The Colorado potato beetle is the main enemy of potatoes and other nightshade crops. It is quite difficult to fight it, because at different phases of its development, the insect infects both the ground and underground parts of the potato. It is best to start thinking about methods of struggle even before landing. Below we will look at the most effective methods of pre-treatment of tubers that will help keep your crop from Colorado potato beetles.
Folk remedies
Gardeners resort to folk remedies for processing potatoes in the first place. The reason for this is the safety and availability of such methods. Over the long years of fighting the Colorado potato beetle, experienced agronomists have noticed that these insects do not tolerate some plants and avoid areas with potatoes where they grow. Pests are not friendly with garlic, cilantro, matthiola, calendula, red beets and beans.
It is best to plant a bush of spring garlic between the holes when planting potato tubers. It will not interfere with nightshade culture. For a good result, plant garlic in a checkerboard pattern. You can also plant beds with matthiola or calendula around the potato patch.
In addition, the Colorado potato beetle does not tolerate wood ash, so it has long been customary to add this remedy directly into the wells or dip the seed potatoes into it. It is best to use birch ash. Before planting potatoes, it does not hurt to stock up onion peel, because the insect does not like it either. The husk is crushed and poured into the holes.
Get rid of the Colorado potato beetle and fraudulent methods. Before planting the bulk of the seeds in the garden, deceitful sowing is done. When a sufficient number of insects appeared on an early shoot, the plants are dug up and burned. 1-2 weeks before the intended landing, several holes are dug on the site with a depth of 10 centimeters. The edges of the pits are sprinkled with hot slag from the furnace or wood ash. Beetles wake up, fall into the pits and stay in them. After that, you will only need to harvest the “harvest” of insects.
You can also catch bugs in glass jars. Before planting or immediately after it, you will need to cut fresh potato tubers and put them in a container. Banks are laid out in the garden, deepening them into the ground. After a while, the containers are taken out and the Colorado potato beetles are destroyed. They also make baits from tubers poisoned with urea. Slices are laid out in early spring on the site, and insects are poisoned by them.
Video “Preparing for landing”
chemical
Synthetic poisons are widely used to treat seed tubers, but before using them, you need to know some general rules. Chemicals are not removed from the soil for a long time, therefore only medium-early, mid-season and late varieties are suitable for processing. It is better not to process early potatoes with such means. On average, the elimination period of the poison takes 60 days. Also, take care of your safety immediately before the procedures. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, and to prepare the solution, use special containers that are designed specifically for field work and will not be used for harvesting.
One of the most famous preparations for pre-sowing treatment of tubers is called Prestige. This tool has shown its effectiveness in the fight not only with the Colorado potato beetle, but also with other pests and diseases. After planting, the treated tubers form a protective environment around them. Thus, the young plant absorbs active ingredients from the soil and the above-ground part of the potato also becomes protected. The prestige is evenly distributed over all organs of the plant, without accumulating in one part of it.
For work you will need 100 milliliters of Prestige and 5-6 liters of water. The finished solution is enough to process 100 kilograms of seed. The procedure is carried out using a manual sprayer. Before that, the potatoes are laid out on a thick film in one layer. To prevent poisons from getting on your skin or in the airways, be sure to wear a respirator and a protective suit. There are other chemical preparations aimed at combating pests and fungi.
The three-component insectofungicide Celeste Top has excellent performance. For 1 ton of material, you will need 400 milliliters of the drug. Cruiser systemic insecticide has a high concentration. For 1 ton of seeds, 200-220 milliliters of the drug is enough.
For better protection, experts recommend spraying not only potatoes, but also the soil before sowing. Before planting, you can apply Aktara. At a consumption of 300 milliliters per 1 ton of seeds, the effect will last 2 months. The bottom of the ridges can also be sprayed with Voliam Flexi and Force. Voliam Flexi needs to take 700 milliliters per 1 ton, and Force – 10-15 kilograms. In this case, the Colorado potato beetle will die before it gets to the tubers themselves.
Video “Protection from Colorado pests”
How to protect your crop from these harmful insects? What measures to take? Find out in the video below.
Author: Svetlana Galitsina
Loading…