Vegetables such as early maturing Chinese cabbage, radishes and arugula are the first treats for the cruciferous flea. It appears at the moment when the plants are gaining strength and just about you can enjoy a spring salad of fresh herbs. This small pest is capable of spoiling a large number of vegetable crops in a short time.
There are two ways to fight this insect: preventive measures and special means that can scare off the pest. Experienced summer residents and gardeners try to take preventive measures in time so that this insect does not appear at all on the vegetable beds. If uninvited guests have already appeared on your land plot, then the only hope is for deterrent drugs.
Getting rid of cruciferous fleas through prevention
Compliance with landing dates
Gardeners with extensive experience recommend planting vegetables in early spring, at the very beginning of March, preferably in a greenhouse. By the beginning of May it will be possible to harvest. At this time, any flea is no longer dangerous, since it loves to feed on young leaves.
If you strictly adhere to the timing of planting and plant crops in early spring or in the middle of summer, then the plants will have time to reach their maturity before the mass invasion of harmful insects or much later than their appearance. Such a planting will allow the plants to develop without problems, gain strength and make it possible to coarsen the delicate leaf mass a little, which is a great chance for saving vegetable crops.
Removing cruciferous weeds
This method of struggle, although difficult, is very effective. The fact is that the flea, before the appearance of its favorite vegetable plants, feeds on weeds on the site - a shepherd's bag, rape and other representatives of cruciferous plants. These plants appear earlier, and with them the flea. It is only later that she will move to the vegetable beds.
The task of every gardener is to completely rid his area of these weeds. If there is no initial "nutrition" for the pest, then there will be no pest in the country either. He will go looking for a treat in other gardens.
Maintaining high humidity
Hot and dry weather is favorable for the cruciferous flea. It was during this period that she massively appears on the site. But water, moist soil and high humidity are not acceptable for it. This should be used as a preventive measure. Vegetables must be planted on the dampest soils in the country, watering should be carried out - abundantly and every day. And even better if the plants are watered with special organic solutions, and not just ordinary settled water.
Shelter with non-woven fabric
Above the beds, it is necessary to build small arcs and cover them with any material that will pass air, light and moisture well (for example, agrospan, lutrasil or non-woven fabric). Under such a covering, the cruciferous flea practically does not penetrate. The structure can be removed when the cultures reach a certain maturity and strength.
Mixed plantings with phytoncidal plants
A flea is a pest that reacts instantly to strong and pungent odors. Take advantage of this weakness - plant garlic or dill in the cabbage garden. The cultivation of cruciferous crops of a later planting is desirable to combine with fragrant flower crops (for example, with calendula or marigolds). Using such mixed plantings, the plants will definitely remain safe.
If for some reason joint planting did not take place, then you can protect vegetable crops with the help of the bitter aroma of wormwood. It is recommended to lay the bunches of this plant between the rows, but their frequent, almost daily, renewal will be required.
We fight cruciferous flea with folk remedies
Dusting against cruciferous flea beetles
The cruciferous flea loves to feed on tender, young, clean leaves. Therefore, in order to preserve the plants, they must be “polluted” for some time. As such a protective "powder" you can use wood ash or its mixture with tobacco dust (you can even mix ash with road dust), as well as ground red pepper.
You can also do with dusting the soil areas between the vegetable rows. For this, pepper powder, tobacco dust and naphthalene are also suitable.
"Powder" is applied to wet plants using a sieve or a small gauze bag. Moisture contributes to good and long adhesion of any small particles. You need to repeat this procedure every day, since watering will wash away the protective pollination.
Some summer residents and gardeners use dust or slaked lime to dust the plants.
Spraying against cruciferous flea beetles
The simplest solution for spraying cruciferous crops is prepared from 5 liters of water, 1 glass of ash infusion and about 50 grams of crushed tar soap. Before use, the solution must be infused for two hours. Drops of this solution on plants will become a real trap for the cruciferous flea. The pests will stick to the leaves and die after a while, unable to get out.
To combat the flea, you can prepare other solutions, the preparation of which will take a little more of your time.
- Recipe number 1. You will need: 5 liters of water, 1 teaspoon of liquid laundry soap, half a glass of garlic and half a glass of tomato tops. First you need to grind the vegetable plants in a meat grinder, then mix everything with water and soap. It is advisable to strain the solution before use.
- Recipe number 2. You will need: 1 bucket of water, 1 tablespoon of soap and 500 grams of crushed dandelions (roots, stems and leaves). Vegetable gruel is added to the water, filtered, soap is poured in and the solution is ready.
- Recipe number 3. The procedure for preparation and proportions of the spray solution is the same as in recipes No. 1 and No. 2, only dried tobacco in an amount of 200 grams acts as the main component and hot water is used.
- Recipe number 4. Vinegar spraying is carried out with a solution prepared from 5 liters of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar essence (or 9% vinegar in an amount of 100-120 milliliters). Only plant leaves are processed.
- Recipe number 5. 500 grams of freshly cut wormwood must be poured with a small amount of water and boiled for 15 minutes. After the infusion is completely cooled, add 50 grams of garlic (rolled in a meat grinder), stir thoroughly and strain through a sieve. Add 5 liters of water to the resulting liquid and start the spraying procedure.
- Recipe number 6.The following solution is used to treat plants in the evening. The main component is potato or tomato tops in the amount of 2 kilograms. Plants are poured with 5 liters of water, boiled for several minutes, cooled and filtered. Before use, the solution is diluted with water in equal parts.
Catching a cruciferous flea
There are several ways of such a hunt. The most basic one is catching insects with sticky substances and sticky materials. A substance with high stickiness can be resin, grease, engine oil. By smearing one of these substances on a piece of cardboard or thick cloth attached to the shaft, you can walk along the aisles of cruciferous plants. Disturbed jumping insects are bound to fall into a sticky trap. You can place several of these traps directly on the beds and between them.
You can also catch these pests with a portable vacuum cleaner designed for a car.
Watering from a cruciferous flea
It is recommended to add one of the substances with a bright and rich aroma to the water for irrigation - pine oil, valerian tincture, corvalol (1 drop per liter of water).
