table of contents
- Lice - recognize pest infestation
- Nettle manure against lice infestation
- Black tea, potato stock and potash soap
- Onion and garlic stock
- Milk and rapeseed oil mixture
- Predators against aphids
- Prevent infestation with mixed cultures
- Plastic wrap against lice
- frequently asked Questions
The aphids on cucumber plants are not a visual disturbance, but also endanger your cucumber harvest. We explain how you can use simple home remedies to successfully combat lice and prevent infestation.
In a nutshell
- Aphids on cucumbers endanger the harvest
- Home remedies are clearly preferable to the chemical club
- Nettle manure, black tea, potash soap, and other environmentally friendly agents are simple and efficient
- Natural predators such as lacewing or ladybirds are popular repellants against aphids
- Lice infestation can be prevented with a mixed culture
Lice - recognize pest infestation
Around 3,000 species of aphids are native to Europe. They are insects with a body length of a few millimeters that are equipped with a proboscis. This mouth tool is used by the lice to pierce the vascular bundles of the plant, the pests feed on the sap. You will find mostly black or greenish colored parasites on the cucumbers.
The greatest danger does not come from the lice themselves, but from their sticky excretions, the honeydew. This is the breeding ground for parasitic fungi - dangerous diseases such as sooty mildew are the result. The plant withers, the fruits do not ripen or die.
Did you know that you can collect the insects by hand when the infestation is low?
Nettle manure against lice infestation
Herbal products are easy to make and effective. One of the tried and tested remedies is nettle manure. All you need for a nettle treatment is nettles and water. How to do it:
- Cut off several nettles
- Plants in approx. Chop 10 centimeter long pieces
- Pour water over the plant mass in a ratio of 1 to 10
- Cover the container without interrupting the air supply
- Stir the brew daily with a wooden stick
- Wait for fermentation to finish in 2 to 3 weeks
- As soon as no more foam forms, dilute the liquid manure in a ratio of 1 to 10
- Pour the cucumber with the liquid manure and sprinkle it
The only downside to this home remedy for aphids for cucumbers is a longer fermentation time.
Black tea, potato stock and potash soap
Some preparations against lice can be used immediately and work reliably. You can brew any type of black tea, let it cool and then spray the infected areas with it. Another potent anti-aphid agent is potato stock, cooled of course.
Potash soap is a reliable, chemical-free remedy for lice plagues. Proceed like this:
- Dissolve 50 grams of potash soap in 1 liter of warm water
- Let the mixture cool down
- Transfer to a spray bottle and spray the lice colonies and the entire plant
Did you know that in the event of severe infestation, a little alcohol or spirit gives the potash soap-water mixture a plus in efficiency?
Onion and garlic stock
It only takes a few hours to produce another effective remedy against the pests. Garlic and onions drive the lice away with their smell. How to prepare the broth:
- Chop the onions or garlic cloves
- Pour boiling water over the mixture in a ratio of 1 to 100
- Wait until the brew has cooled down
- Strain the broth
- Spray cucumber plants
Note: The brew is not only suitable as a remedy against lice infestation, but is also an effective remedy for fungal diseases in garden and indoor plants.
Milk and rapeseed oil mixture
Milk-water or rapeseed oil-water mixtures are suitable for spraying. Mix the whole milk with water in a ratio of 1 to 2. The oil should be mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 50.
Tip: So that the rapeseed oil dissolves in the water, add a little washing-up liquid as an emulsifier.
It is not a problem to produce a milk-rapeseed oil mixture for use against lice infestation on cucumber plants. Instead of rapeseed oil, you can use neem oil, obtained from the flowers of the Indian fern.
Predators against aphids
Natural predators of the pests are suitable for efficient and biologically harmless control of lice. You can use the following types of insects effectively against aphids on your cucumber plants:
- Lacewing
- Ladybug
- Catchy tunes
- Parasitic wasps
Note: Parasitic wasps are less than 1 millimeter in size and are an effective home remedy in the fight against food and clothes moths.
The predators are usually easy to use, because larvae or eggs acquire several beneficial insects They are in trade and do not have to farm or laboriously move the animals to your cucumber plantation Curls.
Prevent infestation with mixed cultures
Numerous herbs dispel the aphids with their intense aroma, so that the pests stay away from your cucumber plants. We recommend never growing the cucumbers in monoculture to prevent aphids.
These garden plants are ideal as bedding partners for cucumbers:
- lavender
- rosemary
- sage
- thyme
Plastic wrap against lice
The following application is very uncomplicated and surprisingly effective against aphids: Wrap the cucumber plants in plastic wrap for a few days. A moist environment quickly forms under the film, which aphids cannot tolerate. The pests leave the plant after a while. However, this agent is even more effective in combination with spraying.
frequently asked Questions
The pests cannot be killed with vinegar, but only driven away. This is best used to prevent the infestation. Warning: Excessive amounts of vinegar will burn the plant.
There are two reasons for this: Chemical mace harms beneficial organisms, including the predators of lice and wild birds, as well as the environment in general. In addition, the chemical agents put a strain on the fruits, for example cucumbers.
No, the remedies mentioned are generally effective against lice plagues and are therefore just as effective for most other useful or ornamental plants.
That depends on the infestation. If the infestation is low, a single treatment can bring the desired result. Otherwise, repeat spraying every 10 days until you no longer discover any lice.