Who eats tomato seedlings in the greenhouse and in the open ground? in 2022 on GoodGrunt

Several decades ago, the main pests for any country seedlings were harmless bugs and aphids. Who now eats seedlings, for example, tomatoes? It’s impossible to list them all! Let's start with the most popular:

mole crickets;
germ flies;
wireworms;
winter armyworms;
Khrushchi (chafer beetle larvae).

These pests destroy seedlings from the roots, and when there is a young seed in the ground, they start from there.

The presented list of greenhouse parasites is, of course, incomplete, but to preserve seedlings in a greenhouse, the most tenacious ones must be eliminated. Let's start with the bear.

About the bear

From a scientific point of view, the mole cricket is a tenacious pest that lives in the upper fertile layer of the earth. Does not disdain the roots of any garden crops. Externally, this insect is a centimeter thick and has a rather creepy appearance.

The common mole cricket eats tomato, radish, and carrot seedlings both in the greenhouse and on the plot.

People often ask why the common mole cricket is the most tenacious? The answer is simple: the insect feeds on any plant roots and earthworms, and is capable of flying and swimming. It's scary to think what else she can do. The main habitat is, as mentioned earlier, the upper soil cover.

The mole cricket has the most detrimental effect on any seedlings precisely in those latitudes where the ground does not freeze thoroughly in winter. If the soil has not frozen to groundwater over the winter, then the invasion of this pest is inevitable.

How to resist?

Fighting any pest that eats seedlings in the country is not so easy. You should decide on the ultimate goal: to get rid of pests completely or simply to protect young plants. The difference is significant, because the summer cottages with the greenhouse are not located on the outskirts, which means the presence of at least two neighbors. By destroying or repelling any pests in your area, you will make their activity in the neighborhood more active.

We come to the conclusion that the fight is pointless, but protecting tomatoes and other seedlings in the greenhouse is mandatory.

You can also reduce the influx of unwanted insects through preventive work. It is enough to know what attracts the same mole crickets. It is known for sure that this pest loves boards, rotting logs, high humidity and compost pits.

So, the mole cricket eats seedlings in the greenhouse from year to year. It is much easier to protect the individual roots of the same tomatoes, but processing beds with carrots, beets and arable land with potatoes is a little more difficult.

Root protection with plastic. It is most practical to make a barrier from 5-liter drinking water containers. To do this, you need to cut off the top and bottom, and plant one root in the resulting cylinder. The edges of the cylinder should protrude a few centimeters. This is how you get protection without chemicals, which will 100% protect against the destruction of the root system.
Conditions in the greenhouse. For greenhouse tomatoes, protection is arranged differently. The soil in the greenhouse (greenhouse) is much warmer, so the mole cricket tends to move to warmer soil in cool times. Of course, you can’t completely remove it, but you can reduce the amount of mole crickets using a container of water. A glass jar is buried in the ground at the same level as the ground surface, and the top is covered with a heavy object, leaving a small gap. At twilight, mole cricket individuals strive for liquid; in those places where their concentration is maximum, the jars can be completely filled within a day.
Insecticide. To protect seedlings, Medvetox or a similar drug for combating mole crickets is suitable. The effect of any product is noticeable. Another popular method is to protect tomato seedlings in a greenhouse by placing small egg shells in the holes. Both fertilization and preventative pest control.

Pests

Having grown seedlings and planted them in a greenhouse or outside, gardeners notice that someone is eating up the tomato seedlings; they don’t know what to do about this scourge. It is necessary to determine what kind of pests appeared on the plants and destroy them immediately.

All pests can be divided into two groups:

Overhead.
Underground.

The underground ones settle in the soil and can eat plant roots. Aboveground pests destroy the stem and foliage.

Consequence of eating the root

The roots of a tomato can be eaten by mole crickets, cutworms or wireworms.

Medvedka

The mole cricket is a distant relative of the locust. Outwardly, it looks like a grasshopper, but not with such long legs. With its forelimbs, like a shovel, it rakes the soil and builds passages. Extremely tenacious and very voracious. Lives in the upper warm layer of soil. Devours everything that gets in its way. It can feed on vegetable roots and earthworms. Lives in regions where the soil does not freeze much in winter. Uninvited guests can be identified by the loosened, twisting tubercles of the earth and by the way healthy plants began to rapidly die. As soon as a mole cricket is discovered on the site, it will immediately become clear who is gnawing on the tomato seedlings.

Pest #1

The mole cricket breeds mainly in the spring. She builds an entire palace for her offspring. It digs many corridors at a depth of no more than ten centimeters. It makes nests of about 10 cm, in which the female lays 300-600 eggs. After two weeks, mole cricket larvae - nymphs - appear. They grow very quickly, turning into adults.

Control measures

There are the following ways to combat this pest:

Steam corn, wheat, oats, add a little vegetable oil and the special Medvetox product. Baits are placed or buried shallowly throughout the area.
Treated corn and wheat seeds are planted around the site.
The seed is treated with special insecticides.
Deep loosening of the soil twice a year.
They make small pits with half-rotted manure, and when cold weather sets in, they scatter the manure around the area. The bear will freeze.
Destroy nests.
Place a rope soaked in kerosene on the site.
The tomato root can be placed in a cylinder from a five-liter bottle cut off on both sides. In this way, create a barrier to the roots of the tomato.
In the greenhouse you can bury containers half filled with water. The mole crickets will rush towards the liquid, but will no longer be able to get out.

Cutworm

The cutworm is a butterfly that looks like a moth. In itself it is harmless, but the caterpillars that hatch from its larvae are very harmful. During the day, the larvae hide from the sun, and at night they begin to eat up everything. They eat a lot. They gnaw the roots and stems of seedlings, eat tomato fruits, and make a lot of “movements” in cabbage.

Pest #2

Noctuid moths have three states:

Butterfly;
Caterpillar;
Doll.

Gardeners struggle with each level of maturation differently.

Owl butterfly

Hanging vessels with kvass, water and syrup at a height of 1 meter.
Prevent weeds from blooming; nectar is the main food of butterflies.

Cutworm caterpillar and cutworm pupa

Autumn plowing, followed by manual collection of larvae.
Treatment with insecticides.
When planting potatoes, add “Bazudin” to the hole.
Treatment with biological preparations.

Colorado beetle

Everyone knows potato enemy No. 1 - the Colorado potato beetle. He doesn’t shy away from tomatoes either. The female lays eggs on the underside of the leaf, and after a while red larvae appear and eat the tomato leaves very quickly. After the larva develops into a young beetle, it begins to eat the fruit.

Pest #3

Control measures

The following measures are available to combat this pest:

use of chemicals;
collecting beetles from tomatoes by hand;
laying out baits in the spring, with further disposal of crawled beetles;
the use of wood ash during planting and pollination during flowering;
add fragrant plants to the mulch: wormwood, calendula, marigolds.

Thrips on tomatoes

Adult thrips are no more than two millimeters in length. The colors are brown, gray and black. The larvae are generally white-yellow-greenish in color, which makes it impossible to notice thrips on tomato seedlings at the beginning of the infection. These pests on tomatoes are located on the underside of the leaf and suck the juice out of it.

Pest #4

If healthy, strong seedlings begin to quickly weaken, yellow pigmentation appears, and an openwork mesh appears on the leaves, it is worth inspecting the plant, which will help to detect thrips on tomatoes or not. If they are noticed on tomatoes, action must be taken immediately. Tomato seedlings from greenhouses and greenhouses must be immediately eliminated. Replace the soil or pour boiling water on it. It would be a good idea to cover the top with a layer of plastic film for better steaming. Neighboring plants need to be disinfested.

The following drugs are effective in the fight against thrips:

Actellik. 1 ampoule / 1 liter of water.
Fitoverm. 5 ml/500 ml water;
Agravertine. 10 ml/1 l water;
Karbofos. 7 g/1 l water.

Important!

When using any drug, irrigate the plant with the solution, place it in a plastic bag, tie it and leave it for a day.

Whitefly

The whitefly is a small butterfly, no more than three millimeters in size, that likes to settle on the underside of tomato leaves. She lays eggs there, from which larvae emerge. Attached to the leaf, the voracious creatures feed on the sap of the plant.

Pest #5

But they cause much more harm with their feces, in the place of which sooty fungi subsequently appear.

Important!

If no action is taken, the fungus will spread to the fruits and neighboring plants.

The presence of whiteflies on tomatoes can be determined by the following signs:

leaves have spots of yellow, brownish or black;
shiny spots on the leaves;
the leaves curl and wither;
small white butterflies fly out of the bushes;
The ripening of tomatoes is slow; when cutting the fruit, white veins are present.

This pest can live not only in the countryside. It can fly into an apartment through an open window and cause damage to tomato seedlings and other plants.

How to fight

There are several ways to get rid of whiteflies:

Hang fly-catching tape.
Apply a layer of Vaseline or castor oil to light cardboard. For a sweet aroma you need to add a little honey. Place baits on the beds with tomatoes.
Treatment of tomato leaves with yarrow infusion (80 g/1 l of boiling water);
Treatment with garlic tincture.
Treatment with a solution of laundry soap (One part soap shavings to six parts water).
Use of chemicals (Boverin, Pegasus, Aktara, Tanrek).
Treatment with a solution of flea shampoo and water.

Important!

Chemicals can be used before fruit formation begins.

Khrushchev

Everyone knows the cockchafer. It begins its activity in May (hence the name), at the same time the female lays eggs. After a month and a half, fairly large larvae appear. They live 3-4 years in the ground before they develop into adults. At this time, they feed on the roots of various plants, including tomatoes, thereby causing great harm.

Pest #6

Fighting methods

You can get rid of Khrushchev like this:

Assemble by hand.
Watering with infusion of onion peels.
Mulching the soil.
Sod the soil. Clover is best.
Water with nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the spring.

Fall armyworm butterfly

In everyday life it is confused with moths. The adult butterfly is harmless to plants and humans, but its larvae or caterpillars are a real agricultural parasite that eats seedlings. Fall armyworm caterpillars are quite thick, large, gray or dark brown in color.

For each of the plants there are caterpillars of matching color, which are not so easy to see from afar. The larva of the winter cutworm eats potato tops, beet leaves, onions, cereals, corn leaves and tomato seedlings.

During the day, the larvae hide from direct sunlight, but at dusk they begin to eat.

The results of the life activity of the larvae are very similar to the traces of the mole cricket, because the damage is caused precisely from the root. Peak activity of growing cutworms occurs in mid-summer. However, “late” individuals have already appeared, specializing in winter crops.

Advice
In order not to use chemical compounds once again, experienced gardeners dig up the area to the depth of a spade bayonet during the maturation of the offspring of the winter butterfly. As a result, the brood does not have time to grow.

It is known that caterpillars parasitize all living things, including weeds. They do not disdain their flowers. To reduce the number of caterpillars, you need to periodically deprive them of food. What should you do for this? Mow areas with weeds, weed between rows and clean roadsides.

Advice
It is very easy to catch caterpillars with a container containing a drink - a sweet liquid or syrup. Beer, compote, mash or kvass will do.

Who gnaws holes in tomato fruits

Among insects, there are rare gluttons - cutworms and leaf miners. They are difficult to detect due to their nocturnal lifestyle. Holes in the fruits are made by the caterpillars of the above butterflies.

Scoops

When average daily temperatures approach 18 o C, the flight of the noctuid begins, lasting about a month. Tomatoes are most often attacked by cotton bollworms - inconspicuous gray-brown moths with a wingspan of up to 3 cm.

When dusk comes, they lay yellow eggs on the undersides of the leaves of tomatoes and other garden crops. After a week, green or brown caterpillars hatch. They are the criminal elements who bite the tomatoes. True, at the beginning of development, when the gnawing apparatus is still poorly developed, young individuals are satisfied with leaves. Adult caterpillars reach 3 cm in length. 3–4 generations are born per season. Cutworms overwinter and pupate in the soil at a depth of up to 10 cm.

The bollworm has red antennae, green eyes, and several black spots on its wings.

In total, there are about 35 thousand species of cutworms in the world.

Moli

The tomato leaf miner is common in southern Russia. This light silver butterfly lays cream-colored eggs. The caterpillar is green at first and turns red as it matures, with a black longitudinal stripe appearing on its back. Maximum length - 9 mm. The pest bites into stems, stalks, and ovaries. The caterpillars pupate on the tops, wrapping themselves in a silky cocoon. A new generation of moths appears after 14 days.

The homeland of the tomato moth is South America

Khrushchev, or May beetle larva

Khrushchev begins to feed on humus and ends with the root system. Moreover, there is no effective method of combating the larva of the cockchafer. It is more convenient to do this manually, to get rid of the pest by digging, otherwise the growing larva of the cockchafer eats the roots at the maturation stage. The presence of fresh manure will also provoke a higher concentration of larvae.

Advice
It is necessary to use rotted manure (which has lain for more than 1 year), and even this composition should be checked for the presence of beetles.

Conclusion

Of course, the easiest way is to resort to chemistry, but experienced summer residents practice this method only in extreme, catastrophic cases. Only where there is no alternative, concentrates are used to combat annoying pests.

If the tomatoes suddenly began to wilt and holes appeared in the fruits, this means that insects have come into the greenhouse and feed on this plant. Among the pests that attack tomato seedlings, the most common are the following:

mole cricket;
scoop;
wireworm

You can determine who is eating tomatoes in a greenhouse by the nature of the damage to the vegetables.

Fungal infection

Tomatoes are also characterized by fungal diseases, which inexperienced gardeners often confuse with the manifestations of pest activity.

Late blight

The most common disease is late blight, or late blight. This is a fungal disease that occurs in any nightshade under unfavorable conditions. The fungus is active in conditions of high humidity with temperature changes at night. Simply put, when there is frost, late blight (late blight) will inevitably occur in an ordinary greenhouse. Dense plantings and excessive liming of the soil also contribute to the development of the disease.

How is this possible? Fungal spores accumulate on the walls of the greenhouse, and with heavy condensation they fall into the soil. Therefore, greenhouses are most often left in ventilation mode. Experienced gardeners also monitor the humidity level: the norm for this indicator is no more than 75%.

Tomato seedlings in a greenhouse are treated against mold with kefir, vitriol or garlic tincture. Moreover, you can use kefir every weekend: one packet is diluted in a bucket of water. Garlic is used less often in tincture, but this liquid is more effective with one gram of potassium permanganate. It is not recommended to store these solutions for some time, otherwise the phytoncides will erode. To combat mold, solutions can be used one at a time.

Anthracnose.

Diagnosed as a seedling disease caused by a fungus. Seeds and seedlings with this disease develop poorly, the plants do not bear fruit, dying during the growth process.

Blackleg.

It also occurs from high humidity, but only affects weak seedlings. What to do in this case? Having discovered a hint of a black leg, it is necessary to treat the plant with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or plant it further away. Recommended preparations: “Baktofit”, “Fitolavin”.

Prevention

Pests are easier to prevent than to eliminate. If you want to grow healthy seedlings that will give high yields, then it is recommended to follow some preventive measures:

before planting seeds, you need to disinfect the pots, cups or box;
It is not recommended to use garden soil, it contains a lot of pests; you should buy ready-made store-bought soil;
It is not recommended to open a window near the seedlings, this will lead to hypothermia or the entry of insects from the street;
there is no need to place outdoor shoes near the plant crop, for example, dry them on a radiator or hang outerwear; they can also bring parasites into the house;
Tomatoes should be picked in the same way into a disinfected pot and clean soil.

In addition, you should periodically monitor the condition of the seedlings. If there are any signs of leaf wilting or insects, corrective action should be taken. If this is not done immediately, the plant may become diseased or die.

You can achieve high yields of tomatoes if you take proper care of them from the moment you plant the seeds. The biggest danger for them is pests. To prevent them from appearing, it is necessary to follow preventive measures. If their formation could not be avoided, then the plant should be treated; the product should be selected depending on the type of parasites.

Greenhouse parasites

A spider mite eats the tender leaves of seedlings. The tomato becomes covered with tiny spots, which later turn the green leaves into yellow-white ones. The tick is very difficult to see due to its size: it is no more than one millimeter long. However, a large group of such parasites eat young plants (more precisely, draw out the juice from them) very quickly. Fans of folk remedies claim that you can get rid of mites by treating the seedlings with henbane tincture, tincture of dandelion leaves, tobacco dust or horseradish mixture. Well, if you don’t like such experiments, purchase special insectoacaricides.

Aphids eat young plants. “Cuts” seedlings both in the greenhouse and in the open ground. The pest has long been known, so there are a lot of methods to combat it. Don’t forget about preventive maintenance by cleaning your garden for the winter. Pests can overwinter in dried stems, which is why in the fall they burn all the tops, leaves and branches. Various decoctions of medicinal herbs, for example chamomile or yarrow, also help well.

Nightshade miner. This is a fly that tries to lay a larva on young tomato seedlings, or more precisely, on their leaves. The fly itself does not eat the green mass, but feeds on plant liquid, injuring the seedlings. Once the leaf miner has managed to lay its eggs, they begin to develop inside the tomato leaf, destroying the plant and slowing growth. If the larvae of this parasite eat tomatoes, the easiest way is to spray the infected leaves with organophosphorus compounds or preparations with pyrethrum in the greenhouse. If the necessary drug is not at hand, the infected leaves are simply removed.

Control measures

Both of the above pests are dealt with in the same way.

Agrotechnical techniques

Moths and cutworms often lay eggs on weeds: quinoa, acorn grass, nightshade, henbane. Infected plants need to be eliminated in May to deprive the caterpillars of uninterrupted power supply.

Cotton bollworm caterpillars can have different colors: from green to brown-brown.

In addition, agronomists advise:

observe crop rotation;
install nets on the transoms of greenhouses to prevent moths from entering;
Do not throw holey fruits directly into the compost; first cut the tomato and destroy the caterpillar;
After harvesting, burn plant residues;
Before the onset of frost, dig the ground to a depth of 15 cm to reduce the number of wintering pests;
at the end of the season, spray the soil and greenhouse premises with insecticides.

If possible, in winter the greenhouse is cooled at a temperature of -10 o C for two weeks. Caterpillar pupae cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to negative temperatures.

To detect the pest, farmers use light and pheromone traps. The latter are produced for both cotton bollworm and tomato moth.

Pheromone traps are also used to track the timing of the start of butterfly flight.

Ordinary gardeners use homemade baits.

Making a trap for cutworms and moths:

Holes of 5x5 cm are cut out in the upper part of the plastic bottle.
The following mixture is poured into this container: beer, sour compote and a little vegetable oil or liquid soap.

Several baits are suspended in the garden at least a meter above the ground.

Tomato moth - quarantine pest

Spraying

If moths appear in your traps, it's time to act.

Folk remedies

It is easier to prevent caterpillars from infesting tomatoes than to get rid of them later. Folk remedies that repel cutworms and moths are effective.

Preparation of garlic broth:

Boil 200 g of garlic in 3 liters of water for an hour.
Strain, add water to 10 liters.

Preparation of burdock infusion:

Fill a third of the bucket with chopped burdock leaves.
Add water to the top and leave for three days.

Spray tomatoes with the above products once every 10 days.

Burdock is a useful plant that repels many harmful insects and even mice

How to get rid of cutworms - video

Chemical and biological drugs

If the caterpillars have already attacked the leaves and fruits, traditional methods are powerless. Spray tomatoes once a week with biological products:

Agravertine;
Bitoxibacillin;
Lepidocide.

Insecticide Proteus - an effective remedy for pests

Almost every year I encounter cutworms on tomatoes. I try to inspect the underside of the leaves and crush the caterpillar eggs by hand. But this is not enough, we have to turn to chemistry. The most effective drug turned out to be the insecticide Proteus. True, it needs to be applied 20–30 days before eating tomatoes, so that the harmful substances decompose. The drug has a systemic effect and kills even those worms that have settled inside the fruit. I noticed that the next year after using Proteus there were significantly fewer pests.

To combat cutworms and moths, it is better to use a set of measures: agricultural techniques, folk remedies and store-bought preparations.

germ flies;
winter armyworms;
Khrushchi (chafer beetle larvae).

These pests destroy seedlings from the roots, and when there is a young seed in the ground, they start from there.

General recommendations for protecting cucumber seedlings: what, how and with what to treat

To protect against pests, you need to properly prepare the soil and strengthen the plants, following the growing technology.

The following preventive measures will help:

disinfection of the greenhouse before planting using gas-flame treatment;
removal of old plant residues from the greenhouse;
thermal treatment of soil;
washing glass and structural elements of the greenhouse with disinfectant compounds;
treatment of seeds before sowing with drugs for disease prevention;
whitewashing the greenhouse foundation;
Regular inspection of cucumbers, carrying out insecticidal treatments if necessary.

Knowledge about possible pests and what to do to get rid of them in a timely manner will help you get high-quality seedlings and a rich harvest of cucumbers.

Mr. Summer Resident recommends: preventive measures against thrips on tomatoes

Getting rid of a population of sucking insects is difficult. The larvae overwinter quietly in temperate latitudes, awaken in the spring, and attack young tomato bushes. Thrips are very tenacious, so control measures against them are not always effective.

To prevent the insect population from increasing, it is important not to create favorable conditions for them. Preventive actions:

regular weeding of plantings;
removal of plant residues after harvesting, deep autumn digging of the earth;
compliance with crop rotation; it is undesirable to grow other nightshade and vegetable crops that are affected by thrips in front of tomatoes;
regular sulfur fumigation of greenhouses, greenhouses, film shelters, sanitary processing of equipment, garter material, containers for seedlings;
replacing the top part of the soil after harvesting;
soil disinfection with manganese solution;
purchasing quality planting material.

To repel sucking insects, it is recommended to plant herbs, onions, garlic, calendula, and marigolds near tomatoes. This method of plant protection, harmless to bees and animals, is effective.

Thrips can reproduce throughout the season

When growing tomatoes, it is important to constantly inspect the bushes and check the leaves on both sides. Treatment must be carried out when the first symptoms of damage appear.

Chemicals for thrips on tomato seedlings

Insecticide is the best remedy for thrips. Today there are a number of drugs with this effect:

Actellik. One ampoule of the substance is dissolved in a liter of water. The prepared solution is used to irrigate the above-ground parts of diseased plants. Then a plastic bag is put on top, tied and the plant is left in this state for a day.
Fitoverm. 5 ml of the substance is dissolved in 500 ml of water. The procedure for exterminating pests is similar to the previous one.
Agravertine. 10 ml of the drug is dissolved in 1 liter of water. The working solution is sprayed on sick specimens, then a bag is put on top and left in this state for a day.
Karbofos. 7 g of substances are consumed per liter of water. The affected plants are treated with the prepared solution. This preparation is suitable for treating both indoor plants and vegetable crops in the garden. Marathon is another effective drug that helps destroy not only adult individuals, but also larvae located underground. The granular substance is scattered on the soil surface. After this, the soil is spilled with water. The dissolved substance is absorbed into the soil, as a result of which the insects die.

Compliance with preventive measures and timely detection of thrips will allow your seedlings to delight with beautiful tomatoes.

Features of planting elongated seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse

If the seedlings have stretched out, do not worry. Such seedlings also take root well. You just need to know the intricacies of transplanting them.

Typically, tomato seedlings are transplanted at a certain time:

in greenhouses - May 1–15;
in open ground under film shelters - May 20–31;
on beds without shelter - June 10–20.

2 days before transplanting into the ground, the lower leaves of tomatoes are removed

A week before planting, at a temperature in the greenhouse not lower than +20 ° C, and the soil is +15 ° C, the tomatoes are hardened. They are taken out into the fresh air, first for 3 hours, gradually increasing the time spent in the air. 2 days before transplanting, the lower leaves of the tomatoes are removed. Prepared plants are planted in a garden bed or greenhouse.

Prepare grooves 15–25 cm deep according to the 40x50 pattern, add superphosphate into them and spill with warm water.
Take a seedling with a lump of earth out of the pot.
They lower it into the hole and place a long stem in the groove with the tip facing north. The tomato will stretch to the south and gradually straighten out.
Well watered. Cover the hole with soil.
Raise the stem (the lower part in the soil remains horizontal) and tie it to a peg, which is driven in at a distance of 8–10 cm from the stem.
Mulch the soil around the bush with dry hay, which retains moisture and prevents the growth of weeds.
At first, young plants are shaded from the bright sun with spunbond.

Planted tomatoes can be fed with yeast (dilute 10 g of dry yeast in 10 liters of water, leave for 24 hours), which promotes plant growth.

Tomato seedlings quickly take root and bush growth is noticeable already at the end of the first week. And soon the first tomatoes will appear.

Seedlings planted in the ground begin to develop quickly, and soon the first fruits appear

Video: planting overgrown seedlings in the ground

A good harvest of tomatoes is the dream of any gardener. If you follow agricultural practices and grow strong and healthy seedlings that ensure the rapid development of bushes, you can get an abundance of beautiful and juicy tomatoes.

Remedies

The method of eliminating the pest may vary. It depends on what type of insect attacked the plant crop.

Eliminating mole crickets

The mole cricket looks like a grasshopper with small legs. Its usual habitat is the top layer of soil, into which it penetrates, raking the ground, forming small holes. Most often, it is found in home seedlings, as it actively reproduces in the spring. It penetrates into the box from the external environment or grows from larvae that the individual deposited in the soil. Eats the root of the plant, which leads to its death. To eliminate it you need to do the following:

The finished bait needs to be deepened into the soil where the pest has infested. It is harmless to tomato seedlings, but the pest will die after consuming it. The same control method can be used when a mole cricket is detected in the soil after planting seedlings in open ground.

Eliminating spider mites

Spider mites settle only on leaves, both on the inside and on the outside. The first sign of damage is the appearance of dark small spots. Subsequently, a cobweb forms from them, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither. Since this pest can be noticed immediately after its appearance, there is a chance to quickly eliminate it and save the plant. To do this you need:

After this time has elapsed, you should pour the infusion into a bottle, after straining it from the onion. You can spray the leaves of tomato seedlings with this product. If it is not possible to achieve a positive effect, then you can repeat the treatment, but not earlier than after 7 days.

Eliminating aphids

Aphids are microscopic sized insects. It's difficult to detect. In addition, it initially concentrates on the inside of the leaf, and only after having significantly damaged the plant does it move to its outer surface and stems. In one clutch, an insect can lay from 30 to 45 larvae; it is important to remove it quickly. Signs of damage include curling and falling off of leaves. To eliminate aphids you need to:

The prepared solution can be poured into a bottle and sprayed onto the solution. It is effective to use when the plant is already fairly damaged. If pest pressure is minor, you can perform a mechanical treatment by placing the pot in a bathtub or sink and lightly rinsing each leaf from the shower.

Wireworm

Wireworm (larva of the click beetle) is a small bright yellow and orange-yellow worm up to 1-3 cm long that lives in fields and vegetable gardens. The larva has a long development cycle (from 4 to 5 years), after which it pupates and turns into a flying individual.

The wireworm eats the roots and stems of tomatoes. The body of the small larva is soft, but as it grows it becomes hard to the touch. The wireworm lives at a depth of 5-10 cm; when the soil dries out, it goes deeper. During heavy rains, worms crawl to the very surface of the soil.

You can get rid of wireworms using environmental products and chemicals. Old pine needles, onion peels, and mustard powder are placed in the holes. By decomposing, they slow down the development of the pest.

The wireworm does not like proximity to green manure - white mustard, phacelia and legumes (peas, beans).

The most effective control method is to reduce soil acidity. To achieve this, slaked lime and crushed egg peels are added to the soil.

Whitefly on seedlings

This voracious pest feeds on the sap of seedlings, not disdaining either leaves or stems. By sucking juice from leaves, whitefly larvae and adults secrete sticky enzymes, which provide a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic fungi. Parts of plants damaged by “seedling moth” (also called whitefly) dry out and die.

How to get rid of whiteflies on seedlings

As a rule, whiteflies appear in rooms with high temperatures and low air humidity. If this is not allowed - regularly ventilate the room, place wide containers of water near the plants to increase air humidity - the appearance of whiteflies can be avoided.

Also, do not forget to periodically inspect the seedlings. When a pest appears, you can spray it with garlic infusion or hang sticky yellow tapes on the window next to the seedlings.

To prepare the infusion, pass 2 cups of peeled garlic cloves through a meat grinder, transfer the resulting mass into a glass jar, add 1 liter of water and cover with a lid. After 5 days, the infusion will be ready. To spray seedlings, dilute 1 tsp. the resulting infusion in 1 liter of water.

How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse - effective methods of control. Take note of our tips for combating the annoying pest.

What methods to fight?

At the slightest suspicion that pests have appeared on the seedlings, you should carefully inspect the plants. Various leaf damage is usually a cause for concern. First of all, you need to determine which parasite has settled on your plantings:

Whitefly is manifested by the appearance of a black sooty coating on the tops, as well as the presence of clutches of eggs on the back of the leaf, covered with a white coating. Upon hatching, the larvae begin to eat the leaves, which take on a “eaten” appearance. You need to look for clutches on the lower leaves of seedlings.
Spider mites are very easy to detect: when examining plants, you can notice cobwebs, as well as white or yellow dots on the leaves.
A sign of thrips activity may be the appearance of light spots on the leaves of seedlings. Gradually, the leaves begin to dry out and wither, because thrips are sucking insects.
Seedlings affected by enchytraea (pot worm) become frail because the worm eats up the roots.

The use of chemicals, folk remedies and pharmaceuticals is practiced; traps and fumigators are used to combat whiteflies and thrips.

Folk remedies in the fight against parasites

They can be used to treat plants both on the windowsill and after planting in a greenhouse or open ground. Here are some recipes:

Garlic infusion: take 2-3 cloves of garlic per 1 liter of water. After a day, the infusion is ready. Plants are sprayed several times with an interval of 3-5 days.
Dandelion tincture: 40 g of grass and 40 g of roots per 1 liter of water are infused for four days. Spraying is carried out 2-3 times, once a week.
Tobacco infusion: 50 g of tobacco dust is soaked in 1 liter of water for 5 days.
Onion peels: soak 200 g of onion peels in a bucket of water and leave for 3-4 days. The solution is used for spraying.

Pharmacy products

Soap solution 1:6 with the addition of 1 tsp. ammonia helps well against all types of pests. It is better to use tar or gray-tar soap purchased at a pharmacy. The disadvantage of this method is that the stomata on the leaves of the plants become clogged and it becomes difficult for the seedlings to breathe.
It is recommended to water the soil under the seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
It is recommended to wipe all pots and trays with inexpensive flea shampoo for cats and dogs to repel pests.

How can you treat tomatoes if insects appear?

Experts recommend using Aktara and Fitoferm preparations at home, as they are the least toxic and do not have a strong odor:

Aktara is a systemic drug; when the soil is spilled, the plant absorbs it, and the parasites die as they feed. To achieve the effect, it is recommended to make the solution more saturated than indicated in the instructions. It is enough to use systemic drugs once, since they simultaneously affect both larvae and adults. Approximate cost of the drug: ampoule 40-50 rubles, 4 g package - 100-120 rubles.
Fitoferm - 2 mg of the drug per 200 ml of water, spray the plants, trying to get on the inner parts of the leaves. The price of the drug is 15-20 rubles.
Agravertine - diluted in a ratio of 5 mg per 500 ml of water, sprayed on the plant itself and watered the soil under it. The price for 1 ampoule is about 20 rubles.
Confidor is also a systemic drug; the resulting solution is watered on the soil. Price 30-40 rub.

Karbofos and its analogues (eg fufanon) - 15 g of the drug is taken per 2 liters of water. Package price 30-40 rub. Disadvantage: strong unpleasant odor.
Vertimek - 2.5 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water. Price for 10 ml - 65 rubles.
Actellik is a very effective, but highly toxic drug (hazard class 2), has a pungent odor, 1 ampoule is needed for 1 liter of water, the price is 30-50 rubles.

It is possible to use drugs such as:

Nematode

The root-knot nematode attacks the root system of garden plants. Small worms appear on the roots of tomatoes as early as June. They dig deep into the root tissue and eat it from the inside. The adult nematode releases a toxin and growths (galls) form on the roots. Each female lays hundreds of eggs in them.

A damaged root system stops transporting water and nutrients from the soil. A worm that appears on the roots of a tomato slows down the development of the bush. The tomato does not bloom well, and the tomatoes that have set almost do not grow.

A tomato affected by this pest cannot be cured. The bushes are dug up along with the root system and a large block of soil and removed from the site. The pit is treated with Carbation, Vidat, Tiazone, Ipam, Dazomet or Onetion so that all root-knot nematodes and their eggs are destroyed. The same preparations are used to water the dug up soil before planting seedlings, if a nematode was noticed in the garden in the previous season.

Bugs and ticks

Tomatoes are damaged by stink bugs, cucumber beetles and horse flies. These insects eat almost all garden crops. Tomatoes are also threatened by rust and spider mites.

Stink bugs

Stink bugs damage tomato fruits. Yellow and whitish spots appear on the skin of the tomato. When they are opened, white porous cells are found. Tomato bushes growing close to weeds are most often affected. The shield bug is destroyed with the drugs Aktara, Karbafos, Phosfamide, Chlorophos.

Rust mite

The rust mite is very small, the length of an adult is 0.16-0.25 mm. This pest lives in dry and hot regions of Europe and is gradually spreading to the west. The mite lives on and inside leaves, as well as in fruits. The foliage and stems of plants become spotted, brown, gray-violet. The leaves curl and die. Dense, cork-like growths appear on the fruits, which makes the tomatoes inedible.

Only timely treatment with chemicals helps against rust mites. The most effective are Vertimik and Atellik. Fufanon, Karbofos, Fitoverm, Kemifos also help.

Spider mite

Spider mites feed on the juices of the above-ground parts of the tomato. It is not difficult to notice this pest - white and yellowish dots appear on the back of the leaves. These are puncture sites. Later, the plants are entwined with a thick white web. The tick itself is very small and difficult to see.

This tomato pest loves high humidity and warm air, so it multiplies more actively in greenhouses than in open beds. Various methods are used to combat ticks. Small plantings can be sprayed with alcohol, a water tincture of henbane with soap solution, tincture of dandelion, horseradish roots, tobacco and garlic. Of the chemicals, Carbophosphorus and Agrovertin, and the drug Antiklesch are effective.

Natural enemies of spider mites are lacewings, Phytoseiulus and Metaseiulus insects. They quickly destroy the entire tick population. Insects can be purchased at nurseries.