Aphids on gooseberries: how to fight them when there are already berries, the most effective folk remedies against aphids, how to treat them, how to get rid of them

Signs of gooseberry aphid damage

After an attack by pests, the gooseberry stops producing the usual amount of harvest and loses its visual appeal - the leaves curl, wither, turn yellow, and dry out.

If you do not pay attention to these signs, the bush will die in the future. But not so much from larvae, but from black sooty mildew.

How to recognize a pest

Gooseberry or shoot aphids often settle on gooseberries . The larvae have a spindle-shaped shape, body length from 0.5 to 0.7 mm, light green color, glassy body. Individuals have large antennae and powerful jaws.

The presence of a colony on plants is recognized by the following signs:

leaves begin to curl, deform, turn yellow and become a shelter for larvae;
ants are active on the shoots;
the bush was covered with a sticky coating with a gray tint.

At the end of the gooseberry flowering, winged female aphids begin to appear . They move to another part of the site or even to neighboring gardens, creating new colonies there. In the fall, eggs are laid again, from which new offspring will appear in the spring.

Damage caused

Adults do not harm crops. The larvae cause significant damage . They feed on the juice of plants and fruits. The gooseberry gradually fades, loses strength, and often dies.

Pests become carriers of sooty fungus . This in turn activates powdery mildew. First of all, the disease affects the lower part of the bush, then the upper shoots and fruits. The berries begin to deform, become smaller and dry out. In gooseberries, photosynthesis is disrupted and resistance to frost is reduced.

The aphid moves to neighboring crops : currants, apple trees, cherries, zucchini, etc. If its spread is not stopped in time, by the fall the gardener will lose up to 60% of the entire harvest.

Description

There are more than 400 species of aphids. These are small insects from the order Hemiptera with an ellipsoid body. Color can vary from black or dark brown to light green. Sedentary. They stand out for their enormous reproduction rates. In just a month, each female is capable of restoring a colony of several thousand individuals. When conditions unfavorable for the colony occur, winged individuals appear among the offspring. These are the so-called disperser females. They use a slower, bisexual method of reproduction; but they can find a more suitable place for the eggs.

Aphids are polyphagous, that is, in the absence of “favorite” plants they can feed on others. Among the preferences: apple tree, plum. Favorite shrubs are currants and gooseberries. You can get rid of aphids on gooseberries only by destroying symbiotic insects and ants. The latter protect aphids from natural enemies and transfer them to new, more succulent plants. In return, they feast on the sweet secretions of aphids and honeydew. “Spare” aphid eggs are most often stored in anthills, so even if the colony is completely destroyed, the ants will do everything to restore it.

Causes

There are several obvious reasons.

Among them:

Metabolic disease. It occurs from an excess or deficiency of microelements (potassium and phosphorus) in the root system, the plant itself.
Overgrown area. Failure to promptly remove weeds around plants leads to the appearance of various insects.
A large number of anthills. Ants carry aphids, so they fight these two types of insects at the same time.
The rules of agricultural technology were violated. This is the wrong choice of place for planting, deposits of fallen leaves, non-compliance with the irrigation regime.

Ways to get rid of aphids on gooseberries

Aphids are destroyed by chemical, folk, mechanical means and agrotechnical methods . If neighboring crops are already affected by the pest, they are treated simultaneously with the gooseberries.

Chemicals

Apply before the first leaves appear or after harvesting . Treatments should not be carried out during the fruiting period, as the berries will accumulate insecticidal components. It is not recommended to use pesticides during the flowering period: the pollen becomes toxic, causing the death of a significant part of the bees.

Important! Work with drugs wearing protective clothing, a mask and gloves. Be sure to read the manufacturer's advice. If it rains the next day after spraying, repeat the procedure.

"Aktara"

This is a new generation insecticide with a broad spectrum of action . Not dangerous for humans, animals, earthworms. It destroys aphids through the digestive system.

After treatment with Aktara, the protective properties remain for 15-30 days. Prepare a solution (2 g of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of water), spray the gooseberries with it. The procedure is carried out in the evening in dry and windless weather. If the aphids have not retreated, repeat spraying after 7 days.

"Fitoverm"

This is a biological insecticide made from waste products of soil microorganisms . It is a broad-spectrum drug and is not considered dangerous for other crops.

The solution is prepared before use: dilute 2 ml of the drug in 1 liter of water, mix thoroughly for a minute. Spray the bushes in the evening. If the mixture interacts with sunlight, its properties will be lost.

"Spark Double Effect"

It is a strong insecticide for controlling aphids and fertilizing plants . It contains potassium and anti-stress additives that help gooseberries recover from a pest attack.

Dissolve 1 tablet in 1 liter of water, then filter the liquid and bring it to a volume of 10 liters. The resulting product is sprayed on gooseberries. The procedure is performed in the evening in dry weather.

Traditional methods

This category is suitable for ardent opponents of pesticides and those who want to save money.

The main advantage of folk remedies is the possibility of using gooseberries throughout the growing season . They are absolutely safe for all living things and fruits, but an excess of working components causes burns on the leaves.

The most popular folk remedies against aphids :

Garlic tincture. 200-300 g of crushed cloves are poured into 10 liters of water, infused for 3-4 hours, then filtered, poured into a spray bottle and sprayed on the plants. The procedure is repeated after 7-10 days.
Lilac. Has repellent properties. However, the process of preparing the tincture will take some time. Lilac flowers are collected and dried for 1 week. Then 1 kg of raw material is poured into 6 liters of water and simmered in a water bath for 1 hour. The liquid is filtered and then placed in a dark place for a day. Add 20 g of grated laundry soap to the resulting infusion, mix thoroughly and spray the bushes. Repeat the procedure after 10-14 days.
Onion peel. No less effective composition. 200 g is poured into a bucket of water and left for 5 days, filtered and used for spraying. Reapply after 10 days.

Experienced gardeners recommend scattering wood ash under each gooseberry bush . It will not only prevent pest invasion, but will also saturate the root system with phosphorus, calcium and potassium when it enters the soil along with water.

Attention! Spraying with folk remedies is performed in the evening or early morning in dry weather. If you use garlic tincture frequently, it will cause burns on the leaves. 3-4 treatments are enough for the entire growing season.

Agrotechnical techniques

The use of chemicals and folk remedies must be alternated with the following measures:

Removal and destruction of infected green mass. The work is carried out with clean tools.
Timely pruning and thinning of shoots. The branches are carefully removed with pruning shears.
Loosening the soil and weeding. After each watering, the soil is turned over to a depth of 2-3 cm. Weeds are pulled out along with their roots.
Fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. To do this, 10 g of superphosphate is mixed with 5 g of potassium salt and diluted in 10 liters of water. Leave for 2 days, then pour 1 liter under the bush.
Mulching the soil. A fresh layer of mulch will not only block the path of the larvae, but also prevent the growth of weeds. They create flooring from sawdust, tree bark, ash, and peat.

Mechanical methods

There are several mechanical methods, but the result does not always live up to expectations:

Aphids are washed off with a strong stream of water from a hose in 2-3 approaches. Get rid of ants in advance.
Another way is duct tape. It is more labor-intensive, but effective. They wrap a piece of tape around their hand and begin to collect pests. This method only works if the aphids have not multiplied to colony size.
Planting green manure. Marigolds, pyrethrum, lavender, marigolds, garlic, mustard, fennel, and chives are good at repelling aphids.
They launch enemies. Ladybugs, hoverfly larvae, lacewings, gall midges, ichneumon wasps, earwigs, and predatory beetles (for example, Atheta coriaria) are good at repelling aphids.

Earwigs are considered another dangerous pest of vegetable crops. Therefore, they will be present on the site anyway.

Types of aphids, and what harm they cause to currants

Aphids belong to the order Homoptera and have piercing-sucking mouthparts. There are many varieties of small and voracious insects in the garden, but two types of aphids live on currants:

gooseberry (shoot) - affects shrubs with black berries;
gall (leaf) - prefers white and red currants.

The peak time for aphid settlement is from May to June; the colony parasitizes berry bushes all summer. The lifespan of an individual is short, but due to lightning-fast reproduction, the aphid manages to change 10-15 generations per season.

Gall aphid

The full name of the pest is the red gall apple aphid (Rhopalosiphum insectum). The population contains winged and wingless forms. Biological description of gall aphids:

the average size of an insect without wings is 2-2.6 mm, a flying aphid is smaller - 1.5-2.1 mm, the shape of the body is oval;
color range includes green, yellow-green and dark green base color with a brownish stripe along the back;
on the back of the abdomen there are two cylindrical tubes-siphuncles, the head is equipped with 5-6-segment antennae.

At the end of autumn, the female lays eggs in the bark of apple trees (less commonly, other garden trees), and already in April, sexually mature individuals with wings appear. The pest quickly flies to green bushes. Gall aphids are first discovered on currants in May, and here it is necessary to treat the berry garden as quickly as possible.

Important! Aphids are characterized by polymorphism. That is, insects living in the same space differ in appearance and parasitic behavior

There are even more differences between individual colonies and subsequent generations. This feature leads to high vitality.

Gooseberry (shoot) aphid

Gooseberry aphid (Aphisgrossulariae) is one of the most dangerous types of currant pests. The name speaks for itself: the insect attacks both currants and gooseberries. If shrubs are adjacent, the likelihood of each being affected increases.

Morphology of shoot aphids:

reaches a length of only 1.5-2.2 mm (asexual virgin individuals appearing in the spring do not reach even a millimeter), the body shape is a wide ellipse;
the slightly transparent yellow-green or green color of gooseberry aphids makes the insects almost invisible: on the foliage of the currant bush they look like jelly balls;
six-segmented antennae are equal to ½ of the pest’s body, abdominal siphuncles are comparable to the tail, adult specimens are covered with microscopic hairs.

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Preventive measures

Getting rid of an aphid colony is much more difficult than preventing its appearance and subsequent reproduction.

To do this, perform:

Fertilizers in the form of complex mixtures. This way the gooseberry receives 100% protection from pest attacks. To do this, 10 g of superphosphate is mixed with 5 g of potassium salt and diluted in 10 liters of water. Leave for 2 days, then pour 1 liter under the bush.
Regular pruning. The bush will devote less energy to the formation of unnecessary stems. It will have enough energy left to fight off the aphids.
Cleaning and burning fallen leaves. Afterwards, the bushes are hilled up to ensure high-quality ventilation of the soil.
Eliminating anthills. Ants and aphids are eternal allies. Therefore, getting rid of them will be a guaranteed way to prevent pests on gooseberries.
Digging up the area. After the snow melts and the soil warms up, the area is dug up using a shovel. This way the aphid larvae will end up on the surface and die.

Prevention measures

Getting rid of aphids, as you can see, is quite difficult; it is better to prevent their appearance. This can be achieved by performing a number of simple preventive measures:

gooseberries should regularly receive complex fertilizers;
an important stage in the formation of a healthy bush is annual pruning;
all fallen leaves are promptly removed and burned, the bushes are hilled;
weeds around the bushes must be removed regularly;
It’s good if the gooseberries are adjacent to plants that repel aphids: dill, tansy;
all anthills on the site must be destroyed;
in the spring, before buds begin to bloom, all shrubs should be subjected to preventive treatment with chemicals.

Gooseberries, like any other inhabitant of the garden, need proper and systematic care. This way he will delight his owners with a bountiful harvest. But in rare cases, aphids can attack a healthy, perfectly groomed plant. To get rid of it, the fight must begin immediately.

Helpful Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

Frequent watering of gooseberries is not recommended . It is a drought-resistant plant, so it requires 2-3 waterings throughout the season. Damp soil often causes diseases and pests to breed. It is good if the surface of the earth is covered with a layer of mulch, and green manure is planted around the bushes.

The use of chemicals during the flowering and fruiting period of the crop is unacceptable . It is better to replace chemistry with folk tinctures and decoctions. In this case, spraying should be carried out only in the evening in dry weather.

What are the dangers of chemical treatment?

Despite all their effectiveness, chemicals have several significant disadvantages that make their use dangerous. Let's consider the most significant of them.

Poisoning. When working with poisons, you can get minor poisoning. This is especially true for those summer residents who neglect protective equipment.
Harm to plants. Incorrect dosage may cause chemical burns.
Nitrates in fruits. Do not get overly involved in treating with pesticides. Some of them, when decomposed, leave nitrates in the fruits.
In addition, treatment with chemicals during flowering can cause the death of bees. Most poisons are non-selective, meaning they are dangerous to all insects, beneficial and pests. Treatment with such compounds during periods of abundant flowering leads to damage to all agriculture, and especially to beekeeping.