Aphids on currants - what to do?

Garden plots of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, abound with currant bushes. The mass of nutrients contained in the fruits of this shrub brought him immense popularity. Currant fruits have medicinal properties and are widely used in folk medicine. However, not only people love currants, but also pests, the main of which is aphids. How to get rid of aphids on currants? What are the methods of dealing with aphids, you can find out by reading this article.

Aphids are well-known pests, up to 7 mm in size, green or black. These small parasites multiply on young shoots of currants and feed on their juice.

It is very easy to notice the presence of aphids on currants. Having carefully looked at the bush and noticing ants scurrying around on it, we can safely assume that there is a colony of aphids here.

After all, aphids and ants make up a single whole. Ants feed on honeydew, which is secreted by aphids during digestion. By itself, the aphid is clumsy and slow, so the ants carry it on themselves to the most delicious parts of the plant. Therefore, to begin the fight against aphids, you need to destroy the ants. Carefully examining the surroundings near the bush in search of an anthill, you can definitely find it near the currant, or even in its roots. Now it remains to pour a bucket of boiling water into the anthill in early spring. The ants will die in this case, and then you can already begin to destroy the aphids.

Aphids are found inside unblown buds that are easy to identify by their appearance. The buds with aphids inside are larger and have a rounded shape. All such buds are collected and burned.

How to get rid of aphids on currant leaves?

Often on leaflets red currant red bumps can be seen. The leaves are swollen and very unhealthy. This means that the leaves were affected by the red-gall aphid. The eggs laid by her hibernate on the branches of a bush, and with the onset of spring, larvae emerge from them and settle on the back of young currant leaves. In places where aphids accumulate, the leaves swell and acquire a reddish tint.

Black currant leaves are more often affected by gooseberry shoot aphids. It appears on the tops of the shoots, sucks the juice out of them, the leaves curl and bend.

Control measures for aphids on currants

You need to immediately understand for yourself that it is impossible to get rid of aphids forever. But it is necessary to correctly build and apply the line of defense.

There are two ways to deal with aphids, namely:

1. organic;
2. chemical.

The organic method of aphids includes a variety of methods associated with natural remedies, without the use of pesticides. Such methods are especially effective for preventing disease or early damage to the plant by aphids.

To prevent the spread of aphids, excess growth is cut out, tops, in which aphids freely multiply. Next, you should regularly water, feed and mulch the plant. On a healthy bush with tough dark leaves, aphids will feel uncomfortable. It is imperative to clean the bark in the places of its exfoliation, where the aphid egg-laying overwintered, which contributes to its significant reduction.

If aphids still appear on currants, then it is necessary to prepare an infusion of wood water 1 kg per 10 liters. boiling water and spray the bush with it. An infusion of red pepper, garlic, celandine, and tomato tops is also very effective.They also spray the currants with a solution of liquid soap and dust the leaves with ash. Covered with a soapy film, the leaves will be protected from sucking the juice out of them by parasites.

We must not forget about the natural predators of aphids - ladybirds. To attract these beneficial insects, you need to plant nasturtium, tansy, mallow, cosmea, calendula near the currant. The fragrances of these flowers attract ladybirds and help them reproduce.

No need to rush to remove all the weeds under the currant bites. It is advisable to leave one or two quinoa bushes, which are a treat for aphids. The affected quinoa bush can be easily pulled out and destroyed when it fulfills its function, taking fire on itself.

Chemical methods are used when natural remedies no longer work or when time is limited.

Chemicals for aphid control are:

• contact;
• intestinal;
• systemic.

Contact drugs "Fufan", "Fury", "Karbaphos" instantly relieves the plant of aphids, since penetrating through its cover, they immediately kill it.

Intestines enter the digestive system during the absorption of leaves treated with the chemicals "Confidor", "BI-58 Novy".

The effect of systemic drugs is extended over time for 15-20 days. Treatment of the bush with such drugs makes the juice poisonous for a very long time. Such a drug can be Aktara.

Video: how to protect red currants from aphids