All summer residents strive to obtain a rich harvest from their plot. They fertilize the soil in a timely manner, monitor the health of the plants, weed the area, getting rid of weeds. This is not an easy job, which can be significantly complicated by the appearance of garden pests that not only spoil vegetables, but also significantly reduce the overall yield of garden crops.

One of these pests is the onion fly. It is very similar to a regular fly, but has a different color. This pest is considered one of the most dangerous, as it can completely destroy the onion crop. Today we will talk about how to deal with onion flies in the garden.

What is an onion fly?

The main difference between an onion fly and a regular one is its color. The pest has an ash-gray or less often ash-green color. This color is wonderful hides it from birds and other insectivorous predators.

The onion fly is somewhat smaller in size than its fellows. The length of its body does not exceed 10 mm. The body of an average onion fly is no more than 6 mm long. Small sizes bodies allow the pest to easily hide inside plants and remain undetected.

The onion fly appears in the beds at the end of April, beginning of May.

When a fly appears in a garden, it first lays its eggs in the already warmed soil, the remains of last year’s harvest, and weeds. After a certain period of time, larvae emerge from the eggs, which at the first opportunity move to the onions growing in the garden bed. Tiny white worms feed on onion pulp. The more larvae, the higher the chance of crop loss.

Bulbs affected by pest larvae soften and become vulnerable to moisture and fungus. After some time, the onion rots and begins to exude bad smell.

It is worth noting that the pest larvae destroy not only the most common onion, but also other types of onions: leeks, chives, as well as garlic and onion flowers.

How can you identify onion fly?

This pest is excellent at hiding from predators and the gaze of gardeners. It is difficult to detect its appearance in the garden, but it is possible. The following signs will help the summer resident:

• Softening the bulbs.
• The onion began to rot.
• The onion feathers began to break and turn yellow.
• A characteristic unpleasant odor emanates from the garden bed.
• Some plants in the garden dry out completely.

The effectiveness of onion fly control depends on timely detection of the pest. If time is lost, it will be very difficult to cope with the pest. The fact is that the larvae of this insect go from larva to pupa in just 3 weeks. If you don't make it on time destroy the larvae, then very soon there will be even more onion flies in the garden, ready to lay new eggs. In this case, the sexually mature queen lays eggs all the time. For your life cycle it is capable of laying up to 60 eggs. The scale of the disaster will increase exponentially.

Onion fly: how to fight it?

Fighting onion fly in the garden is a long and labor-intensive process, which does not always allow you to save the harvest. Therefore, it is wiser to prevent the appearance of the pest in the garden. But first, let's talk about methods of struggle.

You can fight onion fly traditional methods and with the help of modern chemistry.

Traditional methods

Our ancestors long ago figured out how to get rid of onion flies. Experienced gardeners know about traditional methods of pest control and successfully apply them. At the same time, all gardeners agree that spraying is considered the most effective. onion beds using infusions whose aromas repel the pest.

It is worth noting that this method of control is not only effective, but also completely safe for both the plants themselves and humans. For this reason, spray onions solutions of plants with a spicy odor.

Another effective way to combat the pest is to treat onion beds ammonia. To do this, you need to dissolve 3 tablespoons of alcohol in 6 liters of water. The resulting solution should be watered onions 3 times during the summer with an interval of 1 month between waterings.

Please note the fact that watering with ammonia solution is beneficial for onions. Ammonia contains nitrogen, which helps active production squirrel.

Banish the onion fly from the garden bed You can also use the following methods:

Modern chemistry

Many gardeners believe traditional methods not effective enough and prefer to use modern chemistry in pest control. And this despite the fact that chemical preparations are often much more expensive than folk remedies. In addition, chemicals can harm the onion harvest. However, the risk is justified by the absolute effectiveness of the chemicals.

How to treat onions against onion flies? Experts recommend the following drugs:

Prevention

Prevent onion flies from appearing The following activities can be carried out in the garden beds:

Conclusion

Folk remedies for fighting onion flies are effective only if the infection was detected at the initial stage. Therefore, it is very important to carefully inspect the beds in the spring. Otherwise, you may be left without a harvest.

However, onions can be saved even if the pest is detected late. To do this, the beds need to be treated with chemicals. But then the risk of chemical contamination of plants remains.

The choice of control method remains up to gardeners.

If you use chemicals such as insecticides to kill insects, you will most likely ruin the crop, since harmful substances When cultivating the soil, they get inside the bulb and remain there. Over time, poisons accumulate in the fruit and can affect the health of the person who eats such vegetables. Unlike drugs, folk remedies are completely safe both for the land and for summer residents, so you can use them to treat crops without fear for yourself and your loved ones.

Preparations for onion fly

• Karate Zeon;
• Bezudin;
• Aktara;
• Metronidazole;
• Fly eater.

Preventive measures to combat onion fly

Rather than trying to fight insect pests that have already established themselves on a crop, it is better to take care in advance to prevent their occurrence. How to protect onions from onion flies:

1. It is worth doing crop rotation regularly.
2. The location of the plant should be changed annually.
3. In the fall, it is necessary to dig up the garden (the fly remains in the soil for the winter and falls asleep at a depth of 20 cm).
4. After harvesting, you need to remove all organic debris from the garden, leaving no food for pests.
5. It is necessary to spray the garden saline solution three times a year (when the sprouts grow 5 cm, then after 2 weeks, and the third time after another 20 days). After treating the soil and plants with a spray bottle, wash off the salt from the sprouts, and three to four hours after the procedure, you need to water the onions with plain water.

How to fight onion fly with folk remedies

Like other pests, the fly brings a lot of problems to gardeners, but it is not at all difficult to fight it. There are several proven means that can quickly eliminate the pest and save your own crop. In this case, there is no need to use different aggressive chemicals, poisoning the soil and plants. Find out how to treat onions against onion flies.

Use of wood ash

Treating onions with salt to prevent onion flies

• a third of a pack of salt should be dissolved in a ten-liter bucket of water (the amount is indicated approximately);
• You need to water the onion shoots with salted liquid when they reach 5 cm;
• after watering, after 4 hours, you should rinse thoroughly clean water plant tops;
• to consolidate the result, after 10 days the procedure is repeated, increasing the amount of salt (take 400 g).

Uses of potassium permanganate

Treating onions against onion flies with ammonia

It is worth starting the fight against insect pests with the use of ammonia, since this is one of the most effective means. How to deal with onion fly:

Methods for controlling onion fly larvae

Video: How to save onions from onion flies

How to protect the future harvest from pests is a problem that is always on the agenda of any gardener. And we are talking not only about control measures, but also about prevention, because it is much easier and more economical to prevent the invasion of “enemies.” Our story is about why the onion fly is dangerous, how to fight it, what measures will help prevent the appearance of this scourge in the garden and protect the plantings.

Onion fly larvae penetrate the bulbs, feed on their juice and pulp, which is why the plants first wither, turn yellow, and then die. The onion ridges present a sad sight. The larvae themselves leave the bulbs after about 20-21 days, pupate, and again after about three weeks they turn into adults. If the necessary protective measures are not taken, the second cycle of insect summer will begin, and under favorable conditions and warm summers, the third.

NOTE! The flies themselves do not harm the plants; their larvae, which destroy the standing crop, are dangerous. One female can lay up to 60 eggs.

Typically, these insects have two peak flights:

• spring;
• summer (mid-July).

How to understand that onions are affected by flies and pest larvae? The following signs indicate this:

• Onion growth slows down sharply;
• the feather turns yellow, withers, dries out;
• an unpleasant smell of rot is felt near the plants;
• without the slightest effort, the onions are pulled out of the soil, and white larvae are visible on the bottom of the bulbs;
• the bulbs are damaged, rotting from the inside, their pulp contains passages gnawed by fly larvae.

Of course, when such a phenomenon is observed, the most serious measures should be taken immediately. Here, efficiency and determination come to the fore, otherwise you can lose your entire onion harvest in a matter of days. Every gardener should know not only how to treat onions against onion flies and how to get rid of them, but also remember about prevention. If all the rules and recommendations of experts are followed (there are many useful videos on the Internet), then the onion fly will not appear in the garden.

How to deal with onion fly: prevention

For some reason even experienced gardeners They often forget that it is much easier to prevent the appearance of an enemy than to “fight” him later. It is quite difficult to do something quickly with the onion fly when the pest has already attacked the plantings, but everyone can take preventive measures. Protection of onions from the dangerous onion fly must be carried out comprehensively.

• Preparation of seed material.

Firstly, for planting it is necessary to take only high-quality and healthy seeds, sets or selections. This also applies to purchased planting material, and grown on your own plot.

Before planting, it is also necessary to inspect and sort the bulbs, removing all specimens that have any damage.

Mandatory are:

• disinfection of seeds and bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate (before planting);
• heating the onion for five minutes hot water(50-55ºC).

• Early sowing dates

This will allow the plants to gain strength before the mass flight of insects, and then give early harvest. An excellent option is to plant small seedlings before winter, then they will germinate very early in the spring and by May the plants will be strong and powerful.

• Compliance with crop rotation

The rule of observing the order of landing is very important. vegetable crops on the site, as well as recommendations on plant compatibility. This helps not only in pest control, but also in increasing productivity.

ADVICE! Allelopathy is a science, the basics of which all gardeners who expect to get good harvests should know.

In the case of onions You cannot plant a crop in the same bed for several years in a row. There should be alternation taking into account previous vegetables, and onions or any other onions should be returned to the same area no earlier than after three to four years.

• Preparing the beds

The beds for any vegetables should be prepared in the fall, and fertilizers should be applied then. Deep digging allows you to get rid of pest larvae, which, once on the surface, will die in the cold. It is also good to occasionally remove snow from these ridges in winter so that the soil freezes better, and with it all possible pests.

• Removing plant debris and debris from the site

After harvesting, all plant debris must be immediately removed from garden beds.

IMPORTANT! Be sure to remove and burn all plants damaged by pests, as well as bulbs. They are prohibited from being used for compost; they must be destroyed to prevent contamination.

• Loosening and mulching the soil

Caring for plantings involves not only fertilizing and watering, but also mandatory loosening. In this case, the normal functioning of the larvae is disrupted, making their pupation difficult, which means the birth of a new generation of pests. Mulching also helps, using cut grass or peat.

• Combined plantings

Many gardeners practice placing onion and carrot beds next to each other. Insects are repelled by the smell of carrot tops, and the onion fly does not lay eggs. You can also place tomato tops or wild rosemary sprigs on the onion beds, the smell of which is also not liked by pests.

• Features of agricultural technology

It is important to follow onion planting patterns and thin out the plantings, preventing them from thickening. If the seedlings are planted on greenery (such plantings are usually very dense), then it is necessary to monitor the condition of the plants by constantly inspecting them.

• Spraying

Spraying the first onion shoots has a good effect as a preventive measure. herbal infusions. Wormwood, tansy or regular pepper are perfect.

• Powdering

Dusting the rows with a mixture of ash and dry mustard powder, tobacco mixture or ground black pepper will also help protect the onions. The procedure is carried out immediately after planting nigella or sets. The fly will not lay eggs on treated plants.

Measures to combat onion fly

What to do if proper prevention was not carried out, and the pest appeared in onion ridges? How to save the onion in this case? It is necessary to immediately take all measures to destroy it, choosing the most appropriate ones in each specific situation.

Someone is using folk remedies, naturally believing that they are safe and quite effective. Gardeners also have at their disposal more radical preparations of garden “chemicals” that allow them to quickly deal with the pest.

Folk remedies against onion fly

These are proven and effective ways allow you to quickly destroy the onion fly and its larvae, while avoiding the use of toxic drugs.

Birch tar from onion fly

It can be used in two ways:

• soak the onion sets in a tar solution before planting (take one tablespoon of the product per liter of water);
• pour a solution of birch tar and soap on the onion: add a tablespoon of the preparation to a bucket of water, add soap shavings and pour over the plants.

You can reuse the tar by watering it after about 2-2.5 weeks. Tar treatment will completely protect the plants.

Ammonia as a remedy for onion flies

You can treat onions with ammonia. To do this, ammonia is diluted in a bucket of water (about two to three tablespoons), and then the plantings are watered with this mixture.

IMPORTANT! You need to know how to water the plants: not under the roots, but between the rows, trying to cover as much as possible large area. In this case, it is desirable that water does not fall on the onion feathers, but only on the soil.

Treating onions with ammonia against onion flies not only helps to neutralize the pest, but is also a good feed.

Saline solution

The technology of watering onion plantings with salt is not new, but not all gardeners know how to use it correctly.

For the first treatment, use about a third of a pack of table salt, carefully diluting it in a bucket of water.

For the second, you will need to increase the salt norm to half a pack, and for the third watering, take two-thirds. It is convenient to use a spray bottle, and then rinse the composition from the onion with clean water.

When to water:

• 1 watering - onion plants have a height of up to 5-6 cm;
• 2 watering two weeks after the first;
• 3rd watering (if required) - 18-20 days after the second.

Dandelion infusion

A good way to treat onion plantings is to use dandelion infusion. Experts say that it gives a greater effect if you alternate this infusion with the salt solution described above.

Recipe: take about 200-300 grams of roots, stems and leaves of the plant in a bucket of boiling water and leave for several days.

We treat the plants with the composition in the evening.

Soap processing

One of the gardener’s most faithful “helpers” is the usual laundry soap. It can also be useful for combating onion flies. To do this, make soap shavings (about 50 grams), then dissolve it in a bucket of water and treat your onion beds.

NOTE! This treatment can be carried out once or twice during the season.

Metronidazole: effective and quick

Cunning gardeners have learned to use metronidazole to combat insidious pests. Tablets of this drug are sold in pharmacies and are used in the form of an aqueous solution.

IMPORTANT! Metronidazole is medicinal product, it should be used only if other folk remedies have not helped and the situation requires drastic measures.

Metronidazole is diluted in water (it is better to crush the tablets first) and then water the plants. Proportions: take five tablets of the drug per bucket of water.

ADVICE! Metronidazole is used no more than twice a summer.

Kerosene and turpentine in pest control

These liquids (especially kerosene) are used because of their specific persistent odor. There is no need to breed them, you just need to carefully cultivate the soil between planting onions or lay out rags on the beds, after dipping them in turpentine or kerosene.

Potassium permanganate against onion fly

Gardeners fight pests and potassium permanganate. This well-known drug is used not only for preparing seed material for planting, but also for watering.

One spoon of potassium permanganate is diluted into a bucket of water and the solution is poured over the ridges.

These products can also be used in the fight against house flies on onions.

Treatment of onion plantings with special chemicals

Folk remedies for onion flies may be ineffective, and then you will have to use chemicals.

IMPORTANT! When processing any vegetables with protective chemicals You must follow all instructions in the instructions. The use of drugs must be in strict dosage.

Available for sale large number various compositions, which are destructive to onion fly larvae. Many of them - Intavir, Fly Eater, Alatar - act not only effectively, but also very quickly, allowing you to deal with the pest forever.

Intavir

Among the most common drugs, Intavir should be noted. Its popularity is associated not only with its effectiveness, but also with the fact that it is not harmful, for example, to bees.

The tablet is diluted in a bucket of water, then treated with onion planting solution. Use the onions for food after chemical treatment it is possible no earlier than two to three weeks, but the feathers on such plants are not suitable for food.

Zemlin

Another effective drug in powder form is used in the off-season. It is convenient to mix this product with sawdust or sand. The granules are scattered in the ground, thereby getting rid of the larvae and pupae of the onion fly.

The onion fly or onion flower fly (Delia antiqua (Meigen)) in the south of Kazakhstan can produce up to 4 generations. IN wildlife is a phytophage of wild onion and other lilies, as well as iris.

So why can a problem become a disaster? It's simple - in April-May a very small amount of the pest wakes up (you can focus on cherry and dandelion blossoms), closer to June the fly begins to lay eggs in the soil or on onion shoots. It only takes a week for an egg to become a larva. The larvae instantly penetrate the bulb, damage it and remain in the bulb until pupation, and sometimes move on to the next vegetable. A month later, a fly emerges from the larva, which, in turn, also lays eggs and so on throughout the season.

The second generation flies appear already in June. Females need additional nutrition with flower nectar to lay eggs. For egg development optimal conditions is the temperature 17-22 degrees and humidity 75-80%. It happens that a prolonged spring with low temperatures causes hibernation in pupae, and part of the spring generation goes into winter diapause.

The fly causes more damage to onion crops on sandy loam and loam, and less damage on peat bogs. In addition to onions, the pest loves chives, shallots, leeks, and tulips. Doesn't disdain garlic either. Among the visible manifestations - the tips of the onion leaves turn white and dry out, and this is provided that the bulb is not severely damaged or only upper part, but if the larva manages to get to the pulp and to the root collar, the onion will begin to rot and it will be too late to save it.

Effective folk remedies for onion flies

So, it becomes clear that protection against onion flies is possible early spring, and the most the best option there will be not the destruction of awakened individuals, but the prevention of their appearance.

In contaminated areas, you can try to save onions from from the onion fly by spilling the Nemabactom bed - predatory nematodes will climb into the womb of the larvae and eat them from the inside. But for this you need to maintain a humid environment. If this biological product is not available in your region, try to find “Protection” soil, it also contains predatory nematodes, and they will get rid of fly larvae in a couple of weeks.

Addition: recently in the project " productive vegetable garden» our charming colleague Tatyana shared her experience of protecting seedlings treated with tar. We highly recommend taking a moment to watch this video:

There is an assumption that Liquid smoke can also be treated, so look more often at our arsenal of folk remedies for protecting plants from pests and diseases, and choose a method according to the situation. But also comprehensive protection do not ignore - crop rotation and mixed plantings In general, they can replace spraying and dressing of seedlings.

These are the most common and effective folk measures to combat onion flies, which can cause irreparable harm to the crop. The main rule that is important to remember is that you need to start protecting onions from onion flies in advance, then it will be more difficult. Perhaps the chances of saving the harvest will be reduced to zero. We hope our recommendations on how to protect onions from onion flies will be useful to you.

Greetings, dear friends!

The onion fly is the main pest of all onion crops (leeks, onions, garlic, flower bulbs). Pests that have overwintered in the soil fly out in May to lay eggs, from which a week later the larvae emerge and penetrate the plant bulbs.

For the second time this season, pests become active in July. Second-generation flies fly out of the larvae that pupate in the soil and again cause irreparable damage to the plantation. Seedlings affected by the fly are characterized by drying out of the aboveground part and rotting of the bulbs in the ground.

Crop rotation rules and joint planting to combat onion fly

To avoid onion fly invasion when cultivating onions, you should follow the rules of crop rotation. Onions are returned to their original place no earlier than after 2-4 years. During this time, the soil is naturally freed from pest larvae and is ready to accept plants. The crop should not be planted after garlic either.

Mixed plantings of onions and carrots have proven themselves well. Plants are planted in rows on one plantation or beds are laid out nearby. The phytoncides released by onions into the soil and air repel the carrot fly, and the pungent aroma of carrot tops prevents the onion fly from determining the location of its favorite crop.

Plants planted around the perimeter or at the ends of onion beds will help repel flies from plants. Essential oil and others volatile compounds, released by the flower crop into the air, get rid of the pest, masking the aroma of onion tops that is attractive to them. Marigolds are planted at the same time as onion sets or nigella.

The most effective ways to combat onion flies

According to reviews from experienced vegetable growers and fans organic farming who do not use chemical insecticides on their site, there are a number of effective measures using available means to prevent the onion fly from colonizing the plantation.

Ash against onion fly

Plant ash is an ideal fertilizer for planting onions. In addition, the high concentration of alkali and a set of microelements in the ash have a depressing effect on the larvae of the onion fly. In order to prevent pest invasion, onion breasts are regularly sprinkled with ash, evenly distributing the composition over the surface of the soil around the plants and between the rows.

The first time dusting with ash is carried out 1-2 weeks after the appearance of mass shoots (April-May). The activity is carried out in dry weather, 2-3 hours after the planned watering. It is advisable that no precipitation is expected in the next 1-2 days. Frequency of treatments – every 2 weeks. The last application of ash is carried out 3 weeks before harvesting root crops.

A mixture of ash with tobacco dust and ground hot pepper (chili) has proven itself well against onion flies. For 300 grams of ash, take 3 tablespoons of tobacco and 3 teaspoons of red pepper. This portion of a biological insecticide designed to repel onion flies is enough to treat three square meters landing It is recommended to dust the soil surface with the mixture twice with an interval of 10-17 days.

Table salt against onion fly

Treating beds with saline solution is another productive method of preventing pest infestations. To prepare the solution, dissolve 1 cup of table salt crystals in a standard bucket of water. Watering is carried out at the root, avoiding contact of the composition with the tops (feather).

The first time the procedure is performed when the feather reaches a height of 4.5-5.5 cm. The second treatment is done after 3 weeks. The third time the saline solution will be needed a month before digging the bulbs (July).

Some gardeners, instead of watering with saline solution, use dusting the plantation with a mixture of salt crystals and baking soda (2:1). You can alternate pollination of the soil with salt and soda and ash with tobacco dust (1:1).

All these methods have long been tested on numerous personal plots. Successful fight against onion fly with folk remedies helps annually minimize the damage caused to onion plantings by the larvae of this pest. Wishing you abundant harvests every season! See you!