Onion fly

Do not think that the onion fly damages only the onion. Yes, this vegetable is its main source of food. But except onions, Onion fly also damages schnitt, leeks, shallots and even garlic. In general, any kind of onion can be affected by an onion fly.

Onion fly begins to fly only when cherry blossoms. Most often this time falls on the middle of May. At first, insects are inactive and very easy to catch. But by the beginning of summer the females of the onion fly are laid in the soil on a bed with onion eggs. Also, the onion fly can lay eggs immediately on young shoots of onions. Larvae of onion fly appear in seven days. Small worms immediately deepen into the neck of the bow, where they feed on fleshy scales. After inserting the bulb into the flesh and damaging the root neck, the onion fly larva can climb over to another plant, where it will again begin to destroy it. So the larvae of the onion fly can destroy the entire bed of onions.

When the onion is injured with a fly by the plant, one can notice the drying and yellowing of the tips of the feathers. But this is only an outward sign. Affected by larvae bulbs can not survive, so they begin to rot.

Approximately a month later, the onion flies larvae pupate in the soil. Then a second generation of onion fly appears, which again begins to eat onions.

How to deal with onion fly

Onion fly, of course, gives a lot of trouble gardeners. But get rid of it quickly. There are several proven methods thatguarantee a positive result. It is not necessary to use chemical methods, because in this case the onion can not be eaten (a small accumulation of poison in the bulb will occur in any case).

Onion fly does not like the smells of certain plants. You can spray the beds with various infusionsherbs (mint, valerian, fir, lyubovok, bogulnik). The needles also help well. But sprayed beds with these infusions should be even before the appearance of the fly.

Very good results are obtained by the usual saline solution. Onion fly does not tolerate the action of salt. In a 10-liter bucket of water, 300 g of salt should be diluted. Watering with such a solution should be planted onions when the shoots get out at 5 cm Do not forget immediately with the young feathers of onions to rinse the saline solution with clean water. 3-4 hours after watering the plants with salt solution, they should be poured with clean water.

You will also need to re-cultivate onions. The second onion processing is performed after 10days after the first. In this case, the amount of salt should be increased. On a 10-liter bucket of water, take 400 g of salt. Some gardeners recommend carrying out a third treatment with salt (the amount of salt should be increased to 600 g). The third treatment should be only 3 weeks after the second.

Also, the fight against the onion fly with tobacco dust, ash and lime-pushenki. Tobacco dust can be used in pure form ormixed with lime. By all these means you can sprinkle the land around the bow. By the way, ash, in addition to combating the onion fly, will also serve as a fertilizer.

And yet it is easiest to prevent the onion fly from appearing on your site. To do this, you must follow such rules. Never plant beds with onions on one andthe same place. Do a crop rotation. In this case, return the onion to the old place can only after 3-4 years. Also, the onion fly does not bear the smell of carrots. Therefore, it is necessary to alternate beds with onions and garlic with carrots. By the way, carrot fly does not bear the smell of onions. Even in winter, the beds should be digged to a greater depth (onion fly hibernates at a depth of 20 cm). And never leave the remnants of organic matter in the ground so that these garden pests can not feed.