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Plants in the garden are often affected by various insects. It is important to treat cabbage from fleas in time in order to preserve the harvest. Pests multiply quickly and are capable of completely destroying a vegetable crop in a few days.
Why are cabbage fleas dangerous?
The cabbage flea is a small bug that does not look like the usual blood-sucking flea. It has a convex oval body, no more than 3.5 mm in length. Has six legs. The hind legs have well-developed muscles on the thighs, thanks to which the insect jumps high. It can also fly well.
Most often, bugs are painted black, but there are:
- green;
- striped;
- blue;
- possessing a metallic luster;
- with a matte finish.
They begin to show activity when the spring temperature reaches + 15 ° C. Adults immediately begin laying eggs and actively eating cabbage.
The place that the flea has eaten immediately begins to dry out. As a result, the head of cabbage does not have time to set and the plant dies. The insect prefers young cabbage with delicate leaves. Pests do not attack after the head of cabbage is fully formed.
The flea lays its eggs in the soil. The larvae, similar to worms, penetrate the root system of the cabbage and eat it. The peak of activity occurs in early summer when the weather is sunny.
Cabbage fleas multiply rapidly, which leads to the death of the vegetable crop
Insects are less active in rainy weather, but during this time they often switch to lilies and roses, gnawing holes in the buds.
Signs of fleas on cabbage
The invasion of fleas is observed by a change in the appearance of the vegetable crop:
- the destructive effect of the larvae on the root system is noticeable by the withering state of the foliage, which withers even with abundant watering;
- the appearance of adults can be detected by extensive damage to the foliage, the appearance of ulcers on the surface and gnawed interveins.
With severe damage, cabbage seedlings quickly dry out and die.
Massive beetle infestation is noticeable by the numerous holes in the leaves.
How to deal with a flea on a cabbage
The remedy for flea beetles on cabbage can be folk, biological or chemical. The choice is stopped depending on the number of insects that attacked the vegetable crop.
How to get rid of fleas on cabbage using folk methods
The folk remedy for flea beetles on cabbage is the safest, but no less effective. Dry pollination of a vegetable crop helps well. To do this, mix wood ash in equal proportions and to choose from:
- slaked lime;
- tobacco or road dust.
The selected version of the mixture is placed in a gauze bag and shaken over the plant in the morning so that the agent has time to adhere to the leaves until the dew has left them.
A sticky trap, which is used as a thin plywood coated with resin, helps to get rid of fleas. The device is placed around the cabbage, and from above they begin to wave their arms, slightly touching the leaves. Frightened fleas, jumping out, fall on an adhesive base. After several approaches, the number of insects is noticeably reduced.
You can cover young seedlings with spunbond, through which pests cannot get through, and the cabbage will remain intact.
Decoctions and infusions help well in the fight against flea:
- Tobacco leaves (200 g) are poured with hot water (10 l). Stir and leave for 2 hours. After that, filter and add 20 ml of liquid soap.
- 20 ml of 9% vinegar are poured into 10 liters of cold water.
- 500 g of roots and 500 g of fresh dandelion foliage are passed through a meat grinder. The mixture is poured into 10 liters of water. Stir. After half an hour, filter and combine with 20 ml of liquid soap.
- In 10 liters of water, 20 ml of valerian is diluted, which can be replaced with ammonia.
- For a quarter of an hour, 10 liters of water are boiled with 4 kg of potato tops. Cool completely, then filter. Dilute with water in a 1: 1 ratio.
Plants are treated with the prepared mixture in the evening.
Fleas love young seedlings the most.
How to deal with cruciferous flea on cabbage with biological drugs
Biological products cause much less harm to the environment than chemical products. To combat a flea on cabbage, use:
- Fitoverm. The active substance of the drug is made from the metaplasma of fungi living in the soil, which kills pests. After 12 hours after treatment, they are paralyzed, and death occurs after three days. The drug has no effect on the larvae.
Fleas love young seedlings the most.
- Aktofit. The preparation is obtained from non-pathogenic soil fungi. The active component of the product adversely affects the nervous system of the pest. As a result, he dies. The entire surface of cabbage leaves is treated with a biological product. Use immediately after preparation.
How to deal with a cruciferous flea on cabbage with chemicals
With a large-scale attack, folk remedies are ineffective. In this case, the cabbage should be treated with chemicals from the flea:
- Bi-58. This is an insecticide of systemic effects, except for fleas, it kills most pests. Dilute the substance in 10 liters of water.
- "Imidalite". The drug is used to treat the seeds before planting, thereby effectively protecting the cabbage during further cultivation.
- "Decis". The drug is of universal action, which is recommended to process the plant at an air temperature of at least 25 ° C.
- Diazinon. To prevent the attack of fleas, the soil is treated with a preparation before planting seedlings.
- "Bankol". The advantage is the minimum danger to the environment. It is not toxic to humans, beneficial insects and animals. Fleas die 72 hours after treatment.
- "Naphthalene". The most affordable and also the safest drug. The balls are scattered along the cabbage beds. For 1 sq. m use 5 g of the product.
- "Karate". Has the longest period of protective action. After a few minutes, it penetrates the insect through the cuticle and paralyzes it. The flea dies after half an hour. In some cases, the process can take up to 3 hours. This is due to climatic conditions and the physical condition of the pest. The drug works even in rainy weather. Not phytotoxic to the culture. Keeps its effect for a week.
Preventing the appearance of a cruciferous flea on cabbage
Prevention plays an important role in the fight against flea beetles. It is imperative to observe the crop rotation. To do this, cabbage is planted annually in a new place, alternating with other crops. A bed after vegetables from the Solanaceae family is ideal.
You can not plant turnips and radishes next to cabbage. If a flea appears on one of these plants, it will destroy all nearby vegetable crops.
After planting, seedlings are sprayed with vinegar solution weekly until the heads of cabbage are strong.
When planting seedlings early, you can prevent flea beetles from attacking cabbage.
Pests do not tolerate moisture, so it is worth sprinkling the beds every day. Also, fleas do not tolerate rich aromas. Therefore, they planted next to:
- calendula;
- garlic;
- marigold;
- tomatoes;
- caraway.
In the process of cultivation, it is necessary to remove weeds in time. As a result, conditions will become unsuitable for the flea to breed, live and develop. In small areas, you can collect and destroy the larvae with your hands.
Gardener Tips
Experienced gardeners are advised to observe the timing of planting cabbage seedlings in order to avoid a massive attack by flea beetles. The best time is before and after the main stage of pest development. An early variety should be planted in early April, and a late variety in July. So the cabbage will have time to develop, and the leaves will become coarse, which will become unattractive for adults.
Fleas hibernate in the upper soil layer, so before frost it is worth digging up the beds. Individuals on the surface die from night frosts.
In order for the cabbage to get stronger faster and become unattractive to pests, it is necessary to regularly feed it with saltpeter and organic matter.
If you have a car, you can catch pests with a piece of cloth soaked in used diesel oil. The material is placed on sheets of cardboard or iron and laid out on the beds, observing the distance between the traps of 4 m. Two days later, the fabric is turned over to the other side.
Experienced gardeners daily scatter fresh wormwood tied in bunches between the rows of cabbage. Pine or fir oil is also added to the water for irrigation. For 10 liters of water, 15 drops are enough. Thus, the strong scent helps to repel pests.
If you have a car vacuum cleaner, you can vacuum the cabbage. All insects will fall into the trash bag and all that remains is to carefully destroy them.
Conclusion
There are various ways to treat flea beetles from cabbage. The main thing is to start the fight immediately after detecting the first signs of a pest attack, otherwise the vegetable crop will quickly die.
