How to properly treat radishes from pests

Diseases and pests of radish

Radish belongs to the plants of the Cruciferous (Cabbage) family, therefore, its diseases and pests are the same as in all garden crops of this group.

By the way, radishes rarely get sick. Most often, the following diseases of fungal or bacterial origin appear on radishes:

• bacteriosis - a fungal disease leading to the formation of putrid mucus on roots, yellowing and death of leaves;
• powdery mildew (white bloom on the stems and the upper side of the leaves) - a fungal disease that leads to blackening and death of the leaves;
• keela is also a disease of bacterial origin, manifests itself as growths and swellings on the surface of root crops, leads to yellowing and wilting of leaves;
• black leg - manifested by yellowing, twisting of leaves and blackening of the stem at the base.

However, the greatest harm to crops is caused by harmful insects. Let's talk about the most dangerous pests further.

The cruciferous flea is the main enemy of the radish. These are small black bugs jumping in the garden and damaging plants. They bite holes in the leaves, and when the damage reaches a critical size, the plant stops growing and begins to die. Insects are especially active in hot, dry weather, and their main target is extremely young radishes. Fleas are not as scary to adult plants as to young seedlings.

Whitefish is a white butterfly that lays its eggs in the soil. It is not she who is dangerous for the radish, but its caterpillars, which eat the leaves, making holes in them.

Medvedka is the most serious enemy of root crops. It is more common in greenhouses because it loves warm soil. The pest eats root crops, forming holes and holes in them.

Cabbage flies - These insects are not averse to feasting on any cruciferous crops. They lay eggs in the ground, from which in a matter of days larvae appear, eating radishes. If you do not start fighting them in time, then the entire crop will be destroyed.

Moth is a gray-brown nocturnal butterfly that feeds on the leaves of cruciferous crops. Like all butterflies, it lays eggs from which caterpillars emerge. These caterpillars very actively devour young leaves, which leads to the complete destruction of plants.

The rape bug is black bugs with yellow stripes on the back that appear on the radish as soon as it gets warmer. They eat the leaves, forming holes in them, which leads to yellowing and then wilting of the plants.

Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles. They eat any root vegetables, including radishes.

Since radishes love moist soil, slugs can often be found in its garden. During the day they hide in the ground between the plants, and at night they crawl out to feast on the pulp of root vegetables.Slugs appear in the middle or second half of summer, so they are dangerous only for late varieties.

Ways to fight

The surest way to control pests of garden crops is insecticides, but for radishes, their use is not always justified and advisable. The fact is that these drugs lead to the accumulation of harmful substances such as nitrates in vegetables. If the use of insecticides is stopped a month before the harvest, then the nitrates will have time to leave the plant and will not harm the consumer. Radish accumulates nitrates very quickly, and since the growing season of the crop is short (20–40 days), it does not have time to get rid of them. So that nitrates in early vegetables do not harm health, radishes are treated with light insecticides, antiseptics or folk remedies.

Diseases of bacterial origin (powdery mildew, rot, bacteriosis) can be fought with Bordeaux liquid. It is a lightweight complex insecticide with high antiseptic properties. Radish does not accumulate nitrates from it, since the solution is used only for spraying the tops and does not get into the soil. The drug is effective not only against fungal diseases, but also against many pests, therefore it is used for almost all cultivated plants as a preventive and therapeutic agent.

To combat the keel, an aqueous solution of slaked lime, popularly called lime milk, is recommended. To do this, 2 cups of the product must be diluted in 10 liters of water and used to water the plants. Lime is safe for humans, nitrates are not formed from it in radishes. In addition, slaked lime is used in horticulture as a fertilizer for the soil, so you don't have to worry about the quality of root crops.

A solution of copper sulfate (1 tablespoon / 10 l of water) with the addition of laundry soap (40 g) is effective from a black leg on radishes. Vitriol is an insecticide, but since it is used only for spraying, it does not interact with root crops, and, therefore, nitrates are not formed from it. You can also fight the disease with folk remedies - a decoction of onion husks (20 g / 1 liter), you need to insist it for a day and process the tops of plants.

Vegetable growers prefer to deal with pests on radishes with the help of folk remedies. Most parasites (beetles, caterpillars, bears) do not like liquid manure, so feeding with this tool allows you to quickly get rid of them.

It should be remembered that nitrates are formed from a large amount of organic matter in root crops, so the amount of fertilizer should be minimal.

You can get rid of cruciferous fleas and other insects with the help of exclusively natural remedies, from which nitrates are not formed in radishes: ash, tobacco dust, laundry soap, wormwood.

Video "Wood ash against pests"

Experienced gardeners use wood ash as a natural fertilizer, but it is equally successfully used against pests and diseases. Details in the video.

Processing technology

Whatever method of treatment is used: spraying, watering or spraying a dry mixture, it will be effective only if the agent lingers for some time in the soil or on the radish itself. The first surface watering or rain will immediately wash away the product and will not give the desired result. Therefore, if the radish was sprayed with a medicinal solution or sprinkled with a mixture, then it must be transferred to drip irrigation (directly under the roots).

If radishes grow in the vicinity of cruciferous weeds, then they should be watered abundantly with insecticides - otherwise they will become a breeding ground for insects.

It is better to process radishes in dry and calm weather. Usually such work is carried out in the evening. However, to eliminate fleas on radishes, you should choose the daytime, since insects are especially active in the heat.A flea can be fought not only with the help of solutions and mixtures, but also by mechanical methods: by covering the beds, as well as by hanging sticky tapes to which the insects stick. These harmless measures help to wait until the radish grows up, and the fleas will be less dangerous for it.

How to prevent pests

The most reliable way to prevent diseases and pests on radishes is to disinfect seeds and soil when sowing a crop. Compliance with crop rotation also effectively solves this problem.

It is important not only to change the location of the garden bed every year, but also to avoid re-seeding during the season.

Radish is a precocious vegetable, and many gardeners try to grow several crops per season in the same garden. This is the reason for outbreaks of fungal diseases, which, with each subsequent sowing, become more active.

Good precursors for radishes are potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes, garlic, and onions. Since early radish ripens quite quickly, it can be sown in the area intended for planting seedlings of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants - this is an example of the rational use of the planting area.

In addition, many pests such as the cruciferous flea do not like the smell of nightshade crops. She also does not like moisture, and if the radishes are watered abundantly, then it is quite possible that insects will leave the garden.

Proper care plays an important role in growing a crop. Remove weeds from the garden in a timely manner, since it is from them that the pests move to the beds with cultivated plants. Some gardeners plant plants and flowers next to radishes that emit a special smell that repels pests. Such plants are: tansy, calendula, celandine, marigolds, coriander, dill.

When planning to plant radishes, choose early varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests.Sowing early is the surest way to prevent many diseases and get a quality, undamaged crop.

Video "Pest Control of the Second Radish Harvest"

This video is about how to protect the second harvest of a radish sown in May from insect pests.