How ammonia can help you fight cabbage pests

Ammonia is used in many areas of life, including treating crops. This miracle cure can be used to get rid of various pests on cabbage.

Treating cabbage with ammonia to kill pests

Ammonia is a medicinal product with a pungent, unpleasant odor. It can be used to revive a person, induce a gag reflex, and is also used for neuralgia. In the garden, ammonia can be sprayed on most crops, including cabbage. It enriches the soil with nitrogen and helps combat insect attacks. Ammonia can be purchased at a private or public pharmacy.

Before use, dilute ammonia according to the instructions, doing so very carefully. Excessive amounts of the substance can lead to nitrate accumulation in cabbage and can sometimes even ruin the harvest. It is used for root feeding or as a spray on the above-ground parts.

How to treat cabbage with ammonia to kill insects

Pests attack the crop from the moment the seedlings are grown until they mature. Succulent leaves attract insects, and caterpillars, slugs, and mole crickets are all eager to feast on them. A single cabbage treatment won't completely eliminate harmful insects; it must be repeated several times, with the number of applications depending on the severity of the infestation. The desired results can only be achieved by carefully following the recommendations.

Snails and slugs

Pests primarily emerge at night and can cause significant damage to crops. If left untreated, the harvest can be lost. Gardeners face a difficult battle, as they hide in burrows during the day, and a miracle solution can help.

Ingredients:

• ammonia;
• water.

Preparation and use:

Fill a bucket with settled water, add 40 ml of ammonia, and stir. Apply the resulting solution to the underside of the foliage, then apply a small amount of the solution to the root area. Repeat the process after half an hour. The insects will crawl to the surface, and the gardener should collect them.

Fighting aphids

Aphid infestations most often affect young plants. Initially, the insects' presence is difficult to notice, as they are light green, like the seedlings themselves. They reproduce very quickly, and within a short time, they infest all the plants. Their presence can be recognized by the characteristic holes they cause on the cabbage and curled leaves. If the problem is ignored, young plants may die. A soapy solution with ammonia will help control the pests:

Compound:

• laundry soap;
• ammonia;
• water.

Preparation and use:

Grind 100 grams of laundry soap, add one liter of hot water, and stir until dissolved. Add another 9 liters of warm, settled water and 3 tablespoons of ammonia to the resulting mixture. Mix the solution thoroughly again and begin spraying the cabbage. The soap will form a thick film on the leaves, protecting the plants from voracious insects. Repeat the treatment after 14 days; by this time, a new generation of pests will emerge from the laid larvae.

Cabbage white butterfly: control methods

Butterflies are attractive and small in size. The danger of these winged insects lies in the fact that they lay their eggs on cabbage. These eggs hatch into voracious caterpillars that can cause significant damage to plants. A solution of ammonia and water will help get rid of these pests.

Compound:

• ammonia;
• acetic acid;
• water.

Preparation and use:

Add 50 ml of ammonia and 3 tablespoons of acetic acid to a bucket of settled water at room temperature and mix well. Thoroughly wipe the above-ground portion of the plant with the solution. It's best to do this in the evening, after sunset, or early in the morning. Since several generations of butterflies hatch over the summer, treat the cabbage every 20-25 days.

Medvedka (kapustyanka)

Many gardeners fear these insects, which cause irreparable damage to cabbage and other garden crops. The mole cricket's body is approximately 5 cm long and is brown or russet in color. These insects have powerful jaws, which they use to damage plant roots and can also destroy young seedlings. Mole crickets can be controlled with an ammonia solution.

Compound:

• ammonia;
• water.

Preparation and use:

The solution is quick and easy to prepare: add 10 ml of the solution to 10 liters of water and stir. The resulting solution is then poured onto the plants at the roots, using 500 ml per plant. Repeat treatment after 7 days; the number of treatments depends on the pest infestation.

Umbrella psyllid

These small insects feed on the sap of cabbage leaves. After hibernation, they awaken quite early and can destroy very young, fragile seedlings. A characteristic symptom of the pests' presence is curled cabbage leaves. As a preventative measure, some gardeners stretch a rope soaked in ammonia; this will keep the pests away from the plants; the distinctive smell repels the insects. You can also spray the plants with an aqueous ammonia solution.

Compound:

• ammonia 50 ml;
• water 10 l.

Preparation and use:

Mix the ingredients and spray the resulting liquid on the planting. Do this in cloudy weather or in the evening.

Processing Chinese cabbage

More and more gardeners are starting to grow Chinese cabbage, as it's rich in nutrients and low in calories. Unfortunately, it's also susceptible to pests. It's most often attacked by the cruciferous flea beetle, a small, black insect measuring up to 3 mm. The pests are easy to spot, and, as with regular cabbage, they can be controlled with ammonia.

A working solution is prepared from 20 ml of ammonia and a bucket of water. The plants are then sprayed with it. If the head of cabbage has already begun to form, it's best to dismantle it, as insects may also be present. If the pests persist after treatment, repeat the procedure in 7-10 days.

How to spray cabbage?

It's best to apply the fertilizer in the morning or evening. It's not recommended to do this during the day when the sun is strong, as it can burn the delicate leaves of the plants.

Procedure

1. First, prepare the solution, observing the proportions.
2. Pour it into a sprayer with fine drops.
3. Carefully treat the plantings, covering the entire above-ground part of the plant, paying special attention to the back of the leaves.
4. Repeat the procedure, if necessary, after 7-14 days.

How to dilute ammonia to treat cabbage pests

The procedure should be approached with the utmost care, as ammonia is toxic and can be harmful to the body. To avoid problems, follow a few simple rules:

• Before the procedure, protect the respiratory tract from fumes using a bandage or respirator;
• To prevent liquid from getting on your skin during preparation and handling, it is better to wear gloves;
• It is recommended to prepare the solution in the fresh air; if this is not possible, the room should be well ventilated;
• ammonia must be stored in a dark place, out of the reach of children;
• Under no circumstances should the preparation be mixed with substances containing chlorine.

Reviews

Lyudmila

My mother also used ammonia, an affordable and effective pest control solution. An ammonia solution can kill insects not only on cabbage but also on other vegetables. Moreover, the solution enriches the crops with nitrogen, which is an added bonus.

Dmitry

Last season, I noticed holes in my cabbage. I examined all the leaves and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I didn't see a single pest. I asked a neighbor for advice, and she suggested slugs. I didn't see any because they're most active at night. She advised treating the plants with ammonia. I followed her advice, and to my surprise, they crawled out after the spray. After 4-5 treatments, the pests disappeared.

Conclusion

Ammonia is a completely harmless and inexpensive way to control pests. It doesn't harm cabbage and enriches the soil with nitrogen. It's suitable for both prevention and control of various insects. However, it's important to maintain proper proportions to avoid over-nitrifying the soil.