How to Get Rid of Whitefly in a Greenhouse: 4 Proven Methods
Every self-respecting summer resident sooner or later equips a greenhouse on his site. This allows you to get an earlier harvest and protect young seedlings from unexpected frosts. But, it is worth noting that such comfortable conditions often attract a dangerous small pest - the whitefly.
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How to recognize a whitefly in a greenhouse
Whitefly on leaves.
The whitefly is a very tiny creature. In length, its body reaches only 2 mm. Outwardly, the whitefly is very similar to a tiny moth with powdery white wings.
In addition to their small size, this insect leads a secretive life, so it is quite difficult to notice their presence. Both larvae and adults spend most of their time on the underside of the leaves of food plants. You can recognize the presence of this tiny pest on the following grounds:
- plant leaves began to fade, turn yellow, curl or become covered with yellow spots;
- infected bushes begin to lag behind in growth;
- the surface of the leaf plates became sticky;
- when the plant is shaken, small white midges begin to flutter around it;
- on the underside of the leaves there are small translucent scales - whitefly larvae.
Acquaintance with the whitefly closer can be continued on this page.
How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse
The fight should begin immediately after the first signs appear, as these insects are able to reproduce at an incredible rate.
Within 1-1,5 months, a large army of pests may appear from a small flock, which will be very difficult to cope with.
Mechanical methods of dealing with whiteflies
Trap in the greenhouse.
If the pest in the greenhouse appeared recently and the number of individuals is small, then the mechanical method can be used. To do this, it is enough to carefully treat the infected plants with a soapy solution. Thus, the eggs and larvae laid on them will be destroyed.
Adults can easily fly to other plants, so they need to hang sticky traps. They can be store-bought or homemade, but bright yellow traps are best, as this is what attracts whiteflies.
Chemical preparations for the control of whitefly in the greenhouse
The use of chemicals is fully justified in the case when the number of insects has increased significantly and it has not been possible to cope with them manually. Various insecticides are suitable for baiting whiteflies in a greenhouse, for example:
- Cypermethrin;
- Undosan;
- Malathion;
- Biotlin.
These drugs show high efficiency in pest control and destroy both adults and their larvae.
It is worth noting that working with chemicals in such conditions is a rather dangerous procedure, since the action takes place indoors. Before spraying with insecticides in the greenhouse, the use of personal protective equipment is a prerequisite.
Traditional recipes
Using proven folk methods will also help get rid of a dangerous pest. For the treatment of plants in greenhouse conditions, the following means are suitable:
- infusion of garlic;
- tobacco infusion;
- infusion of yarrow;
- weak sugar solution.
Tobacco smoke bombs
Sulfur bowl.
This method is most often used to kill various pests in storage for grain or vegetables, but it is also suitable for a greenhouse. There are no chemicals in the composition of the tobacco smoke bomb, so it is completely safe for the crop.
To get rid of insects, it is enough to set fire to the checker and leave it to smolder in a closed greenhouse for several hours. For the complete destruction of pests, several such procedures are needed with a break of 2-3 days.
A nice bonus is that, in addition to whiteflies, a tobacco checker can drive many other pests out of the greenhouse, including moles.
How to protect your greenhouse from whitefly
After the pests are destroyed, the main task of the gardener is to protect the greenhouse from a new invasion. To prevent the appearance of whiteflies, all necessary measures should be taken:
- remove all tops and weeds from the greenhouse after harvesting;
- thoroughly treat the greenhouse with disinfectants;
- dig the soil inside the greenhouse to a depth of at least 15-20 cm;
- open the doors and windows of the greenhouse for the winter so that the insects hibernating in the soil die during frosts;
- when planting seedlings or new plants in the greenhouse, carefully inspect the underside of the leaves for the presence of larvae and egg-laying pests.
Conclusion
Greenhouse conditions are comfortable not only for plants, but also for dangerous pests, and this should not be forgotten. In order not to have to fight for your crop for a long time and painstakingly, you need to monitor the general condition of the plants and annually carry out all the necessary preventive measures.
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