How to spray potatoes from Colorado. Safe Time to Spray Potatoes

The Colorado potato beetle is the most malicious and dangerous enemy of potatoes. This striped pest is not averse to eating any crops of the Solanaceae family, but most of all he likes young potato leaves and shoots. Every year, farmers and gardeners make a lot of efforts in the fight against leaf beetles, but, in spite of everything, the number of their populations does not decrease. How to protect potatoes from beetles, and what to do if they still appeared on plants? These and a number of other questions will be dealt with in this article.

What is dangerous beetle

In short and generally, the answer to this question is as follows: its appearance on potatoes can lead to a complete loss of the crop. Colorado beetles are very voracious. Their massive invasion leads to the destruction of potato tops, and, as a result, to a halt in the development of plants. Of particular danger to potatoes are red or pinkish beetle larvae, as they feed exclusively on young apical leaves.

In addition to gluttony, Colorado beetles surprise with their extraordinary fertility. They reproduce at an incredible rate - one female during the season is able to hatch more than 500 larvae, which grow by leaps and bounds, and every day they need more food. The most dangerous period for potatoes is before flowering and during it. In the first case, there is an intensive forcing of the tops, useful substances are synthesized in the leaves, and if the pests destroy the tops of the shoots, the growth of plants will stop. During flowering, the formation of tubers occurs, and the destruction of the tops or flowers will inevitably lead to the fact that the tubers will remain small.

It is impossible to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle once and for all. Neither a change in the location of the beds, nor an extra early period of potato ripening will bring the desired result. Insects are able to overcome hundreds of meters in the air, and find the earliest shoots, including Solanaceae seedlings, as early as mid-spring. Beetles hibernate in the soil at a depth of at least 50 cm. In early spring, they wake up and crawl out to the soil surface at an air temperature of + 10 ° C. From this point on, they need to eat something, so adults can often be seen even on whole potato tubers.

In favorable weather, about 2 weeks after hibernation, the pests begin to lay eggs, and by the time the first seedlings of potatoes germinate, larvae already appear from the eggs. They practically cannot move, so they eat the leaves of the bush on which they appeared. Another feature of beetles is their extreme vitality. Sometimes, in order to destroy pests, potatoes have to be sprayed several times during the season.

Video “Danger”

From the video you will learn how dangerous the Colorado potato beetle is.

What to spray

A couple of decades ago, gardeners collected insidious beetles by hand, and only folk remedies and chlorophos were used for spraying. But today the choice of means and methods of dealing with these insects has expanded significantly. Time-tested and experienced pesticides have been replaced by modern and more effective insecticides and biological preparations.

It’s worth clarifying right away that it’s difficult to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle, but it’s possible for at least one season, since all pesticides give only a temporary effect. The strongest and most reliable are, of course, chemicals (insecticides). The number of drugs allowed for use is in the tens, but vegetable growers generally prefer to use the following:

• Fitoverm, Aktellik - are used during periods of mass appearance of beetles;
• Aktara - the drug can be sprayed from the appearance of the first shoots to flowering;
• Colorado - it is recommended to spray potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle with the drug many times, with each appearance of the pest, but no later than 20 days before harvesting;
• Confidor Maxi (Extra) - systemic insecticides of a new generation, have practically no effect on root crops.

Among the effective chemicals, one can also note Spark, Alfatsin, Fatrin, Tubershield, Zhukomor and others. In terms of safety, biological preparations based on living microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) win. They have the same effect, but unlike chemical ones, they do not accumulate in the plant. This property allows you to spray potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle at any time, from germination to the ripening of root crops.

By the way, many gardeners are interested in the question: when is it possible, and when is it no longer necessary to process potato tops? It is believed that after the end of flowering, the beetle cannot harm the potatoes, since from that moment the tops begin to gradually dry out, and the plant directs all the juices to the ripening of the tubers. In addition, at this time it is already undesirable to use chemicals, because they are able to accumulate in plants.

Before spraying with insecticides, you should know that the people know many recipes that are no less effective, and completely harmless:

But also do not neglect the mechanical methods of pest control: if you place any jars with potato slices or peelings around the perimeter of the garden, then adult beetles will crawl into traps, and then it will be easier to destroy them. Insects do not like the smell of some plants: calendula, wormwood, onions, legumes. Plant them next to potatoes and your crop will be healthier.

How to spray

Before you start spraying potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle, you need to figure out how to properly conduct this event. There are several recommendations to make the procedure not only effective, but also safe:

When using herbal preparations, the following recommendations should be followed:

• spray in the evening, as the sun means dry and lose their properties;
• in order for the product not to drain from the leaves, laundry soap is added to the solution;
• you should not spray potatoes twice with the same product, as the pest gets used to it;
• despite the safety and environmental friendliness of folk remedies, hands must be washed after processing.

Of course, chemicals are more effective than biological or folk remedies. You need to understand that, just like for beetles, they are dangerous for bees and birds. Therefore, you must strictly follow the instructions and do not exceed the dosage.

Sometimes gardeners sin by slightly increasing the concentration of the drug in the hope that there will be a greater effect. But often an overdose only leads to the death of beneficial insects and burns on young leaves of plants.

But also remember that generations of the Colorado potato beetle quickly develop resistance to chemicals. Even the most effective remedy used in the previous year is not recommended for the current crop.

Video “Spraying”

From the video you will learn how to properly spray potatoes.

Adult beetles hibernate in a frozen soil layer at a depth of 5 to 60 cm (depending on the mechanical composition of the soil). During the wintering period, many of them die on heavy loamy soils, less on sandy ones.

In the spring, after the soil warms up to +12 +16 degrees, they come to the surface in search of food. Before the emergence of potato seedlings, they can eat wild-growing nightshade plants (black nightshade, physalis, henbane, and others) or starve for a month.

In search of food, overwintered beetles can fly. The length of flights on average is 40-60 km, but with a strong tailwind, it can reach 200-300 km.

The Colorado potato beetle also spreads passively: along the rivers, various types transport (on ships, trains, planes, cars), as well as with various cargoes.

Biological features of the Colorado potato beetle

At a temperature of +17 degrees, the beetles mate and lay eggs on the underside of the leaves, 30-40 pieces in each clutch. After 7-14 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. They develop for 20-30 days, gradually shedding and increasing in size. The most harmful older larvae: 3rd and 4th instars.

On 1 potato bush, 10 larvae can destroy 10-20% of the leaf surface, and 20 larvae - at least 50 percent. The larvae pupate in the soil, in an earthen "cradle", at a depth of 5-7 cm, usually right there, under the damaged plants. Young beetles appear in July, August and again feed on potato leaves.

Larvae and beetles eat potato leaves day and night, leaving behind only bare stems. Having destroyed the tops of one plant, they move to other plants.

Chemical preparations from the Colorado potato beetle

Preparations from the Colorado potato beetle are of contact, systemic and biological action. The manufacturer indicates this on the packaging. When purchasing a drug, you should pay attention to its active substance (DV).

At different manufacturers drugs with the same active substance are produced under different names.

The active substance thiamethoxam is contained in the preparations:

• Aktar;
• Doctor;
• Engio.

The active substance imidacloprid is in systemic preparations:

• Bison;
• Prestige;
• Corado;
• Spark Golden;
• Commander;
• Confidor;
• Tanrek;
• Beetle.

Cypermethrin contains reparations:

• Inta-Vir;
• Arrivo;
• Spark;
• Kinmiks;
• Ram;
• Fury.

Using any preparations from the Colorado potato beetle, strictly follow the attached instructions. There can be no trifles in this matter. Otherwise, together with the beetles, you will harm yourself and your loved ones. Best time for treatments - the mass appearance of larvae on potato bushes when they come out from the underside of the leaf and disperse through the bushes. Adult beetles, in case of a threat of danger, can fly to other areas for a while, so the main fight is carried out with larvae. In collective gardens, the simultaneous processing of potatoes by all neighbors gives a great effect.

Preparations from the Colorado potato beetle of contact action are not absorbed into the plant, do not accumulate in the tubers. They act only when they fall on the covers of insects. When it rains and waters, they are washed off with water, and in Colorado potato beetles they quickly become addictive. Therefore, contact preparations must be changed annually to new, more modern ones.

Systemic preparations are more effective, they have a long period of action, are not washed off by rain, do not cause addiction in the pest, and require a minimum number of treatments. For example, with Masterpiece and Prestige, it is enough to treat potato tubers during planting, and you can forget about the Colorado potato beetle for the whole season. The most modern systemic drugs have the active ingredient imidacloprid (listed above). Systemic drugs should be handled with particular care. Their toxic and carcinogenic active substance, penetrating into the plant, accumulates, including in root tubers, therefore it is impossible to use systemic preparations for early potato varieties.

Instructions for use for the use of chemicals

• Alverde:
• Prestige:

Poisons for dressing tubers

How do these drugs work? The poison from the planting tuber rises along the potato sprouts, accumulates in the tops, but does not fall back into the growing young tubers.

A drug	Description
Prestige	Manufacturer: Germany. Chemical base: pencycuron and imidacloprid. Poison for spraying potato tubers against leaf-biting and sucking pests, against rhizoctoniosis and scab. The period of protection against insects is up to 37 days. Poison packaging - 20 ml, 60 ml, 500 ml, 1 liter. Dissolve the chemical for spraying tubers at the rate of 10 ml per 100 water. The third class of danger.
Taboo	Manufacturer: Russia. Chemical base: imidacloprid. It is used for processing material for planting: tubers, bulbs, seeds. The poison from the tubers rises up the shoots and protects the young seedlings of the potato. Poison protection period up to 45 days. The release form of the poison is a concentrate of an aqueous suspension in a 10 ml vial and 1 liter and 5 liter canisters. The dilution dose is 10 ml per 100 kg of potato tubers.

Other pesticides for dressing tubers - Matador, Celeste top, Masterpiece.

Preparations for watering the soil and processing by leaf

Name of the drug	Description of the drug
Aktara	Manufacturer: Switzerland. Chemical base: thiamethoxam. It is popular with gardeners and gardeners. Systemic chemical. Hazard class III (moderately hazardous substance). It is used for watering the land and for foliar cultivation. The dilution rate is 1.2 g per 10 liters of water. Beetle protection period: 28 days - when processed on a leaf, 50 days - when watered. The death of beetles occurs after 24 hours.
Apaches	Manufacturer: Japan. Chemical base: clothianidin. Poison of systemic and contact-intestinal action. Effective against all stages of the Colorado potato beetle. The death of the pest occurs 30 minutes after treatment. Release form - powder in a bag of 25 g. Used for watering the soil (1 g per 1 liter of water) and leaf processing (05 g per 1 liter of water). The term of poison protection is up to 28 days. The poison does not have a pungent odor, does not cause addiction to the active substance in insects.

Sheet formulations

Name of the drug	Description of the drug
Colorado	Manufacturer: Russia. : imidacloprid. It has contact-intestinal and systemic effects. The poison inhibits bowel function and nervous system pest causing paralysis and death. Protective action for plants up to 28 days. Adults and larvae die within three days after spraying the tops. Insects do not acquire resistance to this active substance. The package contains 5 ampoules of 2 g each. The rate of dilution of the poison is 2 g per 10 liters of water.
Corado	Manufacturer: Russia. Active ingredient: imidacloprid. Release form - ampoules of 1 and 2 ml and vials of 5 and 10 ml. Method of exposure - systemic and intestinal-contact (1 ml per 5 liters of water).
Regent	Manufacturer: Germany. Active ingredient: fipronil. Has a number of advantages. Effective at temperatures up to +40°C. Destroys not only adult beetles and larvae, but also laying eggs. Protective action 28 days. The third class of toxicity.
tanrec	Manufacturer: Russia. Active ingredient: imidacloprid. Substance of contact-intestinal action in the form of an aqueous concentrate in a 1 ml ampoule and 10 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml vials. Destroys larvae and adult beetles. Potato protection period is 21 days. The insect dies within two days. The dilution rate of the drug is 1 ml per 10 liters of water.
Confidor	Manufacturer: Germany. imidacloprid Systemic poison. Packing 1 g and 5 g. Dilution rate - 1 g per 10 liters of water. The duration of the protective action of the poison is up to 20 days.
beetle	Manufacturer: Ukraine. Active ingredient: imidacloprid and piperonyl butoscid. Effective against larva and adult beetle. The drug is available in packages of 5 ml and 10 ml. The consumption rate of the poison is 5 ml per 10 liters.

Apply chemicals only in the presence of pests on plants. Treatments should be carried out with various preparations, alternating them so that the Colorado potato beetle does not get used to them.

Biological agents

The safest preparations for the Colorado potato beetle are biological preparations. They contain the spore bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, which cause stomach and intestinal upset in beetles.

Sick beetles lose their appetite and die in a few days. Preparations of biological action are not absorbed by plants and do not accumulate in tubers. They are harmless to other beneficial insects and humans. Potatoes processed by them can be eaten after 5-7 days. The disadvantages of such preparations include the frequency of treatments: at least three potato treatments with a weekly interval.

Brief description of biological preparations:

Name of the drug	Description of the drug
Agravertin (Akarin)	Pesticide based on acarin. Packing - ampoule 4ml. The consumption rate is 4 ml per 2 liters of water. It acts on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle, does not kill the adult. Death occurs on the third day.
Fitoverm	Insecto-acaricide. The basis of the drug is aversectin, the result of the vital activity of soil microorganisms. Effective in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle, codling beetle, sawfly, felt mite. Available in 2 ml, 4 ml, 10 ml and in a 5 liter canister. The consumption rate in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle is 1 ampoule per 0.5 l of water. The insect dies on the second day. Protection period up to 20 days. The third class of danger to humans.
	Available in liquid and powder form. Contains pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, fungi, bacteria. The mode of action is intestinal, that is, the poison disrupts the intestinal function of the insect, it stops feeding and dies. Effective against many Lepidoptera insects and their larvae. The breeding rate for the destruction of the pest is 70 ml per 10 liters of water.

Safety regulations for working with pesticides

Most pesticides are toxic to humans and animals to varying degrees. Before using drugs, gardeners are required to familiarize themselves with the safety rules when working with them and strictly observe them.

When working with pesticides, you must:

1. protect the mouth and nose with respirators or (in exceptional cases) gauze bandages with a cotton pad, wear goggles and gloves, use specially allocated clothing and an apron (they should be stored separately);
2. when spraying with nitrafen solutions, protect your face with cellophane or celluloid shields;
3. when working with pesticides, it is not allowed to smoke, eat and drink;
4. after work, wash your face and hands well with soap and rinse your mouth;
5. children, adolescents, patients (according to the doctor's opinion), pregnant and lactating women should not be allowed to work with drugs.

Particular care must be taken when handling pesticides in the process of preparing working solutions from them. It is necessary to store drugs in cabinets or in rooms that are locked with a lock, in a well-closed container, indicating the name.

It is strictly forbidden to store chemicals together with food and animal feed. Do not use for other purposes utensils and equipment in which solutions and mixtures of pesticides are prepared. It is not allowed to use drugs that do not have a clear factory label (until laboratory analysis is carried out).

Before starting work, it is necessary to check and adjust the sprayer (by pouring water into it). When filling the sprayer, it is necessary to carefully filter the solution. Spraying plants is less dangerous than dusting. When spraying (dusting) the garden, the direction of the wind should be taken into account so that splashes and dust do not fall on workers, on vegetable and berry crops grown in row-spacings.

Clothes in which plants were sprayed (pollinated) should be ventilated (away from the premises) and periodically washed in a soap and soda solution (soaked and boiled). The dishes in which the preparations were stored are neutralized with a solution of soda ash (50 g per 1 liter of water) or wood ash pulp, followed by rinsing with water. After work, dusters and sprayers are thoroughly washed and cleaned. Pesticide residues unsuitable for further use are neutralized with milk of lime and buried deep away from housing.

When and how best to spray potatoes

Experts advise spraying a maximum of 60 days before harvest. Some preparations suitable for early varieties are recommended for the last spray a week before harvesting the potatoes. Preparations of different spectra of action are used at different periods - some during the mass distribution of larvae, others are preferably used for prophylactic purposes, when even oviposition has not yet appeared.

How many days can I eat potatoes after spraying?

Immediately after processing potatoes with preparations, you can eat the crop only if it was harvested in August. Early and mid-early varieties can be eaten 50 days after spraying. It was then that all the toxins that could remain in the tubers will be removed.

Processing potatoes during flowering from the Colorado potato beetle

Very often you can hear the question of how justified it is to spray potatoes during flowering and whether it is worth it. Let's look into this issue.

Undesirable. The optimal time for spraying is the period before and after the flowering of potatoes. Even if the first beetles were seen on the flowers, it is better to use folk methods of struggle or collect insects by hand.

What drugs can be used during flowering?

When potatoes bloom, it is possible to spray with biological and chemical preparations Fitoverm, Agravertin, Bikol, Akarin, Bitoxibacillin. The best results, spraying will bring, at the first appearance of beetle larvae.

Repeat spraying in a week. Gardeners choose nicotine poisoning from folk remedies: an infusion of 200 cigarettes is made for 10 liters of water for two days, then 40 g of laundry soap is diluted. Also, flowers can be protected from pests by sprinkling ash through a sieve, irrigating with various infusions and decoctions of walnut or poplar leaves.

Can potatoes be sprayed after flowering?

Yes, you can. Beetles at this time hide underground and crawl out only after a year with the first warming. During this period, it can be lured out and destroyed folk remedies or resort to special preparations.

Why can't potatoes be processed during flowering?

Some drugs are so toxic that they can kill bees and other pollinating insects. Despite the fact that potatoes self-pollinate, their flowers still attract insects. In addition, potatoes are just beginning to develop during the flowering period, and are most vulnerable to chemical poisoning.

Spraying is carried out in the early morning (before 10 a.m.) or in the evening (after seven in the evening), when temperatures are lowest and the weather becomes calm and dry (so that the poison is not washed away with dew and does not evaporate). This will allow the drug to have the strongest effect and be evenly distributed over all the bushes.

Preparations for processing potatoes can be prepared independently from some plants. We present here best recipes folk funds. The effectiveness of such products is somewhat lower than the effectiveness of chemicals, but they work, and they are absolutely safe for both humans and animals.

It is better to process potatoes with folk remedies at night in good weather. A little soapy solution is added to the prepared infusion, which will allow it to linger on the leaves and stems of the potato for a longer time.

Recipes for making infusions to fight the beetle:

• Walnut infusion. 300 g of walnut shell and the same amount of dried leaves of this plant, pour 10 liters of boiling water, leave for 5-7 days, then strain and use the infusion for spraying.
• Infusion of poplar leaves. Fill half of the bucket with fresh poplar leaves, fill them with water, boil for 15 minutes, bring the volume to 10 liters and leave for 3 days.
• Birch tar solution. Dissolve 100 g of birch tar (tar soap is suitable) in 10 liters of water and spray the tops with the resulting solution 3 times a week.
• Infusion of celandine. 1.5 kg of dry or fresh celandine insist in hot water for 3 hours. Then pour 1 liter of 1.5% calcium chloride solution (15 g per 1 liter of water) into the infusion.
• Infusion of onion peel. Pour 300 g of onion peel into 10 liters of water at a temperature of 70-80 ° C and leave for a day. In this case, it is desirable to place a heavy load on the husk in the container.
• Infusion of elecampane roots. Grind 100 g of dried elecampane roots, pour boiling water over it, cover and leave for 1.5-2 hours. Spraying is carried out when the tops reach a height of at least 15 cm.
• A decoction of dandelions and horsetail. 200 g of dandelion shoots and 200 g of horsetail pour 10 liters of water, boil for 15 minutes. Cool and use at a concentration of 0.5 liters of decoction per 10 liters of water.
• Infusion of wormwood. Mix 300 g of crushed bitter wormwood with 1 glass of wood ash, pour 10 liters of boiling water and leave for 3 hours.
• Infusion of tobacco. 500 g of tobacco dust, as well as stems and roots of tobacco, pour 10 liters of water, leave for 2-3 days, then strain, add 40 g of laundry soap and mix well.
• Infusion of tomato leaves. Pour 1 kg of crushed leaves and stems of tomatoes into 10 liters of warm water, leave for 4-5 hours, add 40 g of bar soap (or 3 tablespoons of liquid soap).
• Infusion of garlic. 200 g chopped heads and arrows of garlic pour 10 liters hot water and insist for a day. Then add 40 g of soap to the infusion.
• Decoction of hot pepper. Boil 100 g of hot pepper pods in 10 liters of water for 2 hours. Then strain, add 40-60 g of laundry soap and you can start spraying.
• Burdock infusion. Fill a bucket 1/3 full with chopped burdock leaves. Fill with water to the top and leave for a day. Then strain.
• Combined herbal infusion. 300 g of wormwood herb, 8 pods of hot pepper, 20 g of ground red pepper, 200 g of hemlock herb and garlic stalks, 1/4 bar of laundry soap, pour 8-10 liters of water. Leave for 12 hours, then strain and use to treat the plant.

Potato varieties resistant to the Colorado potato beetle

The fight against the Colorado potato beetle begins from the moment the plantings are placed. First of all, it is necessary to observe crop rotation. If this is not possible, then they try to place the potatoes at least as far away from other nightshades.

For cultivation, varieties less damaged by the beetle are selected: Belorussky-3, Vorotynsky early, Spring, Desire, Zaryevo, Call, Spark, Crystal, Lasunak, Loshitsky, Lorch, Lugovskoy, Ramensky, Resource, Sante, Firefly, Svitanok Kyiv, Stolovy-19, Sulev, Temp and others.

Manual measures for the destruction of the Colorado potato beetle

You can reduce the number of the pest by catching it on food baits. During the mass summer of beetles, potato tubers or tomatoes (whole, cut into slices), chopped leaves and stems of these plants are laid out in small dimples or depressions in the soil lined with pieces of plastic wrap. Baits are viewed 2-3 times a day and the collected beetles are destroyed.

With a small spread of beetles, they are collected by hand and larvae, leaves are cut off with clutches of eggs, and then they are all destroyed. Simply shaking off the larvae from the bushes and filling them with earth will not bring you the desired effect.

We should not forget about such agrotechnical methods as deep autumn and spring digging of the soil of the site, high hilling of seedlings with filling the leaves of the lower tiers at the beginning of the hatching of the first larvae, destruction of the tops one to two weeks before harvesting.

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most malicious opponents of every gardener. Vegetable growers treat tubers and potato plants with a variety of chemicals several times throughout the growing season, but they often fail to achieve the expected results. Insects continue to destroy plants, and the crop from frequent spraying accumulates many toxic substances. Therefore, many prefer to use exclusively folk remedies to protect potatoes from insects.

A set of preventive actions

The fight against potato pest will be much more effective if it is carried out throughout the year, and not limited to the growing season of the crop. It is important to constantly create conditions on your site that are unfavorable for the development and reproduction of insects. For each season there is a certain set of preventive actions.

Fresh or rotted walnut leaves are good at repelling pests. In the fall, they need to be scattered throughout the site, and then dig up the garden. Plowing the land on the eve of a cold snap will make it possible to destroy a significant part of the insects, which did not have time to go deep enough in preparation for wintering. Throughout the winter, it is necessary to evenly scatter wood ash on the garden bed, which has a detrimental effect on leaf beetles and enriches the soil with useful vitamins (phosphorus, potassium).

In the spring, before germination, several pieces of raw potatoes or their peel should be placed in glass jars (0.5 -1 l). Vessels must be buried flush with the surface of the soil, evenly distributing them throughout the garden. Periodically, such traps should be checked and pests that have fallen into them should be destroyed. It is possible to lure and collect insects by this method even after harvesting.

During the growing season, it is necessary to periodically inspect the tops, and in a timely manner to manually assemble and destroy pests. In addition to the pests themselves, their larvae must also be removed. And if the beetles on the potatoes are visible quite well, then finding the eggs is sometimes not easy. Insects usually debug them on the inside of the leaves.

Newborn cubs are much more dangerous than old individuals. They are able to destroy a large area of ​​plants in just one day. Therefore, it is important to prevent their occurrence as much as possible.

Dusting potato protection

This old folk remedy for the Colorado potato beetle, with frequent use, can have quite a positive result. Shedding tops and row spacing received a second name - "dry fight", which includes the following methods:

• Dusting of leaves with sown wood ash at the rate of 10 kg per one hundred square meters. The most effective is pine and birch ash.
• Cornmeal tends to expand in volume when exposed to moisture. Once in the stomach of an insect, it begins to swell strongly, which causes its death.
• The smell of fresh pine or birch sawdust scattered between the rows is well repelled by leaf beetles.

When dusting, it is not the quantity of materials used that is decisive, but the frequency of the procedure!

Spraying potatoes with infusions and decoctions

There is a wide variety of solutions for the preparation of which natural raw materials are used. Processing potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle with such infusions will help to significantly reduce its population in the garden.

Raw material	Required amount per 10 liters of water.	Cooking method	Note
walnut leaves	1 kg	Pour boiling water, insist under the lid for a week
White acacia bark	1 kg	Dry and grind, insist in a cool place for 3-4 days.
onion peel	300 g	Pour hot water, leave under pressure for a day
Dandelion and horsetail herb	200 g of each component	Boil for 15 minutes, the product is ready for use immediately after cooling	Ready-made broth should be used at a concentration of 0.5 liters per 10 liters of water
Wormwood	300 g	Mix with one glass of wood ash, pour hot water, leave for three hours
Garlic	200 g	Finely chop the bulbs and arrows, pour warm water and leave for a day	Ripened, but not shrunken leaves are suitable
Hemp	600 g	Boil for 10 minutes, the cooled solution is ready for use	Use the leaves of a flowering plant
Tobacco	0.5 kg	insist two days	Dry roots, stems or tobacco powder are suitable. The extract is diluted in a ratio of 1:2
hot pepper	100 g	Boil for 2 hours, apply immediately after cooling
Celandine	500 - 1000 g	Freshly cut leaves and stems are boiled for 10 minutes	The prepared solution is used at a concentration of 1:20

How and with what to spray potatoes is a purely personal matter for every vegetable grower. Many gardeners add sunflower oil, vinegar, mustard, and other specific ingredients to their solutions. Regardless of the composition, there are a number of rules and recommendations for the treatment of garden crops with liquid preparations:

• Any of the solutions must be filtered before use to avoid clogging the nozzle of the spray device.
• Spraying should be carried out in calm weather in the early morning or evening (from exposure sun rays preparations quickly lose their insecticidal properties).
• Adding soap or washing powder to the solution improves its adhesion to the surface of the leaves.
• Despite the natural origin of the components of the product used, it is necessary to work with it observing all safety measures.

A tool created on their basis is considered very effective for processing potatoes from Colorado potato beetles. Approximately half a liter jar of insects should be placed in 10 liters of water, covered with a lid. After 5-7 days, the solution will be saturated with the necessary toxins, and the "rodents" will settle to the bottom of the vessel. A liter of such an insecticide is diluted with two liters of water.

Spraying potatoes with undiluted infusion can burn the tops!

Neighbors that the "striped" does not tolerate

Colorado potato beetles have well-developed scent receptors, so they do not like to live in areas where strong odors predominate. To create such conditions in their garden, some vegetable growers alternate potato rows with plantings of other crops. Among the most "unloved" pests are onions, garlic, beans and beans. Some plants emit a sharp aroma only when flowering. It is customary for them to plant potato plantations along the perimeter. Calendula, coriander, violet and hemp have good deterrent properties. True, the cultivation of the latter is prohibited by law.

Features of pest control

Colorado leaf beetles are very thermophilic, they prefer to lay their larvae in well-lit and sun-warmed areas. It is noticed that in shady places the tops are devoured by insects much less. The pest also ambiguously refers to different varieties potatoes. First of all, beetles eat bushes of early crops, the leaves and stems of which are usually not powerful enough.

In order to get rid of beetles on potatoes, it is advisable to use several methods overnight. The pest tends to adapt to certain drugs and conditions, so you can’t be limited to one specific method, no matter how effective it would be.

The fight will be much more effective if you destroy insects not only in your area, but also in the largest possible radius from it. Therefore, in such matters, it is important to interact with the owners of neighboring plots, share knowledge and experience, look for common solutions on how to get rid of beetles on potatoes, and carry out all “anti-Colorado” operations in the same time frame.

How to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle folk remedies - video

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Mustard from the Colorado potato beetle

The Colorado potato beetle is the main enemy of potatoes and all gardeners. Such small bugs can destroy almost all potatoes in a matter of days. Manufacturers of chemicals promise to save the crop, but at the same time, these substances are very harmful to human health. Nevertheless, it is necessary to fight the beetles. In addition, it is very important to carry out timely prevention of beetles in the spring. All this can be done with the help of folk remedies. Over the years, our ancestors have tried various methods of pest control. Let's listen to their experience and consider various folk remedies for the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes.

Basic Rules

Many will agree that using chemicals is easier and faster. But, do not forget about the harm that they bring to our health. Many gardeners use only folk remedies to fight beetles. After all, what's the point in saving the crop from pests, but poisoning yourself with chemistry. Fighting methods must be safe!

Since Colorado potato beetles have been living in our area for quite a long time, gardeners managed to come up with and test a large number of effective ways to deal with them. They made sure that these funds were completely harmless to environment and health.

It is important to follow three basic rules:

1. The weather during the processing of the bushes should be dry and calm.
2. The scorching sun reduces the strength of decoctions. It is better to use solutions in the evening.
3. It is necessary to process potatoes every week, otherwise the effectiveness of the procedures will greatly decrease.

Infusions of herbs to fight the beetle

Natural remedies can be prepared from common herbs. For example, wormwood, celandine, horsetail and dandelion are perfect. Infusions are prepared as follows:

1. Wormwood is crushed and placed in a container in such an amount that it occupies a third of a bucket or barrel. Then the container is completely filled with water. After 3 days, the infusion will need to be filtered and you can start spraying the beds from beetles.
2. The prepared and crushed celandine is placed in a saucepan and filled with water in the same proportion as in the first case. Then the celandine should be boiled for 15 minutes. Next, the solution is allowed to cool and diluted with water. To do this, pour half a liter of the prepared broth into 10 liters of water.
3. 200 grams of dandelion and horsetail are taken per bucket of water, the plants are crushed and placed in a container. Then the plants are filled with water. The infusion is boiled for 15 minutes, after which it is cooled and diluted. As in the previous case, half a liter of such a decoction will need 10 liters of water. Then the potatoes are processed from beetles.

It is necessary to start processing with such means immediately after the potatoes rise. The procedure is repeated every week, only in this case it will be possible to achieve the best result.

Attention! 3 weeks before harvesting potatoes, spraying the bushes from the Colorado potato beetle should be stopped.

In addition to the plants listed above, you can use ordinary walnuts. For this, unripe fruits and leaves are suitable. To prepare the solution you will need:

• 1 kg of walnut leaves;
• 1 kg of chopped green fruits;
• 10 liters of boiling water.

All components are mixed and left for a week so that the mixture is infused. Then the infusion is filtered and used to spray potatoes from beetles.

Ash, mustard and other methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle

Some substances that do an excellent job in the fight against bugs are always at our fingertips. Probably every housewife has vinegar, laundry soap and mustard. Let's look at how you can make an excellent remedy against the Colorado potato beetle from such simple ingredients.

The following mixtures are most popular:

1. For the first preparation, you will need half a liter of vinegar, 100 grams of ordinary soda and 10 liters of water. The first step is to combine vinegar and soda. Then the mixture is poured with water and, immediately, they go to spray the area.
2. The following remedy is prepared on the basis of laundry soap. One bar of soap should be dissolved in 10 liters of water and added to the hot pepper mixture (100 grams). Then the solution is left for a couple of hours to infuse. After that, you can start spraying potatoes.
3. For the third preparation, you will need dry mustard (about one kilogram). It is dissolved in a bucket of water and 100 ml of vinegar is added there. Mustard fights well with the Colorado potato beetle in the beds with potatoes.

In addition, ordinary cement can be used for these purposes. It is very easy to use, you do not need to mix with anything and dissolve in anything. The required amount of cement is poured into gauze and the potato bushes are sprinkled with the substance.

Important! For convenience, the gauze bag should be tied to a stick.

Also, many gardeners use ashes to fight the Colorado potato beetle. There are several options for how it can be applied:

1. 1 kg of wood ash is dissolved in 10 liters of water. The mixture is put on fire and brought to a boil. Then the solution is left to cool completely in a warm room. There he must stand for at least 2 days. After that, the mixture is filtered and 40 grams of laundry soap are added. Another 10 liters of water is poured into this solution. Now you can start spraying potato plantations from the Colorado potato beetle.
2. Some gardeners simply add a little ash to the hole when they plant potatoes. Immediately before hilling the bushes, it is necessary to sprinkle the soil around the potatoes with ash.
3. In addition to the soil, the bushes themselves can also be sprinkled with ash. Birch ash is best suited for these purposes. She pollinates potatoes every 2 weeks. The procedure should be repeated three times.

In the same way, you can pollinate potato bushes with red pepper or tobacco dust. Insects really do not like such substances, so they will quickly disappear from your site. As you can see, it is not necessary to spray to fight the Colorado potato beetle. There are no less effective, but very simple methods.

Collection of beetles with a special device

A practical device for collecting bugs and larvae can be made from a regular sugar bag. The first step is to make a cut along the seam on the side. The upper hole, on the contrary, should be sewn up. Now loops are made around the entire edge of the hole. They pass a thin wire, the length of which is from 2.5 to 3 meters. The wire is then bent and the ends twisted into a handle shape.

It is very easy to use this device. The bag is put on a potato bush and shaken a little. All the bugs that are on it just fall into the net. After each passed row of potatoes, you should pour the beetles into a bucket. Thus, you do not need to constantly carry the container with you and manually shake each bug into it.

Vodka from bugs

To carry out such a procedure, you should purchase vodka. Moreover, the worse its quality, the better the result will be. So you can safely choose the cheapest singed vodka. It is poured into a small jar and 10 beetles collected in different parts of the garden are thrown into it.

Attention! It is necessary to ensure that the beetles do not drown, but simply swallow vodka.

Then the beetles are released back to the area with potatoes. Oddly enough, but after that all pests leave the garden. The fact is that alcohol is a poison for insects. Colorado beetles just go crazy after consuming this amount of stuff. Releasing insects to their original place is necessary in order to scare the rest of the bugs. Despite the strangeness of this method, it really works.

Prevention of Colorado beetles

For prevention, you can plant some types of plants on the site that the beetles simply do not tolerate. Suitable for this:

• calendula or marigold. Seeds are sown around the plot or between rows;
• beans and beans. These plants are planted together with potatoes in one hole. This increases the level of nitrogen in the soil, which repels pests;
• garlic (spring). It has a pungent odor that beetles simply cannot stand.

It is also necessary to watch when the bugs begin to lay eggs. During this period, it is necessary to carry out the hilling of the bushes. Thus, the plants will receive the necessary amount of oxygen, which will help fight eggs and small larvae.

It is very good to loosen the soil often. At a certain period, the larvae burrow into the ground in order to form a cocoon and turn into an adult beetle. At this stage, the larvae are very sensitive and defenseless. Even the usual loosening of the soil in a potato bed can destroy a large number of bugs.

Advice! As you know, beetles burrow into the ground for the winter. Therefore, in the fall, you should dig up a plot for planting potatoes. Thus, a large number of beetles will remain on the surface of the soil and simply freeze with the onset of winter.

Conclusion

This article has shown that the protection of potatoes from beetles does not have to be carried out with chemical preparations. For this, proven folk methods. For example, you can prepare a mustard, soap or vinegar solution. Also, many gardeners use the manual method of collecting insects. To do this, you can build special devices. In general, there are quite a few methods for processing potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle. Each gardener can independently choose and check any of them.

fermilon.ru

How to deal with the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes with folk remedies?

This voracious and very prolific insect just loves potatoes, which made him the number one potato enemy for humans. Who is this? Of course, the Colorado potato beetle! Slightly overlooked - and all! We will be left without a "second bread" ... What to do? Probably fight! Fighting the Colorado potato beetle with folk remedies is an effective way to snatch your crop from the paws of an insidious striped pest and stay with "second bread". So, friends, let's fight!

Features of life and reproduction of the Colorado potato beetle

For the winter, adult beetles burrow into the soil beyond the limits of freezing (70 cm and deeper). Part of the reserve of adult beetles remains in the ground for 2-3 years. In the spring, when stable warm weather sets in and the air temperature rises to + 15 ° C, adults emerge to the surface. This is approximately the period of mass flowering of dandelions, the active growth of weeds from the nightshade family (black and red nightshade, dope, belladonna, henbane). Eagerly eating young leaves of desirable weeds, the beetles later fly from old eaten plants to young plantings of tomatoes, eggplant, and potato tops. Here, on the underside of 1-2 tiers of leaves of cultivated crops, the female lays her eggs in groups of 10-30 pieces. The harmfulness of beetles is their extraordinary fertility and great appetite. One female lays 400-2500 yellow eggs in her life. Each beetle eats more than 4 g of young leaves per month, and the larva eats more than 1 g, leaving only skeletal remains of green mass.

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After 5-17 days, dark brown adults hatch from the eggs, which change color to yellow-orange or bright orange in 15-27 days of life. They go to the ground, where they pupate and come to the surface in the form of a young formed individual. Over the summer, Colorado beetles are able to give 2-4 generations, so beetles can develop on 1 bush different stages development. The damage they cause can reach 100% crop loss.

Methods of fighting folk remedies from the Colorado potato beetle

You can get rid of the invasion of uninvited striped guests with very simple folk remedies. If necessary, they are used together with Chlorophos, a pesticide approved for combating malicious insects. TO effective options also include:

Loosening rows, sprinkling potato seedlings;

Onion peel;

wood ash;

spring traps;

Traps for beetles in the fall;

Breeding natural enemies of pests;

Planting plants that repel the Colorado potato beetle;

Herbal infusions;

Mustard or vinegar;

Manual collection.

Folk remedies are most often opened by vegetable growers by accident, they can work in some conditions and be ineffective in others. Therefore, they should be treated with a share of criticism and not expect 100% results. The methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle are varied, we will consider them in detail so that you can choose the most suitable ones.

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Onions have long enjoyed the fame of a multifunctional ingredient used in medicine, cooking, and even cosmetology. But not only the bulb itself has bactericidal properties - onion peel is no less useful. It has long been used as a fertilizer for indoor or garden plants. With its help, you can grow healthy flowers, bushes and even trees without diseases and unhealthy signs. Onion peel is even more valuable in the fight against aphids, ticks and the Colorado potato beetle. It is usually used when they want to avoid the use of pesticides, but at the same time get an effective result. An infusion of onion peel quickly rids plants of Colorado potato beetles until their next invasion.

There are two options for preparing an infusion of onion peel:

1. Usual application. To do this, the husks of healthy bulbs are poured onto a third of a three-liter jar and the remaining 2/3 are poured with warm (40 °) water for two days. After that, the filtered mood is diluted in a ratio of 1: 2, household soap (2 g per 1 liter) or liquid soap is added and used.
2. Application in situations of rapid response. To do this, about 0.5 kg of husk is poured with boiling water in a bucket and insisted for two days. Without diluting, soap is added and the plants are sprayed. Such a tool is not toxic to humans and is used like any other.

The Colorado potato beetle does not tolerate the smell of onions, so if you pour a handful of onion peel into each bush when planting, then the pest is unlikely to appear until the flowering period of the potato bushes.

Infusions and decoctions against the Colorado potato beetle

• Burdock infusion. 3 kg of chopped burdock leaves are poured into a bucket and filled with water to the brim, infused for 3 days.
• A decoction of horsetail and dandelion. For 1 bucket of water, take 200 g of horsetail and dandelion, boil them for 15 minutes. Then cool and strain. Before spraying plants, dilute 0.5 liters of decoction in 10 liters of water.
• Decoction of elecampane. Pour 150 g of crushed elecampane roots with 10 liters of water, boil for 20 minutes, strain after cooling and can be used for spraying.
• A decoction of celandine or wormwood. Any parts of celandine / wormwood (during flowering) are placed in a container and filled with 1/3 water, boiled for 15 minutes, then, after cooling and straining, diluted at the rate of 0.5 liters per 10 liters of water.
• Decoction of hot pepper. Pour 100 g of bitter dry pepper with 10 liters of water and boil for 2 hours, after cooling, strain and add 50 g of laundry soap. Infusion of poplar leaves. Pour poplar leaves into a bucket on the floor of the volume and pour water. Keep the infusion for 4 days and strain.
• Infusion of wormwood and ash. 3 hours before spraying, cut 200 g of wormwood, add 200 g of wood ash and pour 10 liters of hot water.
• Isoda vinegar. Use a fresh solution of 250 ml of vinegar and 100 g of soda in 10 liters of water.
• Urea. Treat the plants with a solution of urea (100 g per 10 liters of water). Thus, the plants will also receive an additional dose of nitrogen in the form of foliar feeding.

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For example, it is much easier to collect striped pests if you use a special net. It is done simply: take a bag of sugar, cut it on the side and sew it on top. Make loops along the perimeter of the cut, into which a thin (up to 4 mm) wire 2.5 - 3 m long is passed. Bend the wire, and twist its ends so that a convenient handle comes out. Put the net on a bush and shake it.

After passing a row of potatoes, the beetles need to be poured into a bucket. Thanks to the net, you do not need to bend over each bush and carry a heavy bucket with you.

"Dry" methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle

These methods are among the simplest, but if you apply them regularly, alternating with each other, they are quite effective. Pollination (dusting) of the green part of plants and sprinkling of soil between plants have proven themselves to be excellent.

Dusting with ash from the Colorado potato beetle

A very good effect is given by dusting potato bushes (tomatoes, eggplants) with sifted ash. Birch is considered the most destructive, but good results shows and the rest :) It is recommended to do this in the morning, while the leaves are still wet from dew, or after rain.

Even with a single pollination at the rate of 10 kg of ash per 1 weave after 1-2 days, as a rule, both larvae and adult beetles die.

Before flowering, pollination is carried out 1 time in 2 weeks, after flowering - 1 time per month. If you also sprinkle ash on the ground between the bushes, the effect will be maximum.

Dusting with cornmeal from the Colorado potato beetle

The action of the method is based on the ability of corn particles to noticeably increase in volume when soaked. Swelling in the beetle's stomach, corn flour causes his death. Such dusting is also done on leaves that are damp from dew.

Dusting with cement or plaster from the Colorado potato beetle

It has long been noticed: if you sprinkle the ground between potato bushes with fresh pine (or birch) sawdust, the beetle begins to bypass the plantation - it is sensitive to the smell of a fresh tree. Before flowering, this should be done 1 time in 2 weeks, and after - 1 time per month.

Video about folk ways to deal with the Colorado potato beetle

Prevention from the invasion of the Colorado potato beetle

1. Prevention of the appearance of pests can be considered planting plants, the smell of which the beetles do not tolerate.

§ Marigolds (calendula) and marigolds around the plot with potatoes or between rows.

§ Planting beans or beans along with potatoes in the same hole helps to enrich the soil with nitrogen and repels beetles.

§ Spring garlic with its pungent smell also drives away uninvited guests.

2. As soon as the beetles begin to lay eggs en masse, it is necessary to spud the potatoes well. This will provide oxygen to the plants and kill the eggs and small beetle larvae.

3. In summer, there are periods when already adult larvae begin to disappear from the leaves. This means that they hide underground to spin a cocoon there and turn into adult beetles. At this time, they are so defenseless that it is enough to loosen the aisles deep enough to destroy the pests.

4. In autumn, before the first frosts, you need to dig deep into the area, which will be set aside next year for potatoes. So the beetle will be on the surface and freeze.

mir-ogorodnikov.ru

Folk methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae

The homeland of this striped bug is North America, where it grazed quietly and peacefully, without attracting anyone's attention, until it cleaned the entire potato crop in the state of Colorado at the end of the 18th century. It was then that the pest received a proud American name - Colorado. And his relatives (Leptinotarsa ​​bugs) still peacefully eat wild species American nightshades and do not pretend to anything else.

The Colorado potato beetle is the worst enemy of gardeners On our mainland, to Europe, the beetle was brought several times by ships with potatoes, but it was quickly and successfully destroyed. And finally, already in the post-war 40s, he managed to start a mass offensive against our fields and gardens. Now this beetle is ubiquitous. Able to completely destroy the planting of potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and other nightshade. Our people have neither humor nor generosity. For how else can one regard summer residents immortalized in bronze, diligently choosing Colorados and bears from the land ... And the unselected Colorado potato beetle itself brazenly creeps right on the dacha worker, dragging behind him a bronze scroll with an ironic inscription: “Berdyansk people! Let's feed ourselves!"

Monument to summer residents in Berdyansk. Photo from kolyaseg.livejournal.com Yes, it's in Berdyansk! And in Dnepropetrovsk, by order of the Semena store, they made such a positive statue - a monument to the Colorado potato beetle. The American leaf-chewer rejoices that he conquered all of Europe and half of Asia ...

Monument to the Colorado potato beetle. Photo from greatest.su It's a pity no one thought to put a ticket to Colorado in his paws... On such a joyful note, let's move on to methods of dealing with this world-famous pest. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of methods of struggle, but the Colorado potato beetle stubbornly spreads across the mainland, conquering ever larger territories. Why can't we deal with it? Our summer residents, tirelessly, annually destroy millions of harmful creatures in their gardens, and there are not fewer of them ...

Why is it so hard to fight him:

• on our mainland, unlike America, the Colorado potato beetle has almost no natural enemies - no one prevents it from multiplying in incredible quantities;
• the quantities are really incredible - over the summer, one female lays from 350 to 1000 eggs (it is already harmful to the psyche to count further);

Colorado potato beetle larvae

• Colorado can go into long-term diapause - up to 3 years. This allows him to survive the hungry years, after which he is able to breed completely healthy offspring;
• wintering deep in the soil makes the beetle inaccessible to chemical insecticides;
• colonies of beetles are capable of making massive flights over tens of kilometers;
• there is no way to carry out simultaneously destroying procedures throughout the vast territory affected by the beetle.

There are a lot of poisons against the beetle, but sooner or later, they all end up on our table and in our stomachs, so we will only talk about folk, environmentally friendly methods.

The most ancient method of struggle remains quite effective - manual collection of beetles and mechanical destruction of larvae. During the collection, it is not recommended to crush the beetles in the aisles (as people often do) - they must be collected in a jar with a strong saline solution at the bottom. If the potato plantation is small and you can inspect the plants regularly, your crop will not suffer.

With vast areas, manually collecting beetles is unrealistic. Then natural and improvised means will come to the rescue. These methods are among the simplest, but if you apply them regularly, alternating with each other, they are quite effective. Pollination (dusting) of the green part of plants and sprinkling of soil between plants have proven themselves to be excellent.

Ash dusting

A very good effect is given by dusting potato bushes (tomatoes, eggplants) with sifted ash. Birch is considered the most destructive, but any other shows good results :) It is recommended to do this in the morning, while the leaves are still wet from dew, or after rain. Even with a single pollination (at the rate of 10 kg of ash per 1 weave), after 1-2 days, as a rule, both larvae and adult beetles die.

Colorado potato beetle - adults and larvae Before flowering, pollination is carried out 1 time in 2 weeks, after flowering - 1 time per month. If you also sprinkle ash on the ground between the bushes, the effect will be maximum.

Dusting with cornmeal

The action of the method is based on the ability of corn particles to noticeably increase in volume when soaked. Swelling in the beetle's stomach, cornmeal causes its death. Such dusting is also done on leaves damp from dew.

Dusting with cement or plaster

Sprinkling of row spacing with sawdust

It has long been noticed: if you sprinkle the ground between potato bushes with fresh pine (or birch) sawdust, the beetle begins to bypass the plantation - it is sensitive to the smell of a fresh tree. Before flowering, this should be done once every 2 weeks, and after - once a month. There is a lot of evidence of the detrimental effect of infusions (and decoctions) of various plants on adult beetles and Colorado larvae.

Herbal infusions and decoctions will help get rid of the Colorado potato beetle. By following the recipe proposed by experienced summer residents, you can significantly reduce the number of leafworms in your area. option 1: 1 kg of fresh leaves (leaves and green fruits can be) pour 10 liters of boiling water, insist under the lid for 5-7 days. Strain. option 2: pour 300 g of shells and dried leaves into 10 liters of boiling water, leave for up to 7 days. Strain. 1 kg of dried and crushed bark insist in 10 liters of water for 3 days. Strain. Pour half a bucket of leaves with water and boil for 15 minutes, bring the volume to 10 liters, leave for 3 days, dilute 100 g of tar in 10 liters of water. Spray 3 times a week. 0.5 kg of sunflower flowers insist in 10 liters of water for 3 days. option 1: 1.5 kg of grass for 3 hours insist in hot water. 1 liter of 1.5% calcium chloride solution is poured into the infusion. option 2: fill a bucket with freshly picked (or dry) plants, pour water, boil for 15 minutes. Use the resulting decoction at a concentration of 1:20 (0.5 l of decoction per 10 l of water).

Celandine - one of the remedies against the Colorado potato beetle Pour boiling water over 100 g of crushed dried roots of elecampane, leave for 1-2 hours. The first spraying with infusion is carried out when the tops reach at least 15 cm. It is recommended to spray 3 times during the season. Pour 300 g of raw materials into 10 liters of hot (+70 ... +80 °C) water (under load), insist for a day. Boil 200 g of dandelion herb and 200 g of horsetail in 10 liters of water for 15 minutes, the product is ready immediately after cooling. Apply at a concentration of 0.5 liters of decoction per 10 liters of water. Mix 300 g of chopped herbs with 1 glass of wood ash. Pour 10 liters of hot water, leave for 3 hours.

Wormwood grass is used in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle. 100 g of dry pepper is boiled for 2 hours in 10 liters of water. Before spraying add 40 g of soap. option 1: insist 1 kg of crushed leaves and stepchildren in 10 liters of warm water for 4-5 hours, add 40 g of soap (you can use 3 tablespoons of liquid soap).

option 2: boil 3 kg of chopped green mass in 10 liters of water for 30 minutes. Apply at a concentration of 1:5 with the addition of 40 g of soap for every 10 liters of the finished solution.

Option 1: insist 0.5 kg of dry roots in 10 liters of water for 2 days. Dilute 1:2, add 40 g of soap. Spray immediately after preparation. option 2: insist 0.5 kg of stems or tobacco dust in 10 liters of water for 2 days. Dilute 1:2, add 40 g of soap. Boil 2 kg of chopped grass in 10 liters of water, add 30 g of soap. 200 g of crushed heads and arrows insist 24 hours in 10 liters of water. Add 40 g of soap.

The heads and arrows of garlic can be used in the fight against the beetle. Fill a bucket with grass, add 2 packs of shag. Pour boiling water, boil for 7-10 minutes. Insist 2-3 days. The decoction is effective against larvae and adults. Boil 300 g of flowering cannabis for 10 minutes in 5 liters of water. Cool down. Add 20 g of soap.

When using the listed herbal preparations, a number of requirements and recommendations should be taken into account:

Colorado beetle

• if the larvae have not yet appeared, spraying with a suspension of laundry soap and ash gives an excellent effect. For 10 liters of the mixture - 1 bar of soap and a 2-liter jar of ash;
• Mix 1 glass of sunflower oil in 10 liters of water, and spray the tops with this mixture. They say three treatments are enough to protect the plants;
• a pack of dry mustard + 100 ml of 9% vinegar per 10 liters of water. Spraying with such a composition repels beetles well;
• repellent "talker": 300 g of baking soda + 300 g of yeast, stir in 10 liters of water. Spray 1-2 times a week;
• Dilute 100 g of urea in 10 liters of water and spray the bushes. And here is a double benefit: both protection from larvae, and foliar top dressing;
• high hilling destroys eggs and larvae located on the lower leaves of potatoes;
• traps are effective - glass, plastic or tin cans, the edges of which are moistened with potato juice, and chopped potato pieces are placed inside. Dig at ground level at the rate of one bank per 5 square meters. m;
• pickle sliced ​​potato wedges in a solution of urea (100 g per 1 liter of water) for 2 days. By evening, spread the poisoned baits in open jars on the site at the rate of 3-4 pieces per 5 sq. m;
• the Colorado potato beetle does not tolerate the neighborhood of ants. They say that no Colorados were seen within a radius of 10 m from the anthill. So draw your own conclusions :)

It turns out that our American pest also “goes through grubs” - not all the smells of our plants are to his liking! Sure, stranger...

Nasturtium against the beetle: beautiful and useful Therefore, we offer to meet it on our plots with "bouquets" - islands of fragrant flowers in the middle of potato and tomato plantations! To do this, you need to pick up those whose smell is most unpleasant to the beetle, then it will fly by the beds sideways. These are: Many summer residents are planted in the aisles, along the perimeter and (or) diagonally of the site where nightshade, beans, vegetable beans, onions and horseradish grow. A double benefit - they repel pests and give a harvest :) And tansy, catnip and white lamb growing around a good site will create an additional aromatic barrier for stray leafworms. Of course, you don’t have to hope that not a single pest will enter the site, but the volatile barrier will definitely play its protective role, and you will have much fewer uninvited guests than they planned :) Our allies in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle are some insects and birds . Unfortunately, for the bulk of birds and animals, these American beetles are inedible. By feeding on the leaves of potatoes and tomatoes, which contain solanine, Colorados accumulate it in their bodies, becoming walking (creeping) clots of poison. Therefore, having practically no natural enemies who want to bite off poisons, they feel so at ease with us ...

The only patriotic saviors who can eat Colorado larvae are ground beetles and lacewings (from insects), and pheasants (from birds). There are rumors that starlings, predatory bugs and ladybugs also joined the fight - it means that there are more assistants :)

Only guinea fowl can eat adult beetles. You can teach turkeys to eat colorados if, from childhood, add a little crushed or rolled into bread balls of beetles. There is evidence that it is possible to attract to this and chickens of the Faverolle breed.

And here are the results of the experiment on accustoming young chickens to food that is unusual for them. Let's watch the video.

And in the next video - a demonstration performance of a praying mantis, which completely cracks down on a beetle in a minute and a half. Do not doubt in natural conditions he does it better :)

You give praying mantises for each country cottage area! Paradoxically, but, according to gardeners, the most powerful tool for the destruction of the Colorado potato beetle is itself, or rather, the poison contained in the bodies of beetles and larvae. If you managed to collect a 0.5 liter jar of poisonous American leafworms, you need to pour them into a 10-liter container, fill with water and close the lid tightly. All. The beetles will go to another world, and give the solution the necessary toxins. The readiness of the potion will be signaled to you by the massive lowering of the Colorados to the bottom (before that they will float on the surface). The whole process will take 4 to 6 days. Natural poison for beetles is ready. It should be used at a concentration of 1:2, that is, for 1 liter of infusion - 2 liters of water. Gardeners do not recommend "for fidelity" to spray potatoes with undiluted infusion - you can burn the leaves!

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Colorado potato beetles are pests that take a lot of effort and time from both novice gardeners and experienced summer residents to fight. From the article you can learn about the most effective ways control of the invasion of the Colorado potato beetle on potato plots.

Basic information about the Colorado potato beetle, its characteristics

The Colorado potato beetle is an oval-shaped insect pest, which is easily identified by the characteristic five black stripes on the yellow elytra. Mature individuals survive the winter underground, and appear on the surface at the end of May. Colorado beetles have an excellent appetite.

A female individual lays yellow-orange eggs on potato sheets in small groups of 15-25 pieces, in total the female can lay about 500 of them. Subsequently, large larvae appear from the eggs, which destroy the largest volume of potato tops.

After 2-3 weeks, the larvae crawl deep into the ground, for further pupation. For 14-21 days, pests can completely destroy the entire crop.

Types of struggle with Colorado beetles

There are several methods that are used to combat Colorado potato beetles:

• manual - a method of natural processing;
• folk - based on the use of environmentally friendly recipes;
• chemical - with the help of solutions and special preparations;
• advanced.

The effectiveness of any of these methods will depend on the number of larvae and beetles and on the growth period of the potato. Significantly reduce the harm caused by the pest, it is possible with strict observance of the rules.

Safe means of struggle

Methods for the destruction of larvae and beetles that are safe for humans and their health are preferable. But in some situations, the use of special tools is indispensable. Therefore, it is best to use these methods in a complex way.

Manual processing method

The manual method of struggle is the most popular and safest. Colorado beetles, larvae and eggs laid by females are harvested from the leaves and then destroyed. This procedure can be carried out daily.

On the fresh greenery of the plant, striped pests and their larvae are very noticeable, so you can periodically collect insects that caught your eye.

You can get rid of pests much faster with a basin of ash. The container must be placed next to the plant, tilt the tops and lightly hit the bush with a stick in the direction of the prepared basin. Beetles and larvae, as well as laid eggs, are easily shaken off and fall into the ashes.

It is worth making detours using this method of struggle as often as possible. Subsequently, the collected insects are burned.

You can make a special device - a scoop trap for collecting pests from the tops. For its manufacture, roofing iron is required, from which a scoop is made with a length and height of 45 cm, a width of 50 cm. A handle is attached on one side, and a side in front so that the beetles cannot get out of the trap. With the help of such a device, about 15 acres of potatoes can be processed in 1.5 hours, shaking the beetles into a trap.

Mulch and potatoes

Mulching areas between rows not only helps to avoid weeds and protect young shoots from bright sunlight, but also retains moisture.

Straw mulch contributes to the formation of an environment favorable for the appearance of insects that feed on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle:

• beetle;
• Bogomolov;
• Patskov;
• Ladybugs.

Folk remedies

There are a large number of plants whose smell repels the Colorado potato beetle. Between the rows you can sow:

• Tansy;
• Sage;
• Catnip.

These plants will help get rid of the invasion of pests.

The mattiol flower, which is otherwise called the two-horned levka or "night violet", well repels pest beetles from potato plots. It is enough to sow it through five rows to completely clear your garden of these insects.

Advice! You should not cut off the tops of these flowers, because without shoots, the bushes will turn into ordinary weeds.

You can use the following popular methods.

Pollinate grown bushes with ashes. This method will require a large amount of ash, which is recommended to pollinate potato shoots in a ratio of 10 kg per 1 hectare of land. Using this method will lead to the death of Colorado potato beetles and their larvae. If you sprinkle the entire area with ashes, then the insects that are in the ground will also be destroyed. When planting potatoes, it is also necessary to pour ashes into the hole to protect the shoots of the plant from pests.

For processing potatoes, you can prepare a solution. Place a piece of laundry soap in a bucket of water and add 2 liter jars of wood ash. Leave the resulting mixture for 15 minutes. Dilute one liter of the resulting solution in a bucket of water, after which they can spray the tops. By repeating this procedure twice, with a break of one week, you can completely get rid of the Colorado potato beetle.

Wormwood tincture, taken in the ratio of 1/3 of the plant to a bucket of water, is poured with boiling water and infused for 2-3 days. After that, the resulting mixture can be used to spray potato tops in order to destroy harmful insects.

Another solution that is used to kill Colorado potato beetles is a tincture of hazel leaves, which are soaked in water at a ratio of 2 kg per 10 liters of water. The mixture is infused after preparation for another 3-4 weeks, and then filtered and used for spraying.

All the presented recipes and methods that help to destroy pests are good because they are absolutely safe for people.

Traps for the Colorado potato beetle

Some summer residents use trench traps to destroy the Colorado potato beetle, which they dig along the borders of a potato field.

Important! They are effective if other crops have been grown on the site before. If the land has been used to grow potatoes for several years in a row, then this remedy will not work.

The destruction of adult overwintered insects with insecticides is almost impossible. Trench traps do a good job of killing pests in the spring, when they crawl out of their hiding places, and in the fall, when migrations begin.

The procedure for carrying out this procedure is as follows: along the perimeter of the site it is necessary to dig a trench, 30 cm deep and 15 to 60 cm wide at the top, with a slope of the side walls of 45-90 degrees, for this you should use a cultivator with a V-shaped knife or a single-hull plow. A polyethylene, black and dense film is laid out at the bottom of the trench, which has a width of 1.2 - 1.8 m.

The soil from the excavated recess is laid out on the surface like a parapet and leveled. It is recommended to press the film tightly against the walls and bottom, avoiding the appearance of wrinkles. At the bottom of the trench and on the side, holes are made in the material, every 3 meters, in order to drain rainwater. The ends must be carefully sealed.

Once inside the trap, the beetles try to get out through the drainage holes, but mushrooms appear under the film due to high humidity, which have a detrimental effect on pests. The material is covered with dust, which becomes an obstacle for the Colorado potato beetles to crawl out of the trench.

Colorado beetles trapped in such a trap die from dehydration. During the spring months, 75% of the insects that survive the winter end up there.

Another safe method of pest control is the installation of a bait trap. It is best to use this method in the spring, when the potatoes are planted, but have not yet sprouted. Old tubers of the plant must be cut and soaked in a solution of chlorophos for a day. Scatter the resulting bait over the area, it is better to choose a cloudy day for this procedure, because under the scorching rays of the sun the slices will quickly wither and will not attract insects. Colorado beetles will eat the poisoned potatoes and die. This operation is recommended to be carried out in the fall, when the crop is already fully harvested, but the pests have not yet had time to hide underground.

Biologicals

The organic preparation "Colorado potato beetle is not present" is made in France according to a special formula. On the shelves in Russia, this tool has not yet appeared. The composition of this product contains Indian Azadirahta oil and other natural substances that are safe for humans and animals. The drug helps to repel pests with pheromones and prevents the reproduction of adults and the laying of larvae. It is recommended to carry out at least 3 treatments per season. For an aqueous solution, the agent is taken in a ratio of 1:40. The first pre-sowing treatment is carried out before planting, the second - after emergence, and the third - a couple of weeks after the second. To process 1 acre of land, you need 10 ml. facilities. During the season, 30 ml of the drug will be spent on 1 weave.

Watch the video! Colorado potato beetle 8 ways to remove without chemicals

Chemical control agents

Treatment with chemicals is carried out if all other methods are ineffective. This method is also suitable for pest control on large farm plots with extensive crops.

This type of processing has gained popularity among the population because of its simplicity and ease.

On sale you can find both environmental products and chemicals based on systemic pesticides that are not addictive for the Colorado potato beetle.

There are special solutions with which the pre-planting treatment of potato tubers is carried out, so that the plant at any stage of growth is protected from insects. One such tool is Prestige.

Solutions are also used for preplanting the hole before planting potato tubers in it. This method allows you to protect them from pests.

Preparations for the treatment of newly emerged shoots, it is usually recommended to use 3 times. In some cases, it is necessary to spray a young plant 3 times.

A solution of urea, which is often used to control the Colorado potato beetle, makes it easy to destroy the pest and enrich the tubers with nitrogen.

To date, a large number of ecological preparations are produced, based on plant components that do not negative impact on the quality of the soil, do not harm plants and humans.

"Bordeaux mixture" from the Colorado potato beetle

After the first shoots appear and reach 15-25 cm in height, they must be treated with Bordeaux mixture. The first procedure is recommended to be carried out with a 1-1.5% solution (100-150 grams of lime, plus 100-150 grams of copper sulfate and 10 liters of water). The second - 12 days after the first, using 2% of the substance (200 grams of lime, plus 200 grams of vitriol, plus 10 liters of water). After such an operation, the Colorado potato beetle will completely disappear. If the second treatment was not effective, a third treatment can be carried out using a 2% solution. The mixture will get rid of not only pests, but also from the spread of phytophthora.

The drug "Prestige" from the Colorado potato beetle

There are two main active ingredients in the composition of the drug - a fungicide-pencycuron, which protects potatoes from diseases and an insecticide-imidacloprid, which destroys pests. The tool has an anti-stress effect and stimulates the growth of vegetable crops.

The treatment agent effectively protects the plant from wireworm, mole cricket, Colorado potato beetle, aphids, scab, rhizoctoniosis. It is best to treat potato tubers with this substance in boxes and nets, shaking occasionally for even distribution. The drug is bright crimson in color, after preparation the solution becomes much paler, the tubers turn the same color.

The protective period of the substance from harmful insects from the moment of processing lasts 50 days, from diseases - 40 days. The substance then decomposes into non-toxic compounds. After the spraying procedure, potatoes should be eaten after 50 days.

The action of the drug begins after the agent rises along the stem to the shoots and foliage. The drug cannot get inside the new tubers in any way, since it does not participate in the process of photosynthesis.

After the specified period, the area on which potatoes grow should be re-treated with a solution of the same preparation.

Insecticide "Bankol"

The drug is very effective against the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae. After the first spraying, for which it is recommended to use the opsh 15 hose sprayer, both adults and their larvae that appeared after the procedure die. Re-spraying is required in rare cases.

Manufacturers claim that within a week after spraying, the product breaks down into components that are neutralized by soil bacteria, so the drug is the best among competitors.

Modern technological methods for beetle control

Thanks to the development of genetic engineering, scientists were able to develop special varieties, in the tops of which there are toxins that are detrimental to the Colorado potato beetle. But most pests soon became immune to the contained toxic substances.

Scientists - breeders also brought out special varieties that are distinguished by tough and hard tops, which Colorado potato beetles do not eat.

Varieties that are least susceptible to the spread of the Colorado potato beetle:

• "Spark";
• "Pace";
• "Glow".

Conclusion

You can fight the Colorado potato beetle in different ways, the main thing is to start the fight on time to save the potato crop. The video below describes the most effective pest control methods.

Watch the video! Folk ways and chemicals to combat it

The most a big problem in potato cultivation is the fight against the Colorado potato beetle. Voracious pests in hordes attack young shoots, devouring tender leaves. Spraying bushes in practice does not always give the desired effect.

A radical solution is the preplant treatment of tubers. Choosing how to treat potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle before planting, an increasing number of gardeners prefer modern highly effective preparations.

Until recently, only one-component preparations were used for dressing root crops: fungicides, insecticides, growth stimulants. Because of this, the process of processing potatoes before planting took more time, because not all substances can be mixed.

New products are now on sale that simultaneously contain both fungicides and insecticides. They have obvious benefits:

1. They have a broad spectrum effect, as a result of which plants do not infect either insects or fungi.
2. Long-term effect of the application for a period of 1-2 months.
3. Ease of use - no need to calculate proportions, mix preparations or double-treat.
4. Affordable price - when buying each product separately, you will have to pay more.

The action of simple insecticides is selective: they can destroy or suppress only a certain type of pest. Thanks to a whole complex of active substances, multicomponent insecticides have an effective effect on several types of pests simultaneously. These drugs differ in activity, composition, duration of action.

All insecticides, depending on the method of penetration of the pest into the body of the active substance, are divided into several types:

1. Contact - getting on the body of the pest from the surface of the tuber or plant, cause intoxication. More intended for insects of the sucking type, larvae of the Colorado potato beetle, caterpillars. They provide protection only to those parts of the plant on which they are applied, they are easily washed off by precipitation.
2. Fumigants - cause the death of insects, getting into their respiratory tract. They are used in gaseous form, by fumigation, have an effect against any pests.
3. Systemic - penetrating into the plant, distributed throughout the root system, shoots and leaves. Feeding on poisoned fibers, pests die. When applied, the preparations are quickly absorbed by plants, their effectiveness is practically not affected by precipitation.
4. Intestinal - enters with food intestinal tract insects causing poisoning. Intended only for gnawing pests.

The most reliable for the treatment of tubers are systemic triple and double action:

Prestige

Available in the form of a concentrated suspension or powder, a systemic preparation that, after 60 days, completely decomposes and is excreted by the plant. Effective against soil-dwelling pests, Colorado potato beetle, tuber scab, rhizoctoniosis. Provides protection against Colorado potato beetles for 40-50 days, against potato diseases - 37-40 days.

The active ingredients of Prestige are imidocloprid and pencycuron. It is considered moderately dangerous (III class) according to the degree of impact on the human body. For preplant treatment of 100 kilograms of tubers, it is enough to dissolve 50 milliliters of the preparation in 3 liters of water.

Maksim

This drug is often used in conjunction with Prestige. It is an effective contact fungicide that is used to protect planting material from rot. Maxim can be used for processing tubers and dressing the soil in which insects can overwinter.

The active substance - fludioxonil - is stored in the soil for up to 30 days. The tool is an analogue of the antibiotic, which is released using soil bacteria. To prepare a working solution, 10 milliliters of the drug is diluted in 5 liters of water and mixed thoroughly. In order to process 1 kilogram of tubers, an average liter of working solution is required.

Cruiser

An effective and reliable systemic insecticide available as a highly concentrated suspension. The active substance is thiamethoxam. Due to its compatibility with all fungicidal protectants, the product can be applied simultaneously with them.

The drug retains a protective effect for 6-8 weeks. Belongs to the III class of danger. To carry out processing before planting 100 kilograms of tubers, it is enough to dilute 40 milliliters of the product in 3 liters of water.

Celeste Top

Combined insecticide-fungicide of systemic-contact action, the protective period of which lasts about 30 days. Provides protection of potatoes from a complex of diseases and pests.

The drug is a concentrated suspension of safety class II. To prepare a working solution, 10 milliliters of the product is diluted in 2.5 liters of water. This amount is enough to process 100 kilograms of tubers.

Taboo

A domestically produced systemic insecticide produced in the form of a highly concentrated suspension, the active ingredient of which is imidocloprid.

The duration of the protective period is 35-40 days. After that, the drug is completely removed from the plants, decomposing into non-hazardous compounds. Means of the III class of danger, moderately toxic. In order to process 100 kilograms of tubers, 8 milliliters of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water.

Matador Grand

Matador Ultra

Systemic insecticide-fungicide of triple action, which is used to treat potato seeds before planting in the ground from a complex of diseases and pests. To process 32 kilograms of potatoes, 25 milliliters of the drug is diluted in 250-300 milliliters of water.

Tirana

A complex action disinfectant that reliably protects potato plantings from the Colorado potato beetle during the growing season. The drug protects potatoes for 35-37 days.

In order to treat potato tubers before planting, 50 milliliters of the drug is diluted in 1-1.5 liters of clean water, mixed thoroughly and 100 kilograms of planting material are treated with a spray gun or by dipping in a solution.

Emesto Quantum

An innovative insecticide and fungicide that protects potatoes from sucking and gnawing pests and diseases that persist in the soil and with seeds. The drug is designed to combat the Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, aphids.

It is effective against common and silvery scab, rhizoctoniosis. Potato tubers can be treated at the time of planting or several weeks in advance. In order to process potato seeds before planting, 1-2 liters are enough working fluid per 100 kilograms of tubers. It is not recommended to treat potatoes affected by wet rot with the drug.

It can be used when planting tubers and treatment with biological compounds that are quite safe for the environment and human health. If you start using them in time, the pests on the site will become inactive, the intensity of eating green mass will decrease.

The most common biological agents that cause the death of pests after 7-10 days are Fitoverm, Bicol, Agravertin. Such non-toxic means of effective action are not capable of exerting an effective action on egg layings located on potato bushes. It is advisable to use them after the appearance of the larvae of the Colorado beetles, and after a while repeat the treatment.

General rules for processing potatoes before planting

When using disinfectants, you must follow a few important rules:

1. Do not forget about safety precautions. Insecticides are poisonous substances that require the use of protective clothing. When choosing a place for processing potato tubers before planting, it is necessary to take into account the distance to household items, pets, etc.
2. In urban conditions, before leaving the site, dressing is done in a well-ventilated area, for example, on a balcony.
3. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the indicated dosages so that instead of protecting the tubers, you do not get the opposite effect.
4. It is important to properly prepare potatoes for processing, since the effectiveness of the product and the quality of the crop depend on this.

It is possible to pickle only mid-season and late varieties of potatoes, the tubers of which will not be used for food until fully ripened. This is due to the long period of decomposition of the chemical components of the preparations.

Processing potatoes before planting is performed in the following sequence:

1. Spread the plastic film on a flat area protected from the wind. To prevent the edges from wrapping during processing, they are pressed down with something heavy. The dimensions of the film must be selected so that during spraying it is not necessary to stand between the tubers or reach far.
2. Gently spread the potatoes on the film in a thin layer. In order to rationally use the drug, it is desirable to know at least approximately the total weight of the tubers. To process a small amount of potatoes, you can use plastic fruit boxes, after laying cellophane.
3. Dilute the disinfectant in a container with water, strictly adhering to the dosage. The entire solution must be used up at a time, so the ratio of the total mass of potatoes and the volume of liquid must be observed.
4. Pour the working solution into the sprayer and evenly process the spread out potatoes. It is usually enough to cover two-thirds of the surface of the tuber to obtain the necessary protection against the Colorado potato beetle. Turning the tubers for this reason is not necessary. To carry out the processing from all sides, you need to wait until the potatoes dry. Turn the tubers only with protective gloves.
5. If there is no sprayer, the tubers are treated by dipping into the solution. Potatoes in small portions weighing up to 10 kilograms are poured into nets and lowered into a container for a few seconds, where the disinfectant is diluted in advance.
6. Then the tubers are laid out in a thin layer on an oilcloth to dry. This is a more laborious method in which more consumption solution, so it is better to purchase at least the simplest sprayer.
7. On the film, the processed potatoes are left to dry for 2-3 hours, after which the tubers are ready for planting in the ground. If potatoes need to be transported to the planting site, dried tubers are transported packed in two layers of film.

Is pre-planting treatment of potatoes harmful?

To decide whether or not to process the tubers before planting, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the benefits of such processing. Modern preparations for dressing tubers provide potatoes with protection not only from the Colorado potato beetle, but also from a large number of other pests.

At the same time, the gardener’s time and effort are significantly saved: he will not need to take separate measures against the bear or wireworm that damage the tubers in the ground. Some drugs also additionally have a stimulating effect on the development of sprouts and an antifungal effect.

Thanks to pre-planting treatment, the number of sprayings of plants during the growing season can be reduced. The beetle is not attracted to seedlings of pickled tubers for a long time, the bushes have time to grow up during this time. After a pest attack on potatoes, one treatment of the tops is usually enough before harvesting.

Potato care is facilitated, and the concentration of chemicals in roots and soil is reduced.

Planting material is often infected with various infections transmitted to young tubers in the process of growing potatoes. Using fungicides for the treatment of mother tubers together with insecticidal agents, it is possible to avoid the spread of infection.

All protectants are chemical preparations of varying degrees of danger to warm-blooded organisms. The potatoes processed by them cannot be called environmentally friendly.

If possible, it is better to completely abandon the use of chemistry in your area. More effective methods than insecticides do not yet exist, and without them you can be left without a crop at all.

Preparations before going on sale undergo multiple studies and tests to determine the degree of their danger to humans. To minimize this danger, the periods of decomposition of toxic substances and the indicated dosages are written on the packages. Protect yourself from negative consequences strict adherence to the instructions for use will help.

After a certain time, almost all systemic preparations decompose into safe compounds that are completely removed from plants, including tubers and root systems. The pests themselves confirm this: the beetles do not touch the plants while the poison is in the leaves. After a month and a half, their number on the bushes begins to gradually increase.

By following a few rules, you can protect yourself from the use of harmful substances:

1. It is impossible to increase the concentration of the solution when processing tubers.
2. Between spraying the haulm and harvesting, the necessary intervals must be observed.
3. Young potatoes from pickled tubers should not be eaten, it is necessary to wait for full ripening.
4. Treaters of dubious quality are not worth buying; you need to look only for licensed products with instructions for use.

The drug must be changed periodically, since the Colorado potato beetle very quickly adapts to the poison. When choosing a remedy, you need to look for the name of the active substance, since the names of the disinfectants can be different, and the composition is almost the same. By following these recommendations, you can easily destroy pests and grow a rich potato crop.

Folk remedies for the Colorado potato beetle

The Colorado potato beetle was brought to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century along with potatoes. The insect feels safe here, as there are no lovers of striped beetles and bright red larvae among Russian birds. To save the harvest, people had to come up with various methods.

In the fight against Colorado potato beetles, even today, many gardeners use folk remedies that attract with their harmlessness and accessibility.

Some of them are quite effective:

1. In each house, stove ash was collected, which was used to fertilize the garden. Her solution was a good remedy to save plants. Before planting, the tubers are dipped in a liquid of 1 part ash and 10 parts water.
2. Potassium permanganate is used by all vegetable growers, adding 1 gram to a full ten-liter bucket of water. Seed potatoes are dipped into the resulting saturated pink solution.
3. In a ten-liter bucket, 15 grams of boric acid are diluted and the tubers are lowered into the solution.
4. Tubers are pickled from the Colorado potato beetle with copper sulfate (1 gram of substance per liter jar).

Growing potatoes for a long time, agronomists noticed that insects avoid certain areas. It turned out that they do not tolerate plants located in this place - legumes, red beets, garlic, matthiola, calendula.

It was decided to plant spring garlic between the potato holes, which is absolutely harmless for nightshade crops. For maximum protection, it is better to plant it in a checkerboard pattern.