Delicate seedlings are vulnerable to numerous pests. Among them, there are particularly dangerous ones: omnivorous, very voracious and prolific. It is important to recognize them in time and take measures to protect plants.
How do pests get into the premises in winter and early spring? The main way is contaminated soil and seed material, untreated planting containers on which parasite eggs have been preserved. Having found themselves in favorable conditions, insects hatch, begin to feed and reproduce. Seedlings are often infected from diseased indoor plants, especially newly purchased ones, so it is worth allocating a separate windowsill or rack for seedlings.
It is impossible to save severely affected seedlings, so you should inspect them every day for pests in order to stop the population growth in time.
The leaves are twisted, pale, covered with something sticky
Diagnosis: aphids on seedlings.
Small aphids come in different colors. It is quite easy to detect them, since the insect lives in colonies. Aphids suck the juices from plants and leave behind sweet sticky secretions - "honeydew", an excellent nutrient medium for phytopathogens. If the aphids are not driven away, the plants will quickly shrink, discolor and die.
How to deal with aphids on seedlings
A small number of aphids are removed manually, and then the seedlings are treated with a solution of laundry soap (25-30 g per 1 liter of water).
Effective folk remedies for aphids on seedlings:
- onion peel infusion - pour 20-30 g of onion peel into 1 liter of warm water, leave for a day, then strain and spray the plants from all sides;
- garlic infusion - chop 15 g of heads, pour 1 liter of water and leave for a day, then strain and treat the plants.
Treatments are carried out every 3-5 days.
Chamomile, yarrow, tobacco leaves, etc. are also suitable for preparing infusions. However, these plants are usually not at hand in winter and early spring, so for such emergency cases it is better to prepare raw materials in advance, in the summer.
Biological products against aphids: Fitoverm. Treatment is carried out according to the instructions.
If there are many colonies, then pesticide treatment should be carried out. You can use, for example, Aktara, Confidor Extra.
The leaves turn yellow, wither, there is a cobweb on the plant
Diagnosis: spider mite on seedlings.
Spider mites love dry indoor air and often settle on seedlings, from which they suck out all the juices. As a result, the plants quickly wither, the inner surface of their leaves becomes covered with yellow and black dots. With severe damage, chlorotic spots form, and the plant becomes entangled in sticky webs.
How to deal with spider mites on seedlings
You should immediately wash the plants with water and increase the humidity in the room to 50-60%. For treatment, it is useful to use the above-described infusions of garlic or onion peel. Spraying with a solution of laundry or green soap (30-40 g per 1 liter of water) is also effective.
Fitoverm will help restrain the growth of colonies.
In case of severe damage, you can use chemicals, for example, Antikleshch.
Small silver spots on leaves, depressed plant condition
Diagnosis: thrips on seedlings.
Thrips are one of the smallest and most dangerous sucking pests. They quickly spread across plantings and deplete young plants; these insects are difficult to detect and remove. Large colonies can destroy seedlings in just a few days: holes form in the spots left by thrips where they suck out the juice, the plant loses turgor and dries out. In addition, these pests carry dozens of dangerous viral infections.
How to deal with thrips on seedlings
You should immediately treat the plants with an insecticide. You can use an infusion of garlic or onion peel, a soap solution, or Fitoverm.
If there are a lot of insects, severely affected plants should be removed, and the rest should be treated with Aktara or another insecticide according to the instructions.
The seedling is growing poorly, drying out, covered with pale spots
Diagnosis: whitefly on seedlings.
This noticeable sucking insect feels great not only in a greenhouse, but also in an apartment. Whitefly loves warmth and moisture, in such conditions it reproduces very quickly and actively feeds, drawing all the juices from the seedlings. The pest mainly hides on the back of the leaves, so if the plant looks depressed, you should definitely look there.
How to fight whitefly on seedlings
First, you can try to wash the pests off the seedlings with regular or soapy water, and then carry out therapeutic spraying. It is better to treat delicate plants immediately so as not to damage the leaves. Whitefly is afraid of strong odors, so to combat it, use an infusion of onions or garlic, as well as an infusion of tobacco dust (5-6 tablespoons per 1 liter of water, leave for 1-2 days).
You can start treatment with Fitoverm. In case of severe damage, it is permissible to use "chemistry", for example, Aktara, Inta-C-M, Confidor Extra, Commander.
The plant has stopped growing and is withering without visible external damage
Diagnosis: fungus gnats, or soil flies, on seedlings.
Adult gnats are harmless to plants, but their larval worms living in the soil feed on plant debris and also happily gnaw on thin roots. That is why the seedlings become so sluggish and thin. The best conditions for the flies are waterlogged soil rich in decomposing organic matter.
How to deal with fungus gnats on seedlings
The most important thing is to adjust the watering regime, moisten the plants only through the tray. This is also important for preventing rot. You can add dry coarse sand or a 1-2 cm layer of ash to the pots, which will prevent the insects from laying eggs. It is useful to replace the top layer of soil, thus removing some of the larvae. Another method of control is watering the soil with a solution of any soap.
To catch adult flies, use yellow or blue glue traps, which attract insects. Usually, all this is enough to quickly reduce the population.
To protect seedlings from pests, it is necessary to follow agricultural technology: do not over-water or over-dry the plants, protect them from stress, do not weaken them with excessive fertilizing. And, of course, before sowing, carry out all the necessary disinfection work. Then the likelihood of damage by aphids, thrips or other parasites will be reduced to almost zero.