Contents:
- Mustard emulsion
- Mustard-vinegar emulsion with turpentine
- Milk in the fight against the Colorado beetle
- Herbal preparations
- Nettle slurry
- Tansy extract
- Juniper shoots infusion
- Mugwort infusion
- Onion and garlic in the fight against the Colorado beetle
- Colorado beetle traps
When we see yellow beetles with black stripes on the leaves of potatoes, it's time to plan a fight against this pest. For this purpose, we can reach for easily available means - mustard or mustard powder and vinegar.
Mustard has a specific smell that the Colorado potato beetle hates. It cannot destroy insects, but it scares off voracious individuals. Plants treated with the agent with the addition of mustard become inedible for the Colorado beetle. But vinegar and its vapors are deadly for the Colorado beetle.
Spraying and watering plants with mustard-based preparations, which are part of mustard, brings two benefits. It is afraid of not only the Colorado beetle, but also wireworms. The first spraying of potatoes, which are one of the Colorado's favorite delicacies, should be carried out when the plants reach a height of approx.15 cm. Then spraying is repeated three more times during the growing season.
For the effectiveness of the preparation to be high, it should be applied on a cool day, preferably in the evening. In this way, we will protect the plants from sunburn, and the preparation will not evaporate too quickly.
Mustard emulsion
Mix mustard powder (3 tablespoons) with water and set aside for 2 days. Then mix with 10 liters of water. Add 50 g of gray soap so that the solution adheres better to the sprayed surfaces. The preparation will be even more effective when you add 100 ml of vinegar to the mixture. Use for spraying.
Vinegar-mustard emulsion with turpentine
Combine 250g of mustard powder, 100ml of vinegar and 100ml of turpentine. Such a measure will be even more effective in combating the Colorado beetle.
Milk in the fight against the Colorado beetle
Some interesting methods of fighting the Colorado beetle include skim milk spraying. Such a liquid acts as a deterrent to the beetle larvae. How to prepare this preparation? It is enough to combine milk with water in a proportion of 1: 10 and you can use it for spraying infected plants.
Herbal preparations
Our grandmothers already knew that decoctions, extracts and liquid manure from common plants can help in the fight against diseases and pests. Here are some of the popular recipes to help fight the Colorado potato beetle.
Nettle slurry
In home gardens, you can try to get rid of the Colorado beetle by spraying nettle manure. Pour the nettle herb (1 kg) with 10 liters of water and leave it for 4-5 days. Before use, dilute the nettle slurry with water in a ratio of 1: 10.
Tansy extract
Tansy is widely used in combating both pests and fungal diseases. Prepare the extract by pouring 300 grams of fresh herb into 10 liters of water. After 24 hours, strain the preparation and dilute with water 1: 2 before use.
Juniper shoots infusion
The Colorado potato beetle hates the smell of juniper, so gardeners often use this plant for pest control. When preparing the infusion, take a few shoots of juniper, pour 10 liters of hot water and set aside for 3-4 hours. After straining, the agent is ready to use.
Mugwort infusion
Bitter mugwort is used to prepare infusions that help fight beetle larvae at the earliest stage of their development. There are several proven recipes.
Take 1 cup of wormwood leaves and wood ash each, add 10 liters of hot water, mix thoroughly and let it brew for a few hours. Then strain the liquid and add 1 tablespoon of soap or dishwashing liquid. Spray the finished mixture on plants in dry and windless weather.
Adult beetles require a stronger remedy. With boiling water, pour 400 g of fresh herb, 10 pods of hot pepper and 100 g of garlic leaves. Set aside for 12 hours to infuse, then strain and apply as a spray on infected plants.
Onion and garlic in the fight against the Colorado beetle
The voracious beetles do not like the smell of onions and garlic. You can, therefore, prepare solutions based on them that will help scare the Colorado potato beetle.
An effective solution can be prepared according to this recipe: 200 g of onion shells and crushed garlic cloves pour 10 liters of water and simmer slowly for 2 hours. Then strain and fill with water to obtain 10 liters of working liquid. You can add 30 g of gray soap. Use for spraying.
It will take a little longer to prepare the onion infusion. For this purpose, a three-liter container should be filled one-third with onion scales, poured with warm water and set aside in a dark place for 2 days. Then strain, dilute with water (1: 2) and add 10 g of liquid soap. Use for spraying.
A quick recipe for pest control looks like this: 500 g of onion husks pour 10 liters of boiling water and leave for 2 days. Then add 30 g of dishwashing liquid and start spraying.
Colorado beetle trap
An inexpensive and effective way to catch pests is a potato trap. Prepare a liter jar and put a few potato tubers in it, cut into pieces.Then bury the jar between the rows of potatoes so that the top is level with the ground, and the edges are moistened with potato juice. The beetles will fall into the trap and will not be able to get out of it. One trap is enough for 5 square meters of plantings.
