Aphids on tomatoes: how to fight during flowering and what products to choose for processing tomatoes

You need to destroy aphids on tomatoes from the first signs of their appearance, without waiting for infection.
The insects are so small that the plants should be inspected regularly - after a quick glance, you won’t notice them. Knowing what pests look like and starting the fight immediately, you can save your crops and reap a decent harvest. Dear readers! For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format!

What are aphids?

This small pest belongs to the insect kingdom, the suborder Hemiptera. A distinctive feature is a specially designed oral apparatus, which is a piercing-sucking proboscis.

In total, there are about 4,000 species of these insects in the world. They can be winged or wingless, capable of same-sex reproduction and so-called viral reproduction on the body of the “host”.

Harm of aphids to plants

The aphid feeds on the sap of the plant, digging deeply into its “body” with its proboscis. Insects not only suck out the sap, settling on leaves and stems in whole colonies, but also carry viruses. At the sites of their settlements, fungal formations arise that are destructive for garden and vegetable crops.

Over the summer, the insect leaves behind three generations of larvae, which do nothing but “milk” the plants. Having sucked the juice from one, they move on to the next, so if timely measures are not taken, aphids can ruin the entire harvest.

Signs of defeat

Insects do not really like the fragrant greens of tomatoes, but they can also attack them if there is a lack of nutrition for their offspring. Black, white, tomato, and melon aphids grow on tomatoes. You can understand that a crop is infected by external signs.

Since colonies of insects cling to the entire lower part of the leaves, soon their edges begin to deform, curl, and wither. If the plant is affected, black and white aphids will be visible on the stems as a black or powdery coating.

Another indicator of the presence of aphids is sticky shiny spots on leaves and fruits. This is the so-called honeydew - a sweetish liquid secreted by aphids. It falls from the bottom of the leaf to its front side or fruit and is baked in the sun. Ants, constant allies of aphids, greatly value such a high-calorie product. They tickle the aphids with their paws, and they give them a drop of their sweetness. Ants look after their nurses, so they often carry them from one plant to another.

If you see such signs in the beds, this is a signal that you need to save the plants.

Signs of appearance and damage caused

Initially, the vegetable grower may not notice the aphids. It is placed at the bottom of the leaf blade, along the veins. Over time, its population increases.

Attention should be paid to leaves and shoots. Then the aphids move onto the flower stalks. Here it already becomes visible even without special examination. The plant begins to lose color and the leaves curl. The bush will become covered with sticky sweetness and this will attract ants who hunt for it.

Having settled on a tomato, the aphid sucks out the cell sap. It would seem that one small insect will not cause harm. However, aphids carry up to 50 phytoviruses. Although not all of them cause harm to tomatoes, this possibility should not be missed.

How to deal with aphids on tomatoes: the best methods

The use of certain methods in the fight against aphids directly depends on how far they have progressed in destroying tomatoes, as well as on the stage of plant growth. Having assessed the existing signs of damage to tomatoes, prepare a plan for how to treat the tomatoes and how to get rid of the persistent pest.

Chemical activities

Chemical protection methods are used only before the flowering stage of plants and in the event that the reproduction of insects has become total.

Important to remember! Treatment with chemicals is harmful to tomatoes and humans; be careful when using them.

Chemical agents affect insects in different ways: through simple contact of aphids with the chemical, intestinal penetration, and respiratory organs. There are also drugs that, when absorbed by the root system, penetrate the plant’s body and make it poisonous to pests. There are many different chemicals sold on the market in the form of powder, tablets, and solutions. You need to choose the one that is relevant to your problem.

The most popular chemicals are:

1. “Prestige” is a concentrate for killing aphids on garden and melon crops. Diluted 1:10 for numerous insect colonies.
2. "Intavir" - tablets. Upon contact with insects, the product paralyzes and kills them. 1 tablet is diluted in 10 liters of water.
3. "Oberon" is a liquid concentrate used in the initial stages of aphid emergence. Dilute 3 ml per 10 l. If most of the plants are infected, the drug has no effect.
4. “Commander” is a product in the form of granules and liquid. Acts as a contact-intestinal chemical. Action time: 6-8 hours after treatment. Dilution proportions: 2 ml per 10 liters of water.

When processing chemicals, safety rules must be followed. When spraying preparations on plant leaves, you need to wear rubber gloves, a respirator and goggles. Strictly follow the instructions for the drug. Most chemicals are addictive to insects, so they are not used more than 2 times per season.

Biological techniques

Such techniques include all actions to create conditions so that aphids do not feel at ease in the garden plot. So, for example, by planting flower beds of amaranths, marigolds, and daisies in your garden plot, you will attract insects that are always ready to feast on aphids: ladybugs, mantises, wasps, hoverflies, lacewings, flies. By attracting birds to your garden, you will also reduce the aphid population on your tomatoes. Tits, robins, and sparrows will not refuse such easy prey.

You can significantly reduce the number of aphids by getting rid of ants, since it is the ants that transfer aphids to plants. They protect their feeders and protect them, transferring wingless individuals to new “pastures”. And when the aphid sucks in juice, the ants “milk” it, collecting the sweet secretions. If the ants' path to the planted area is cut off, their wingless friends will also disappear. To fight ants, there is a powder called “Delicia”, which is sprinkled on anthills.

From popular experience

Many gardeners prefer to use methods that are widely used among the people, because they do not harm the plant. However, they will be effective if you regularly inspect the seedlings for aphids and, if they are found, immediately begin to act.

To spray tomato plantings use:

• infusions of chamomile, tobacco, marigolds, dandelion, onion peels, garlic, hot pepper;
• decoction of tansy, alder, pine needles;
• aqueous solution of wood ash;
• dry ash (spray on leaves);
• soap solution (spray only);
• smoke;
• flea shampoo for animals (half a bottle for 8 liters of water).

Mechanical methods for killing aphids on tomatoes

Most summer residents avoid chemicals. If you have neither soap nor ash at hand, one effective method is to collect aphids from bush branches by hand. This is tedious, it needs to be used regularly and it is better to alternate with traditional methods of spraying bushes with soapy water or ash.

Washing off insects from a bush with a stream of water is also an option, but a short-term one.

If aphids have chosen the tops of the bushes, get rid of them by cutting off the top branches. Cut parts of plants are burned.

Signs of aphids

Aphids are very small insects. It is not always possible to notice a single individual.

Therefore, there are a number of signs of attack by these insects:

• a large number of insects in the lower part of the plant;
• curling of the leaf and flower (due to the lack of a sufficient amount of juice that the aphid drank);
• sticky mucus, which is also called honeydew, containing sugar (therefore, ants, because of their love for sweets, “protect” aphids);
• cessation of tomato growth and rotting.

It is necessary to pay attention to the development of the tomato: if it has yellowed leaves and is growing slowly, this may be a sign of aphid damage.

Which methods to choose depending on the growth period

The use of control methods should be based on what stage of development the plant is at.

Seedlings require non-aggressive methods: young leaves and stems have fluff, which, if touched, can harm the plant itself.

Mechanical and biological methods are suitable here:

1. Collecting aphids by hand. For a painless operation, use a toothbrush to brush aphids off twigs and leaves.
2. Washing off insects from seedlings with a stream from a sprayer.
3. Removing severely affected leaves of seedlings.
4. Spraying with soap solution. You can replace the soap with regular dishwashing liquid diluted with water.
5. Attracting a population of ladybugs to the garden bed, which will destroy the pests.
6. Treatment with chemicals before flowering.

The question that concerns every summer resident is how to deal with aphids on tomatoes during flowering? There is only one answer - do not use chemicals during this period, as this will harm the plant itself and the insects that spread pollen.

During fruiting, if there is a large population of aphids, mechanical and folk remedies are usually powerless. Chemicals that are less harmful to crops and health are needed. A product such as Fitoverm is made on an organic basis, so it does not cause much harm: the fruits can be collected a few days after treatment.

Remember! Picked tomatoes must be thoroughly washed before consumption to remove any possible chemical deposits.

General information about the pest

Aphids are a dangerous pest on tomatoes. It refers to:

• class - insects;
• order - homoptera;
• family - true aphids.

There are more than 3,000 thousand of all types of aphids. They are migratory, which feed on several plants, and non-migratory, living on one.

The insect, depending on the species, can be all shades of green to light brown. The body is spindle-shaped. The magnitude also depends on the type. Potato aphids, for example, up to 4 mm.

Aphids are polyphagous; they can use any vegetation for their nutrition.

Aphids are cosmopolitan. It is distributed throughout the globe.

The aphid's mouthparts consist of a proboscis. The insect uses it to pierce the integumentary tissue of the plant and suck out the tissue fluid.

Aphids reproduce sexually and asexually. In autumn, the female lays an egg. It is round, oval or slightly elongated. The egg spends the winter on the main plant. Next, the “founder” hatches. It has no wings and therefore continues to live on the same plant and produces up to 50 larvae. From them grows a “wingless virgin,” who gives birth to a “winged settler.” They are the ones who move to tomatoes and reproduce asexually there. A small number of fruit-bearing females appear among the population. By autumn they return to the main plant and lay eggs. The life cycle has ended.

The air temperature is very important for the development of the insect. So at optimal temperature the larva develops in 6 days, and at 10ᵒC - 21 days. Worsening weather and colder temperatures delay development and thus significantly reduce the insect population.

The best products for greenhouses

If appropriate measures are not taken, aphids in greenhouses can multiply as rapidly as in open ground.

It is necessary to create conditions that are uncomfortable for aphids:

• the temperature in the greenhouse should be 22-24 degrees, and the humidity should not be lower than 85%;
• regularly remove dead plant branches and ventilate the greenhouse;
• in winter, disinfect the greenhouse with bleach or caustic soda.

If aphids are present, all methods recommended for open ground can be applied to them. Biological agents that work effectively include introducing ladybugs into a greenhouse and fumigating them with tobacco smoke with the doors tightly closed. Among the chemicals, the most popular in greenhouses are Fitoverm, Entobacterin, and Biotlin.

For open ground

The use of outdoor products directly depends on the proliferation of pests. Gardeners should always be on guard: aphids are not particularly picky about where they settle.

If one year she is indifferent to tomatoes, then the next she can settle there. According to gardeners and gardeners, soap solution and ash are recognized as the best folk remedies. Among the chemicals - green soap, Inta-Vir, Fitoverm, the drug Oberon, used at the initial stage of aphid infestation.

What aphid attacks tomatoes?

There are several types of aphids on tomatoes:

• white, aka root;
• melon;
• potato;
• peach

White aphids live in the upper layers of the soil, so they are quite difficult to detect. Its body is small in size and pear-shaped. May be pink or brown. Insects are highly active, so they spend all their time on the move.

The melon aphid grows up to 2 mm in length. Painted green. In greenhouse conditions it becomes active in June. Tomatoes in open ground begin to attack from the end of July.

Potato aphids grow up to 4 mm in length. Individuals without wings are green or red in color, while those with wings are predominantly light green. They harm tomatoes in greenhouses and in open ground.

Peach aphid, also known as tobacco or greenhouse aphid. May attack crops growing near peach trees. It spends the winter on them, and with the onset of heat and active reproduction, it migrates to tomatoes.

Prevention of aphids on tomatoes

To prevent the appearance of aphids in a summer cottage, the following measures must be taken:

1. Strengthen plant immunity. Treat the bushes 1-2 times per season with special immune preparations or fertilizers containing ash.
2. Weed and thin the rows regularly.
3. Next to the tomato beds, plant herbs that repel aphids: basil, mustard, coriander.
4. In autumn, clear the area of ​​debris: burn dry branches and grass. Dig up the soil.
5. In the spring, before planting seedlings in the soil, treat the soil with insecticides of the class of organophosphorus compounds - Karbofos or Fufanon.
6. Do not overuse fertilizers.
7. Fight ants.

Why are pests dangerous?

Aphids secrete poison. These parasites are very widespread; they can destroy seedlings even before they are transplanted into an open area. Female aphids lay eggs on the undersides of leaves, which requires constant close inspection of the seedlings.

Spider mites on tomato seedlings

Gardeners often encounter a similar problem. In order not to confuse aphids with other diseases, you should compare all the symptoms with a photo of a tomato bush that was attacked by aphids.

Aphids on tomatoes secrete sticky juice and ants crawl towards it, which is also not good for planting.

Mistakes of beginner gardeners

Inexperienced gardeners often do not pay attention to signals that there are aphids in the area, and therefore precious time for a quick response is lost, and the pests make their home in the garden.

Signs that precede an aphid invasion:

1. Ant activity. Ants are friends of aphids, so if you notice the movement of ants in the beds, it means that aphids will soon appear on the seedlings. What to do? Fight ants.
2. Several pests on the branches. This is a signal that they will attract hordes of aphids in a short period of time. Immediately start spraying the plants with what you have at hand: soap solution or ash.
3. Rarely weeding the beds. Frequent loosening of the soil is the key to good air circulation between tomato bushes, which is beneficial for plant health. If you grow crops in greenhouses, do not forget to ventilate them more often.

Inspection of plants should be done several times a week, looking under the leaves of the plantings, because this is a favorite breeding place for aphids. The faster you react and apply one of the methods described above, the more effective the measures to destroy aphids will be.

Prevention measures

It is better to prevent any problem than to cure it later. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the health of the plant in advance. Here are some prevention methods:

1. In the fall, he will take care of the cleanliness of the area. Dig up and remove plant remains.
2. Before planting, treat the area with karbofos.
3. They plant taking into account crop rotation and neighbors, choosing the right distance.
4. Watering is carried out in the morning or evening, with not cold water. In between, the soil should dry out so that moisture does not stagnate.
5. Remove weeds in a timely manner.
6. Do not allow ants to settle on the site.
7. Attract birds that eat aphids. To do this, place feeders.

Tips and tricks

The following recommendations will help you effectively exterminate pests without harming beneficial insects:

1. If you decide to chemically treat plants, do it in the evening. This way you won't harm pollinating insects.
2. Once aphids appear, treatment must be carried out throughout the season. If you relax, all your efforts in May may become fruitless in July. Processing can include all available methods: from folk to chemical.
3. Among the specific treatment methods used are spraying bushes with Coca-Cola. Experienced gardeners claim that this remedy is effective. Keep the bottle of Coca-Cola open until the gases dissipate, then add a little liquid soap or dishwashing detergent to help the drink linger on the leaves longer. Put on the sprayer and get to work. To prevent Cola from baking in the sun and harming the leaves, it is better to spray it in the evening.

Recipes for dry powders against aphids

Dry powders come in the form of fine powders and can be made from a variety of ingredients. The following compositions have earned the greatest popularity and recognition among gardeners:

• Ash and pepper powder. Take a glass of wood ash and sift it through a sieve. The same amount of ground red hot pepper is added to the resulting fine ash powder. The product can be stored in a dry jar under an airtight lid and used as needed.
• Mustard chalk powder. Take an equal amount of fluff lime and mustard powder. Everything is mixed and sifted through a sieve to remove lumps. The powder is also stored in a dry, airtight container.

Both compositions have enhanced irritant and “suffocating” properties to aphids. Before using the powder, make a small gauze bag. Powders are poured into it, which, by shaking, are distributed over the affected parts of the tomato.

Vinegar, milk with iodine, and garlic are often used. Treatment of crops with Coca-Cola shows quite impressive results. Unlike chemicals that can penetrate the fruits and poison them, all traditional solutions and methods help to effectively destroy and fight aphids during flowering and immediately before harvesting.

On a note! It is necessary to take into account that it is better to carry out the treatment in dry weather in the evening and take into account that the subsequent rain washes away the used product from the leaves and stems, so you will have to spray the tomatoes several times.