You need to buy a couple of tobacco checkers or several packs of cheap cigarettes without a filter. Close windows and doors, create smoke. It has a detrimental effect on pests in different stages of life.
And also the pest does not like ash – its introduction into the soil in the fall will have a beneficial effect on the crop and reduce the number of white flies.
Preventive measures
In order not to poison the pest in the fall, you should be careful about greenhouse plantings and prevent the occurrence of dangerous conditions that will be favorable for whiteflies and other pests. Prevention measures:
- when planting, all seedlings must be inspected carefully from both sides of the leaf;
- do not overfeed the plant with nitrogen fertilizers;
- strictly observe the irrigation regime;
- remove all weeds in time, and also avoid littering the area with grass.
Proper agricultural technology is the first preventive measure. If the plant has strong immunity, it itself will repel insect pests. Processing the greenhouse from whiteflies in the fall is another preventive measure that will help fight the pest and prevent it from ruining the crop.
Conclusion
Getting rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse in the fall is one of the mandatory measures to protect the future crop from diseases and pests. If you do not take emergency measures, then a small white butterfly will be able to completely leave the greenhouse without a crop. Pest control methods are complex and include the treatment of the greenhouse with chemicals, biological preparations, as well as the use of popular folk remedies. With proper prevention, the pest will not be able to affect the plants, the population of the harmful insect will be reduced.
