Diseases and pests of watermelons: how to process at home for treatment

Watermelons are considered a common plant that is loved by almost every gardener. When growing pumpkin crops, many pay attention to the proper care of the bushes and practically do not pay attention to the diseases of watermelons. However, care must be taken to ensure that the seedlings are not infected with anything, as the development and yield of diseased plants deteriorates.

What measures should be taken to protect plants and fruits from pests

Often, due to the appearance of dangerous pests, watermelon bushes cease to bear fruit and die. To protect the seedlings from insects, it is recommended to take the necessary protection measures in advance. They are performed in three consecutive steps:

Spring. The first stage is carried out in the middle of spring, after planting seeds in the garden. It is during this period that all insects wake up after winter and become more active. During the spring stage for the protection of seedlings, all bushes are treated with special protective equipment.
Summer. The next stage begins in the summer, when the planted culture began to bloom and gradually increase the fruits. Summer processing of seedlings is carried out without fail, as insects become more aggressive in summer.
Summer-autumn. If the two previous treatments were unsuccessful, each ovary will have to be processed a third time. It is necessary to spray bushes no earlier than 20-30 days before harvesting ripe fruits.

Before you start processing watermelon seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with effective remedies.

Biological

To protect plants in the garden, biological agents are often used. If the first signs of the presence of insects appear on the bushes, you must immediately get rid of the leaves on which their eggs are laid. Torn leaves should not be left on the site, as the eggs will still develop on them. Therefore, experienced gardeners advise burning them.

Also, among the biological protective agents, onion and garlic tinctures are distinguished, which can prevent the death of watermelons from insects.

To prepare the mixture, add 300 grams of chopped garlic to ten liters of water. Then the remedy is infused for 30-40 minutes, after which it is filtered. The prepared solution is enough to process five square meters of the garden.

Chemical

When biological agents fail to protect watermelon bushes, chemicals are used. Gardeners advise using them if the number of pests on the bushes is constantly growing.For example, it is necessary to use such preparations if there are more than five spider mites, gall midges or aphids on each leaf. To completely clean the seedlings from pests, it is necessary to treat them with a solution prepared from Keltan. You can spray the plants with the chemical before fruit set begins.

Main signs of plant disease

Determining that a watermelon is sick with something is quite simple. To do this, it is enough to familiarize yourself with the main features of the manifestation of watermelon diseases.

There are several signs that most often appear in diseased bushes:

Wilting. The most common symptom of most pathologies is that the leaves of the seedlings wither. At first, only the leaves suffer from wilting, but then it spreads to the stems. Most often, the leaves dry out due to lack of moisture or due to exposure to pathogens.The symptom appears after bacteria or fungi enter the leaves of the plant.
Rotting. Common signs of development of powdery mildew and other pathologies in watermelons include rotting. In the first days of the onset of the symptom, the leaves curl in the bushes, after which their tissues begin to decompose and soften. Over time, rotting spreads to the root system and watermelon fruits.
Necrosis. The most dangerous signs of pathologies include the development of necrosis, which leads to the death of plants. First, the leaves of watermelons turn yellow and become covered with dark spots. Spotting on the leaves may differ in their color, size, shape, edging and speed of development. If you do not treat the disease that caused necrosis, the seedlings wither and the bushes die.
Deformation. Under the influence of certain diseases, watermelon seedlings begin to deform. First, the shape changes in young leaves. Gradually, fruits, stems and even the root system undergo deformation.Due to damage to the roots, the bushes slow down their growth and begin to dry out.
Neoplasms. There are cases when, due to bacterial or fungal pathogens, tumors appear on the bushes. Such neoplasms can appear on any part of the bushes.

Types of watermelon pests and ways to deal with them

When growing watermelons in the open field, and even in greenhouse conditions, gardeners often encounter dangerous pests that slow down the development of seedlings and reduce yields.

It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the most dangerous insects and how to deal with them in advance in order to quickly get rid of pests.

Melon aphid

Growing watermelons in the garden, gardeners often have to deal with such a dangerous insect as aphids. Such pests can be seen on fruits, leaves, flowers and stems.It is very difficult not to notice aphids, as they densely cover the surface of plants. Areas where insects have been for a long time are covered with a thick transparent liquid.

If you do not treat the bush with aphids in a timely manner, it will begin to dry and gradually die. To get rid of the insect, they use effective folk remedies that can be prepared at home. Aphids do not like the aroma of plants such as garlic and onions. Therefore, it is better to deal with the pest with solutions prepared from these ingredients.

Wireworm

Inexperienced gardeners are sure that this pest appears only on young potato bushes. However, pumpkin plants are also susceptible to wireworm attacks, which can completely destroy the crop. This beetle is dangerous because it eats holes in watermelon fruits, which starts the process of decay.

Often the wireworm appears in acidic soils, and therefore, before planting watermelons, the site is carefully treated with ash and flour. This will reduce the acidity of the site several times and reduce the likelihood of beetles.

Spider mite

Ticks are very difficult to notice, as they are small, and at first settle only on the inside of the leaf. After the appearance of the pest, brown spots form on the surface of the leaves, the diameter of which gradually increases. Then barely noticeable threads appear in them, which look like a web. It is recommended to immediately clean the bushes from ticks, as the affected plants will die. Folk methods and remedies prepared from garlic heads will help fight the tick. It is necessary to process infected seedlings at least twice every 10-15 days.

Thrips

Thrips look like thin lines of dark color that are difficult to notice. Insects appear on the surface of the leaves and feed on their juice. A week after the appearance of thrips, all damaged leaves wither and fall off. Gradually, the pests move to the stems of watermelon bushes, because of which they become discolored.To get rid of thrips, you need to use decoctions of chamomile or tomato tops.

Also, biological preparations will help to cope with the insect, among which Karate, Spintor and Vermitek are distinguished. Bushes are treated with such means at least three times a week.

Sprout Fly

The sprout fly is considered the most dangerous pest for young watermelon bushes. She is able to completely gnaw out the inside of the stems, which leads to the drying of the bushes. First, the fly feeds on newly planted seedlings. After a few months, the insect begins to destroy the grown bushes.

To protect the plants from the fly, it is necessary to dig up the site in advance and clear it of weeds. Also, for prevention, special disinfectants are used in which the seed is processed.

Knot nematode

Among the dangerous parasites that lead to the death of watermelon fruits, include the gall nematode. Outwardly, it resembles a small worm 2-3 centimeters in size. The nematode develops at a high temperature of about 35 degrees and high humidity. First, the parasite damages the root system, due to which the bush absorbs nutrients and moisture worse. This leads to curling of the leaves and drying of the seedlings. It is impossible to get rid of the nematode with folk remedies, and therefore gardeners have to use chemical means. Bushes are treated with chemicals 2-3 times a week.

Butterfly Scoops

Pumpkin plants are often attacked by scoops that feed on leaves. During the day, their caterpillars are in the soil, and at night they get out to the surface to eat leaves with shoots. In places that are damaged by caterpillars, yellowish oval spots appear.

To get rid of the scoop, you will have to regularly spray the bushes with a solution prepared from young wormwood. When preparing such a tincture, 400 grams of herbs are mixed with 80 grams of soap and 60 grams of ash. Then all the ingredients are poured with 8-10 liters of water and put on the stove to boil. The solution is insisted for 3-4 hours, after which the infected seedlings are sprayed with it.

Locust

Plants grown in the garden are often attacked by locusts, which are considered a dangerous pest.

Not only locusts are dangerous for gourds, but also their larvae, which penetrate the root system and gradually destroy it.

Locust larvae can be stored in the ground, so in order to get rid of them in advance, you need to dig up the area and disinfect it with hot water. Chemicals such as Zeon and Taran will also help protect seedlings from locusts.

Birds

Watermelon attracts not only insects, but also birds.Pigeons, crows and starlings love to feast on them. Birds often peck at the fruits, causing dangerous bacteria to enter them, and the watermelon rots. To protect seedlings, textile nets are used that cover watermelon bushes. Also, each seedling can be covered with a box that will prevent the birds from getting to the fruit.

Descriptions of symptoms and treatments for watermelon diseases

Mushrooms and bacteria often cause the appearance and development of diseases that lead to the death of planted watermelons. In order to identify them in a timely manner and get rid of them, you must first familiarize yourself with the list of common diseases.

Fusariosis

Fusarial wilt appears due to the action of a fungus that has entered the pumpkin plant through the roots. Infected bushes are covered with oval spots with a light coating on the surface. The infection then spreads to the rhizomes, causing them to rot and stop functioning.

To eliminate the disease, seedlings are treated with Crezacin or any other drug with the same effect is used.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is an infection that causes all leaves to become covered with yellowish spots. Gradually, the spots increase, and a bulge appears on their surface. If anthracnose is not treated, the spotting will darken, the bushes will begin to deform and rot. To get rid of signs of anthracnose, gourds are treated with a weakly concentrated Bordeaux mixture. In this case, spraying should be carried out very carefully so that the liquid covers the surface of each bush.

Root rot

High soil moisture contributes to the development of such a fungal disease as root rot. It is difficult not to notice the signs of pathology, since infected seedlings are covered with dark spots. When root rot is activated, the roots in the soil increase and become covered with cracks, which leads to the death of watermelons.

You can get rid of root rot only at the initial stage of its development. To do this, reduce the watering of the site and cultivate the land with ash and vitriol.

Bacterial spotting

The disease is transmitted to he althy bushes with the help of insects. Spotting pathogens are activated in the first half of summer, when the air warms up to thirty degrees Celsius. Infected bushes will turn yellow, covered with small oblong spots and dry out. When signs of spotting appear, all infected leaves are cut off and burned. This will prevent further development of the bacterial disease.

Powdery mildew

It is difficult to confuse powdery mildew with another disease, as infected watermelons are covered with a white coating that looks like flour. When the disease passes to the next stage of development, the plaque darkens and turns brown.Bushes with powdery mildew wither, and their fruits darken.

After detecting signs of pathology, the plants should be immediately sprayed with Karatan or Topaz. Gardeners advise picking and burning infected fruits and leaves before spraying.

Downy mildew

To make sure that the watermelon is infected with downy mildew, you need to carefully examine the leaves. Their inner part is covered with a purple bloom, and rounded, light spots form on top. Gradually, the leaves dry up and become covered with wrinkles. The disease also spreads to the fruits, which become discolored and tasteless.

Eliminate downy mildew with a sulfuric solution that is sprayed on the soil and watermelon leaves.

White rot

Signs of white rot appear on plants at high humidity and low temperature.First, the stems and leaves are covered with a thin white bloom. Then it darkens and leads to rotting of the shoots. It is impossible to cure infected areas, so you have to cut them off. After the sections are treated with a solution of activated carbon or sulfur.

Grey Rot

The causative agents of this disease are found in the remains of weeds and other plants. Therefore, most often watermelons suffer from gray rot if they were planted in uncleaned areas. Infected leaves are covered with gray spots and dark bloom. You can get rid of gray rot only at the initial stage of its development. To do this, all plants are treated with Topaz or Teldor.

Mosaic disease

The appearance of light spots on the leaf plate indicates the development of mosaic disease. At the beginning of the development of the mosaic, the sheets change shape, they dry and fall off. Also, signs of the disease appear on the fruits, which are covered with tubercles.For the prevention of mosaic, it is recommended to treat seedlings twice a month with Karbofos.

Leaf rust

Leaf rust affects plants due to the effect on rust bushes. The disease is accompanied by the formation of tubercles on the leaves and stems. After 2-3 days, they crack and spores spill out of them, which can infect neighboring plants. Only fungicidal preparations will help get rid of rust.

Olive blotch

Signs of pathology appear on young fruits, the surface of which is covered with sunken olive-colored spots. Then the spotting passes to the stems and leaves, which begin to dry. To eliminate the manifestations of olive blotch, watermelons are treated with Bordeaux solution.

Preventive measures

Melons and gourds more often than other plants are attacked by pests and infected with diseases.It is recommended to take preventive measures in advance to protect the seedlings. To do this, every vegetable grower must carefully examine the bushes daily, this will allow any changes to be detected in time. Also, pre-sowing disinfection of the soil and planting material will help prevent many diseases. To do this, all seeds are soaked in a solution of manganese, and the soil is spilled with boiled hot water.

Conclusion

Most gardeners grow watermelons and other melons. When cultivating such plants, one often has to deal with dangerous insects and diseases. To get rid of them, you need to familiarize yourself with the description of pests and ailments, as well as learn how to deal with them.