How to treat a polycarbonate greenhouse against whiteflies in the spring: how to get rid of them using folk methods, chemical and biological means

Content

1 Why is it dangerous for whiteflies to appear in a greenhouse?
2 Methods for controlling whiteflies in a greenhouse in spring
3 How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in the spring using folk remedies
4 How to fight whiteflies in a greenhouse with chemicals in spring
5 Biological and mechanical methods of control
6 Prevention measures
7 Conclusion

Greenhouse owners often encounter a pest such as whitefly. This is a harmful insect that belongs to the aleurodid family. The fight against the parasite is characterized by a set of measures that must be carried out systematically. Treating a greenhouse against whiteflies in the spring is not so easy. You need to know what to use on the pest, how and when to do it and at what intervals.

Why is it dangerous for whiteflies to appear in a greenhouse?

Whitefly harm comes from both larvae and adults. The pest has its own preferences: it loves tomatoes more than peppers and eggplants. Its appearance in a greenhouse can lead to the death of a plant in a matter of days. For example, the larvae suck out the juices from the plant, which are necessary for growth and development. Their numbers increase very quickly, the seedlings begin to weaken and die over time.

Attention! Adults feed on pulp. In a few days they can completely destroy the entire bush.

The pest is very small in size, as can be seen in the photo:

An individual representative cannot have a noticeable effect on vegetation. However, the whitefly always acts in a group: a group of pests appears at once, which are impossible not to notice. Thousands of tiny white moths instantly begin attacking the plants.

Another danger is that the larvae secrete a sugary substance during their life. Thus, they create ideal conditions for the appearance of sooty fungus. It actively develops in this environment; a sticky black layer appears on the leaf, which leads to clogging of the stomata. Metabolism is disrupted, leaves dry out and die.

In addition, the harmful insect carries a large number of viruses. It can infect plants with various diseases, as a result you will have to fight not only the whitefly, but also the ailments that it caused in the greenhouse crop. As a rule, in this case, the struggle process increases in duration, and the seedlings recover much more difficult.

Methods for controlling whiteflies in a greenhouse in spring

It is very difficult to kill whiteflies. During the same period of time, several stages of the pest live and reproduce in the greenhouse. Among them there are those that can safely withstand the effects of chemicals. That is why control methods involve the use of complex treatment measures.

Attention! Adults easily endure wintering, hiding in secluded places or even in the ground. As soon as the soil and air warm up to the desired temperature, the moths fly out of their hiding places.

Among the control methods used are the following:

folk remedies;
chemicals;
biological and mechanical.

Each method is aimed at destroying one or another stage of whitefly development. For example, it is impossible to get rid of larvae mechanically, but this can be done biologically or chemically. Therefore, in the fight against the pest it is necessary to use a complex of different measures at once.

How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in the spring using folk remedies

Traditional crafts will help get rid of the pest. To ensure that the result justifies itself, it is better to use several different methods. One of them is freezing of the greenhouse.

Even if the pests were controlled and the harvest was harvested in the first year, this will not guarantee that the whitefly will not appear again next year. In the form of pupae, they can hide in the ground for a long time. It is known that whiteflies die at temperatures of -10 °C and below. And so that in subsequent years you don’t have to fight the same pest, you need to freeze the soil and buildings. To do this, it is necessary to carefully dig up the soil before the onset of frost, and then leave the greenhouse open for two to three days during the cold weather.

Important! All soil should freeze well. If necessary, you can increase the number of days the greenhouse is open.

Spring treatment of a greenhouse against whitefly will involve the use of various infusions. Small numbers of aleurodids can be controlled by washing the leaves with warm water or soapy water. The procedure should be carried out several times a day. If the population has reached a large number, then garlic solution, infusion of yarrow, dandelion, and tobacco infusion are used in the treatment.With such means you can even influence plants that are already affected.

Video on how to destroy whiteflies using folk remedies:

How to fight whiteflies in a greenhouse with chemicals in spring

Of course, chemicals for a greenhouse are not the best option. But nothing else helps, all that remains is to use insecticides. The advantage of such products is that they destroy the pest at all stages of life. The following drugs show good results:

"Confidor". Suitable for plants already susceptible to parasites. At the same time, it also destroys whitefly eggs.
"Fitoverm". In this case, the prescribed dosage must be increased: 10 ml per 1 liter of water.
"Aktara". Excellent for both the initial stages of the appearance of aleurodids and more advanced ones.
"Match". Helps in the fight against larvae and eggs.

The last drug on the list is considered a hormonal drug. The combined use of chemicals and a hormonal drug will help get rid of both the moth itself and the larvae with eggs. Thanks to this, the pest will be eliminated not for a certain period of time, but forever.

Biological and mechanical methods of control

The use of chemical-based drugs in the fight against whiteflies brings very good results. But they also contribute to the appearance of toxic substances in the fruits, which is why the vitamins in the fruits of the plant disappear. It is almost impossible to destroy the pest without chemicals, but its numbers can be significantly reduced through biological methods.

The most common method is tobacco. You can fumigate with tobacco, use tobacco sticks, or spray plants with tobacco infusion.

It should be noted that nicotine only kills adults.

Important! During processing with tobacco, drafts must not be allowed to appear in the greenhouse.

Modern biochemical agents will also help in treating polycarbonate greenhouses against whiteflies in the spring. They are completely safe for the future harvest. These include:

"Aversectin S";
"Avertin-N";
"Bioinsecticide Actofite" and a number of others.

Biological methods also include the destruction of the pest with the help of other insects. The parasitic insect entomophaga is actively used. It lays its eggs inside an adult whitefly. As the larva develops, it grows and the aleurodid dies. It is necessary to release the insect two weeks before planting the seedlings.

The following insects also prey on midges: lacewing, ladybug, macrolophus bug.

Another option for fighting is mechanical. In this case, special traps for pests are made. Bright yellow or blue colors attract aleurodids. This feature can be used as the basis for making a trap. It can be made from plywood, pre-painted in the desired color. Then you need to apply a mixture of honey and rosin on it. The trap is attached to a holder and placed near the affected plants.

Bait traps can also be purchased in special stores.

Another mechanical method is suitable in the early stages of the appearance of midges. It is very simple: the insect is knocked down with water pressure from a hose, after which the stems and leaves are wiped by hand. Of course, this takes a lot of time, and this will only be relevant if the whitefly population is small.

Prevention measures

The easiest way to prevent whiteflies from appearing is to fight them.And for this it is necessary to carry out certain preventive measures, which include:

for the winter period, it is best to remove the covering from the greenhouse, at least the top layer;
if the coating has not been removed, it is necessary to carry out spring disinfection; the frame must be treated with bleach;
Immediately before planting, it is better to shed the soil with a solution of copper or iron sulfate.

During autumn cleaning, it is important to follow several rules. First, all greenhouse soil must be dug up deeply and well before frost. Secondly, after the crop is completely harvested, all plant residues are completely removed and burned. Third, there is no place for compost in a greenhouse. You can’t place it directly in a greenhouse: all the pests can come from there. Both autumn and spring treatment of polycarbonate greenhouses against whiteflies plays an important role in the issue of prevention. If you follow all the instructions, you can completely avoid the appearance of the pest.

Conclusion

So, treating a greenhouse against whiteflies in the spring is not so easy. This requires a whole range of measures that must be carried out systematically. But the main thing is the result. If you use various methods in the fight against aleurodids, you can achieve success over time. Of course, it is best to prevent the pest from entering the greenhouse. And to do this, you need to follow simple preventive measures that will eliminate further problems with whiteflies.