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The Colorado potato beetle causes damage to plantings of potatoes and other nightshade crops. The insect eats shoots, leaves, inflorescences and root crops. As a result, plants cannot develop normally, and their yield decreases.
Fragrant tobacco from the Colorado potato beetle is one of the folk methods of dealing with this pest. Planting this plant allows you to get rid of a large number of insects. The leaves and stems of tobacco attract the pest, however, are fatal to him.
Description of the Colorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most dangerous pests in garden plots. The insect became widespread on the territory of the USSR in the fifties of the twentieth century.
The insect has the appearance of a beetle up to 12 mm long, rounded with black and yellow wings. There is a dark spot on the head.
The insect spends winter in the ground at a depth of about 20 cm. On sandy soils, the insect can go 30 cm deep, which allows it to survive the winter frosts. About 60% of pests tolerate cold in winter.
In the spring, these insects crawl to the surface, where the female begins to lay eggs. Up to 800 larvae may appear per season. Under favorable conditions, they appear after 30 days.
The larva goes through several stages of development, after which it goes into the ground. There, a pupa is formed, from which an adult emerges.
Harm from the Colorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle prefers nightshade crops (eggplants, peppers, tomatoes), however, it is most often found on potatoes. The appearance of larvae occurs during the flowering period of potatoes, when the plant is most vulnerable.
The Colorado potato beetle eats the ground parts of the potato, its shoots, stems and tubers. In search of a food source, insects fly over a distance of several tens of kilometers.
Initially, the pest is not easy to notice, since it lives on the lower leaves of potatoes. Over time, the insect reaches the top of the bushes.
The pest prefers young leaves. During the day, the larva eats up to 100 mg of tops. As a result of its activity, only the rough parts of the leaves remain.
Fragrant tobacco properties and cultivation
Fragrant tobacco is a herbaceous plant up to 0,9 m high, with large leaves and small flowers. This variety has a strong aroma that intensifies in the evening.
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Stems and leaves of fragrant tobacco attract insects, however, they contain poisonous substances. As a result, pests die.
Fragrant tobacco grows on any type of soil. The exception is too poor soils that require fertilizer in the form of compost or humus.
When planting this plant, additional top dressing is not introduced, standard fertilizers for potatoes are sufficient (wood ash, superphosphate, potassium sulfate).
Fragrant tobacco grows in bright sun, however, it tolerates partial shade well. Periodically, plants require watering.
Getting the seedlings
Fragrant tobacco is grown by seedling method. Planting seeds is carried out two months before planting potatoes. At this point, the plant will reach a height of 20 cm.
You can start landing in early April. This will require small containers and light soil. The seeds are placed shallow in the ground, then the containers are covered with film or glass. Germination takes place at a temperature of 20°C.
When shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to 16 C. Fragrant tobacco seedlings require moderate watering. Before transferring plants to open ground, you need to leave them for two weeks in the fresh air.
Landing on site
Fragrant tobacco will attract Colorado beetles from neighboring areas. But the pest larvae prefer other food. Therefore, to get rid of them, you will have to use other methods. When planting fragrant tobacco next year, you can finally get rid of the Colorado potato beetle.
In the first year, fragrant tobacco against the Colorado potato beetle is planted along the perimeter of a potato plantation. Up to 1 m is left between plants. Tobacco is planted between rows with potatoes in 10 m increments.
You can plant plants in the middle of summer. In this case, the Colorado potato beetle will have time to lay eggs before its death, so the pest control is transferred to the next year. If the number of pests is large, then the planting of fragrant tobacco is carried out in several stages.
Advantages and disadvantages
The fight against the Colorado potato beetle by planting fragrant tobacco has undoubted advantages:
- high efficiency;
- small costs;
- low labor intensity (it is enough to plant plants to get rid of insects);
- unpretentiousness of fragrant tobacco;
- there is no addiction of beetles to plants;
- there is no need to use chemical pest control methods;
- plants are harmless to humans, animals, bees and other beneficial insects.
When using the method, be aware of its shortcomings:
- tobacco attracts large numbers of beetles from all areas;
- for the final disposal of pests, it is recommended to repeat the planting for three years;
- fragrant tobacco is effective only against adults.
Other plants from the pest
Planting other plants that repel pests helps protect potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle:
- Calendula. Annual, which is distinguished by yellow and orange flowers in the form of baskets. Calendula is planted between rows with potatoes to protect plantings from pests and fungal diseases.
- Matthiola. A plant with fragrant racemes that has a straight stem and dark leaves. Mattiola is undemanding to the soil and adapts to various climatic conditions.
- Marigold. These undersized plants with terry inflorescences protect plantings from pests and have the ability to disinfect the soil. For one row with potatoes, 3 marigold bushes are required. They do not require care and grow on soils of any type. It is allowed to plant marigolds in open ground.
- Tansy. A common perennial that is considered a weed. Decorative varieties of tansy contain essential oils that are toxic to pests. The pungent smell repels the Colorado potato beetle, weevil, onion fly.
- Koriandr. A herbaceous plant with a branched stem and small flowers collected in an umbrella. Coriander is demanding on moisture and prefers soils fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Nasturtium. An annual plant with rounded leaves and large yellow or orange flowers. Nasturtium prefers a moderate intake of moisture and nutrients, it is enough to add moisture on the driest days.
Conclusion
The Colorado potato beetle causes damage to potato plantations, however, it can also appear on eggplants, tomatoes and peppers. The insect destroys the tops and stems of potatoes and other crops. One of the pest control methods is planting fragrant tobacco. This plant is unpretentious in care and can grow on any type of soil.
For the final disposal of the Colorado potato beetle, it is required to plant fragrant tobacco annually. Seedlings are first obtained at home, which are then transferred to open ground. To achieve the best result, fragrant tobacco is planted along the perimeter of the potato plantation and between rows with bushes.
