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How to deal with Onion Fly

Onion Fly is an insidious pest, which can be difficult to deal with in the garden. If not handled properly, an onion fly infestation can quickly spread and decimate entire crops of onion plants. This post provides practical advice on how to quickly identify, prevent, and eliminate an onion fly infestation. It starts by discussing how to identify the presence of onion flies and their signs of damage. It provides helpful tips on preventing the fly from entering the garden, such as using protective row covers and insect traps. Finally, it discusses an effective method of eliminating the pest using a blend of garlic-based insecticide and a naturally occurring microorganism. This post provides a comprehensive solution to effectively deal with Onion Flies and prevent them from devastating the garden.

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This pest looks almost the same as a regular fly: the insect has an ashen-gray color and a length of 0.5-1 cm. This parasite appears, usually in May, when dandelions and cherries begin to bloom. If an onion fly has settled in the garden, you must urgently get rid of it, otherwise the crop may be destroyed.

How to get rid of an onion fly

Summer residents have a lot of trouble from the insect in areas where garlic and various varieties of onions are grown. The pest does not disdain and bulbous flowers. Experienced gardeners have long been using proven methods to combat the parasite. For this, a whole range of measures is used, which includes the prevention of its appearance and various methods of killing the pest (spraying, fertilizing). It is advisable to use folk remedies for these purposes – then the crop will remain environmentally friendly and suitable for consumption..

Onion fly

Folk remedies for onion flies

Among the many existing methods for the destruction of the pest, the main ones are the correct planting and cultivation of the land. During the spring preparation of the bed for planting crops, it is worth considering where exactly the onion will grow. Ideally, it should be planted next to carrots, since the pest insect does not like the smell of this vegetable and does not settle next to it. Experienced summer residents alternate rows of onions and carrots in one section, thereby preventing the infection of crops with a parasite. In addition to this vegetable, the insect does not tolerate the aroma of lovage, tomatoes and ledum.

To protect your crop, you should not plant the plant annually in the same place: if the pest has chosen a certain area of ​​the garden, it will remain on it for winter, and in spring it will reappear. To protect the onion from the parasite, plant it in another part of the garden. Fighting onion flies with folk remedies involves spraying with something odorous, for example, a decoction of valerian / wormwood or coniferous tincture.

If you use chemicals such as insecticides to kill the insect, you are very likely to spoil the crop, since harmful substances get into the bulb and remain in it when processing the soil. Over time, poisons accumulate in the fetus 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, therefore, they can be processed crops without fear for themselves and loved ones.

Onion bulbs

Onion Fly Medications

Some gardeners decide to use pesticides because they do not know how to deal with onion flies without resorting to chemicals. There are many drugs for garden pests that effectively destroy the insect, but they can harm human health. Means that help fight the parasite include:

  • Karate Zeon;
  • Bezudin;
  • Actara;
  • Metronidazole;
  • Fly-eater.

Onion Fly Prevention

Rather than trying to deal with insect pests already established in the culture, it is better to take care of preventing their occurrence in advance. How to protect an onion from an onion fly:

  1. Crop rotation should be done regularly..
  2. Plant location should be changed annually.
  3. It is necessary to dig the garden in autumn (the fly remains in the soil for wintering and falls asleep at a depth of 20 cm).
  4. After harvesting, remove all organic debris from the garden without leaving food to the pests..
  5. It is necessary to spray the garden with saline three times a year (when the sprouts grow 5 cm, after – after 2 weeks, and the third time – after 20 days). Having treated the soil and plants with a spray gun, rinse the salt off the sprouts, and after three to four hours after the procedure, you need to pour the onions with plain water.

Spraying the land

How to deal with onion fly folk remedies

Like other pests, the fly brings a lot of problems to gardeners, however, it is not at all difficult to deal with it. There are several proven means by which it is possible to quickly eliminate the pest and save your own crop. There is no need to use various aggressive chemicals, poisoning them with soil and plants. Understand how to handle onions from an onion fly.

The use of wood ash

This is not only an excellent fertilizer, but also an effective tool that helps against onion flies. To prepare it, you need to collect dry weeds and branches, burn and dilute the ashes in a bucket of water. To enhance the effect, a little chicken droppings or manure, or chopped tobacco leaves, are added to the product. Watering the soil with such a solution will simultaneously fertilize it and eliminate parasites such as onions or carrots. Ash, in addition, can be scattered directly on the soil in the pre-sowing period for prevention.

Treating Onions with Onion Salt

Since this parasite is sensitive to salt, it can be destroyed using a special solution. How to deal with the onion fly:

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

Green onion feathers

Use of Potassium Permanganate

Helps fight insects by watering plants with a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). This tool is used no more than once every 10-12 days, while it is prepared medium saturated. One procedure includes 2 treatments with potassium permanganate – the second day after the first watering, the second is carried out to destroy the parasite residues and their offspring. Potassium permanganate not only helps to combat the pest fly, but also positively affects the condition of the earth.

Treating Onions from an Onion Fly with Ammonia

It is worthwhile to start the fight against a pest insect with the use of ammonia, as this is one of the most effective means. How to deal with the onion fly:

  • mix ten liters of water with three tablespoons of ammonia;
  • pour infected solution with the prepared solution;
  • repeat the procedure twice, each time a month after the previous one (this is necessary, since it is believed that the parasite can settle on the site three times a season).

Onion processing

Methods for controlling the onion fly larva

If you purchase sevoc from other gardeners or in the market, it is likely that it is affected by parasite worms. So that the pest does not start to fly out after planting, the workpiece should be processed in advance with a special composition. Carefully inspect the bulbs: those on which traces of decay are visible should be destroyed, and whole ones should be soaked in a specially prepared solution. How to treat onions from an onion fly before landing? For this, ordinary hot water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate will do. Onion should be lowered for 15 minutes.

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Comments: 3
  1. Piper

    I would like to know how to effectively deal with Onion Fly infestations in my garden. What are the best prevention methods or natural remedies to control these pests and protect my onion crops? Any advice or tips on managing Onion Fly would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
    1. Lucas Turner

      To effectively deal with Onion Fly infestations in your garden, there are a few prevention methods and natural remedies you can try. Firstly, rotating your crops yearly can help disrupt the life cycle of the fly. Additionally, planting onions alongside strong-smelling herbs like mint or basil can deter the pests. Covering your onion crops with fine mesh netting can also prevent adult flies from laying eggs on the plants. If your crops are already infested, removing and destroying affected plants can help control the population. Finally, spraying a mixture of garlic spray or neem oil can act as a natural repellent against Onion Flies. Regularly monitoring your crops for signs of infestation and promptly addressing any issues can help protect your onion crops from these pests.

      Reply
  2. Avery Lewis

    Can anyone provide tips or advice on how to effectively deal with onion fly infestations? I’ve been struggling with these pests in my garden and could use some guidance. What are some natural or organic methods to control their population? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
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