How to properly use the Hephaestus tobacco checker: instructions

In polycarbonate greenhouses, in most cases, a warm and humid environment is formed, which is a tasty morsel for the proliferation of various pests and microorganisms. To avoid an unpleasant situation, disinfection measures must be carried out against pests and diseases. The safest method is smoking with tobacco smoke. The use of tobacco sticks in polycarbonate greenhouses is an absolutely safe and reliable procedure. There will be no negative consequences to the coating and frame, since nicotine acts as an active ingredient. How tobacco is used in gardening will be discussed in our article.

Why is a tobacco shank preferable for a polycarbonate greenhouse?

The noticeable advantages of using tobacco shanks are:

• Easy to use.
• It fights various insects and diseases without any harm to the crops planted in the greenhouse.
• Tobacco smoke has a repellent effect against rodents and bees.
• Smoke penetrates absolutely into all places, even those hard to reach by humans.
• The carbon dioxide released is an excellent natural preservative that has a good effect on plant photosynthesis. The ripening time of the fruit accelerates, the foliage becomes juicy, thick and fleshy. There are no dangerous chemicals in the composition. Nicotine has a detrimental effect only against parasites.
• Using fumigation, you can treat large beds.

In what cases is a tobacco smoke bomb used?

If you notice that your crops that you are growing in a greenhouse have begun to grow and develop poorly, and also that the leaves are beginning to be affected by various diseases and pests, then this is a clear signal that you need to carry out tobacco treatment. Polycarbonate greenhouses especially need such treatment, since it is in them that the air humidity can be very high, which is a reason for the proliferation of pests and diseases. Here are the insects that tobacco sticks are good to use against:

• Aphid.
• Medyanitsa.
• Spider mite.
• Ground fleas.
• Butterfly
• Whitefly.
• Thrips.
• Late blight.

It is also possible to use tobacco checkers as a preventive measure:

• for routine disinfection of the greenhouse,
• to stimulate the growth of vegetable crops,
• in order to increase the safety of fruits.

The nicotine contained in drafts does not cause any harm to plants at all. Certain crops (potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes) contain small amounts of nicotine. Tobacco smoke has a short shelf life. Insect poisoning occurs only at the time of the procedure. It is for this reason that fumigation must be carried out more than once.

Range

Smoke tobacco bombs on the market for agrochemicals and household chemicals can be divided into 3 groups:

• Sanitation (disinfecting).
• Repellent (repellent), with and without pesticide activity (gentle).
• Warehouses (for vegetable stores), in addition to sanitation, prevent the germination and withering of stored agricultural products. Only the Hephaestus Storage described above is currently on sale.

Sanitation

This group is dominated by the tobacco saber Hephaestus. The inventor himself talks about the “simple” soda-free drink, the first to find demand, in the story above. Hephaestus Storage also goes on sale from the same manufacturer (see above), and in addition:

• Hephaestus Phytophthora . Fungicidal activity against late blight on potatoes and tomatoes is declared. It performed well in vegetable storehouses (this checker is a kind of predecessor of Hephaestus Storage), but in greenhouses it can oppress and burn plants, especially delicate ones: cucumbers, dill, etc. For a description, see the video:

Video: about the tobacco checker Fitoftornik

• Hephaestus 2 – modification for greenhouse farming. A stimulating effect on plants, increased fungicidal and acaricidal activity are declared: against spider mites, powdery mildew, downy mildew (downy mildew), sooty fungi (black rot), gray rot, rust fungi, anthracnose and septoria, as well as repellent and rodenticidal activity ( drives away rodents). It has not yet been fully tested in practice. See video description here:

Video: about the tobacco checker Hephaestus 2

Vulcan occupies a significant share of the market for sanitary tobacco drafts . The consumer needs to know the following about these checkers:

1. The manufacturer does not declare the presence of soda in the composition, but they smoke thickly, like soda, i.e. damage to plants from excess carbon dioxide is possible;
2. Sulfur bombs from the same manufacturer are sold under the same name (“Vulcan”), in outwardly similar packaging - don’t make a mistake when buying!

Repellent

Tobacco drafts of this group are divided into two subgroups: household and household. The first ones are represented most of all by the mole rattles Krotonol, Nutcracker , etc. Their effectiveness increases significantly if a few days before the fumigation of the molehills, a mole rattle (you can make a homemade one) is installed on the site. Well, imagine: you rented an apartment, you barely moved in, and the neighbors upstairs are moving furniture around the clock, and tobacco smoke is pouring out of the ventilation? Scandal, seek the truth, or break the lease and move out? The question is rhetorical.

Household tobacco repellent sticks are also a good find. The fact is that conventional pesticide fumigators for residential premises do not drive out all mosquitoes. More precisely, mosquitoes: the blood necessary for the formation of eggs is drunk by females, and male mosquitoes are vegetarians with a sweet tooth, feeding exclusively on flower nectar and pollen.

But it doesn’t matter how important it is which mosquito sex is more bloodthirsty. But it is important that some of the mosquitoes from fumigation do not fly away out of the windows, but hide in places where the fumigant penetrates slowly and poorly. Then at night, when the release of the drug DV weakens, it flies out on a drinking binge. Increasing the concentration of the pesticide will harm people. And a tobacco bomb with a repellent solves the problem: the inhabitants of the room are removed from it (not moved out!) for 1-2 hours before treatment. During this time, nicotine will kill all the mosquitoes, no matter where they hide. Then half an hour of ventilation - people and animals can return and sleep peacefully: the smell of a non-toxic armmatic repellent will last until the morning, and mosquitoes will fly around open windows ten times a day, that’s why the repellent is used. The most popular checkers in this segment are Muhoyar and Quiet Evening (for indoors), and Smoker (for open air and tents).

Types of tobacco checkers

In stores you can find several varieties of tobacco sticks, which we will discuss in more detail below. All these types of bombs have proven themselves to be safe for crops, unlike sulfur bombs.

In order for there to be any positive effect, you must strictly follow the instructions of the drug. If it is not there, then this product is uncertified.

Tobacco checker Hephaestus

The Hephaestus tobacco bomb contains tobacco crumbs and an incendiary mixture. The packaging has a cylindrical shape, the weight of the package can be 160 or 250 g. Well suited for combating various types of pests: spider mites, aphids, copperheads. It has a stimulating effect on the growth and development of the plant.

If the drug is opened, it can quickly lose its properties. If you have any substance left, it is best to store it away from flammable objects. The storage room must be dry, the air temperature must be +20...+25 degrees. If, for example, the area of ​​your greenhouse is about 25 square meters. m, then it will be enough for you to purchase 1 piece.

Tobacco checker Phytophthora

This type of tobacco stick has proven itself well against fungal diseases: powdery mildew, late blight, rust and other types of fungi. The composition of the tobacco checker includes: tobacco chips, an igniter, a combustion stabilizer, and a large amount of sodium bicarbonate, which has destructive properties in the fight against fungi.

The drug has a cylindrical shape, weighs about 220g. 1 package of the drug will be enough to treat a greenhouse with an area of ​​up to 35 square meters. m. The procedure of fumigation with the drug can be repeated 2 days after the first treatment. If the packaging has been damaged, the drug has the property of self-destruction.

Tobacco checker Vulcan

This type of tobacco stick is well suited for the fight against late blight, as well as other pests of garden crops. It is very popular among summer residents. The drug has a cylindrical shape. The composition includes: tobacco dust, ignition mixture, cardboard membranes.

If you are going to use the drug to stimulate plant growth, then 1 pc. The drug will be enough to treat 50 square meters. m plot. If you are going to carry out treatment against pests, then for 30 square meters. m 1 pc. drug. Insects do not get used to the drug.

What it is

A tobacco smoke bomb consists of:

• Tobacco crumb: when smoldering, it emits, in addition to the usual combustion products, nicotine vapor: (0.1-0.2)% by volume relative to the total volume of smoke.
• Combustion stabilizer. Its composition has not been made public, but most likely it is the same saltpeter that is added to cigarettes so that they do not go out when they are not “pulled.”
• Baking powder. Non-flammable, non-decomposing when heated, chemically and biologically neutral mineral powders.
• Ignition wick.
• Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), not in all samples. When heated, sodium bicarbonate releases a large amount of carbon dioxide (see figure), as a result of which it is used, together with ammonium carbonate, in dry fire extinguishing systems (for example, as a filler for powder fire extinguishers).

  Chemical formula of sodium bicarbonate and diagram of its thermal decomposition

• Additional substances (rarely). Additional additives may include flavorings, repellents (pest repellents), evaporating pesticides, etc.

How it works

Nicotine is a well-known insecticidal agent. A class of synthetic pesticides, neonicotinoids, has been created based on nicotine. Pest resistance to nicotine has not been observed: tobacco dust has long been used to protect garden crops. Fumigation with nicotine does not cause its accumulation in fruits, because In the gas phase, this substance does not have systemic activity in plants.

Fumigation of a greenhouse with tobacco smoke

The second most important active ingredient (AI) in tobacco smoke is carbon dioxide CO2 (carbon dioxide). It is precisely to increase its concentration in the smoke that sodium hydroxide is introduced. At elevated concentrations in the atmosphere (more than 0.6% by volume), carbon dioxide becomes toxic to heterotrophic organisms (animals, fungi), even if there is enough oxygen for breathing. This is why the concentration of CO2 in the air is so carefully monitored by submariners and astronauts. A further increase in CO2 concentration (up to several%) has a depressing effect on plants.

Additional substances either act as pesticides, enhancing the effect of nicotine, or repel pests with their smell. In addition, the products of tobacco combustion contain a large amount of water vapor and active residues (radicals) of organic compounds. Reacting with air moisture, they can produce quite complex compounds, for example, vapors of organic acids.

The most significant (and undesirable) byproduct of tobacco combustion is carbon monoxide CO (carbon monoxide). Its formation is not excluded during the fumigation process, and if a powerful bomb (see below) with soda “to be sure” is burned in a small room, it is almost inevitable. Carbon monoxide is good at killing arachnids (arachnids), for example, spider mites, and phytopathogenic fungi, but it is almost as destructive for plants as it is for animals.

Note : for a story about tobacco checkers directly from their inventor, see the story:

Video: the creator about the tobacco checker Hephaestus

How to properly use a tobacco shank in a greenhouse

Before processing with a tobacco stick, everything in the greenhouse must be thoroughly cleaned, namely:

• We are cleaning the top layer of soil, removing foliage and dead areas of plants.
• We are dismantling the racks.
• Remove all unnecessary items from the greenhouse: boxes, boxes, containers.
• The greenhouse covering needs to be cleaned with a soap solution. It is especially necessary to wash joints and seams. They may contain various microorganisms and pest larvae.
• Loosen the soil so that combustion products can more easily penetrate the soil. At the same time, various parasites and mold will also be destroyed.
• Seal the greenhouse, paying special attention to cracks, gaps, and joints.
• Walls and soil need light moisture. A humid environment is suitable for better smoldering. Arrange the brick stands evenly.

If you plan to use only 1 pc. drug, you can place it exactly in the center. To correctly calculate how many checkers you will need, you need to take into account its size and the purpose of their use.

When to treat with sulfur bomb

The best period for processing is late autumn, when the harvest is harvested.

It is better to use a fungicide in the spring in four cases: disinfection was not carried out in the fall, autumn treatment was not enough, you found a threat to the harvest on the inner surface of the greenhouse (for example, traces of a fungus).

Photo: If you find a fungus in the greenhouse in the spring, use the fungicide again: it will defeat the disease.

The fourth reason to use a checker after winter is if last season the plants were very sick or suffered from pests, and you do not have the opportunity to replace the soil.

Sulfur checker in autumn in a greenhouse and hotbed

Autumn is the optimal period for using sulfur bombs in a greenhouse or greenhouse. It is necessary to start processing immediately after the entire crop has been harvested from there (you no longer plan to plant anything there) and always before the soil drops below +10 degrees.

It is also necessary to take into account the air temperature in the room: it should not be lower than 10 degrees Celsius. At lower temperatures, sulfuric acid can be formed during the combustion process, which will worsen soil fertility.

Why do you need a checker on your site in the fall? It is used exclusively in enclosed spaces - storage areas, greenhouses and greenhouses - in order to disinfect them as thoroughly as possible, destroy any microorganisms, expel rodents and dry the room.

Photo: Make sure the room is well sealed when disinfecting.

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What to plant at the dacha in November in open ground and in a greenhouse What to do in the vegetable garden and flower garden in November What fertilizers to apply to feed the garden in the fall ________________________________________________________________________________________________

What time to choose

It is best to disinfect greenhouses in the spring and autumn. To improve the first treatment, it is best to repeat the fumigation procedure 4-5 days after the first treatment.

If you are going to plant vegetables in the spring, then the first treatment with tobacco is best done 3 weeks before planting.

Autumn processing can be carried out after you have harvested the crop. After the procedure is carried out, the room will need to be well ventilated and closed until the next season.

It is possible to use tobacco sticks during the period of active plant growth. There is no need to remove vegetable crops from the greenhouse; the smoke will not cause any harm to the plants. It is best to carry out the fumigation procedure in the evening, in cloudy or cool times, so that the vegetables cannot die from the stuffiness.

How to properly light a smoke bomb in a greenhouse

Setting fire to a tobacco stick must be carried out on the street. You need to install it on a pedestal of bricks, light the wick and move back a little so that the flames cannot touch you and your clothes. After about 15-20 seconds it will go out and the desired fumigation process will begin. After this, it can be sent to the greenhouse.

Checkers must be placed around the perimeter of the room, do not forget to close the door tightly. The smoking process can continue for several hours. After completing the procedure, the room should be well ventilated and after a few days the fumigation procedure should be repeated.

Many say that the use of drugs has a detrimental effect on insects after 1 treatment, and after the 2nd procedure the larvae themselves begin to die. There is no effect of smoke on eggs.

Instructions for use: how to use the Hephaestus smoke bomb?

Attention : smoke must be produced in a hermetically sealed room. When using checkers for greenhouses, you need to choose evening time or cloudy weather (or spend it in the cold season) so that the plants do not overheat.

All actions to use the checker must be performed correctly in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and not cause harm to yourself. Therefore, each manufacturer indicates detailed rules for use on the packaging. If there are no instructions, you should think about the authenticity of the product.

View without box

For mold, mildew and insects, Hephaestus is used according to the following scheme: one checker per 10-15 cubic meters of air space. To improve the effect, it is better to repeat the treatment after 12-15 hours.

To stimulate the growth and fruiting of plants, it is recommended to treat greenhouses once every 5-7 days at the rate of 1 block per 50 cubic meters of air space.

Before using the product:

1. Calculate the number of checkers based on the size of the room and the purpose of processing.
2. Install non-combustible bases under each block at an equal distance from the walls of the polycarbonate or glass greenhouse and from each other.
3. Seal all windows and ventilation ducts to completely prevent the entry of fresh air and the circulation of air masses.
4. Prepare to be able to quickly leave the room by closing the door after setting it on fire.

After the preparatory work, you can begin processing the greenhouse or basement:

1. Remove the plastic wrap from the checker and lightly knead its upper part.
2. Install it on a non-combustible base outdoors. A “foundation” of several bricks, for example, is suitable as a base.
3. Check that there are no flammable substances or objects nearby.
4. Turn your face to the side and light the fuse. Flames will erupt from the center of the package. The cardboard membrane will burn out in about 15-20 seconds, then the combustion will turn into slow smoldering with the release of a large amount of smoke.
5. Immediately after setting fire, quickly leave the room, closing the door behind you.
6. Wait until Hephaestus is completely exhausted. This will take approximately 1.5-2 hours.
7. Then wait another 2 hours and ventilate the room well: open the door, windows, ventilation ducts, if any, turn on the supply and exhaust devices.
8. If you use a checker against mold, mildew, or insects, repeat the treatment after 12-15 hours.

Description and rules for using the Hephaestus checker in a greenhouse (video)

Is Hephaestus checker safe for plants?

Tobacco checker Hephaestus is not only safe for all types of plants, but even useful. During the process of growth and fruiting, it protects plants from insects and diseases.

In addition, it greatly simplifies the storage of crops. A healthy crop can be stored in a disinfected room for much longer.

To use the checker, it is NOT necessary to remove the crop from the room (if the treatment is carried out in the cellar) or trays with seedlings, or somehow cover the plants (if the treatment is carried out in a greenhouse).

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Compliance with safety measures

The use of tobacco cones is absolutely harmless both for people and plants, and for the polycarbonate greenhouse itself. But you still need to take certain precautions:

• If you are going to use several pieces of tobacco sticks, then you must wear safety glasses to protect the mucous membrane of your eyes.
• To protect exposed parts of your body, it is best to wear long sleeves.
• When you install the checker, you need to hold your breath for a while.
• The room must be airtight so that the smoke does not escape outside the greenhouse.
• You should not be inside the greenhouse during the fumigation procedure.
• After the burning ends, you cannot enter the greenhouse for several hours. Dissipation of carbon dioxide must occur.

We carry out a set of works after processing the greenhouse using a tobacco checker

If you use the tobacco sticks that we previously reviewed, then there is no need to carry out any specific work. You just need to ventilate the greenhouse well so that all the smoke and smell disappear completely. Then you can go about your normal business there. If you need to enter it before the burning ends, do not forget about the protective mask.

Tobacco can be used throughout the season. It does not contain chemicals. The checker is easy to use. It is good at combating many pests and diseases that can negatively affect the development of vegetable crops. It is important to remember that when using tobacco pellets you must follow safety precautions and follow all operating instructions