The Colorado potato beetle eats almost anything, but its favorite foods are potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes and peppers. With its round, black and yellow striped body, this pest appears to be indestructible and is almost impossible to get rid of. It survives cold, frosty winters, rainy summers and droughts and develops resistance to conventional control methods. Therefore, it is best to use effective home remedies and the Colorado potato beetleto fight of course.
Fight Colorado potato beetles naturally: Treat the pest infestation with home remedies
If the Colorado potato beetle appears in the garden, the fight against it can take decades. This pest adapts easily to adverse conditions and develops immunity to the best pesticides year after year. In this situation, the only thing that helps is the surprise effect: using different methods and home remedies alternately and in combination. Below we describe which are the most effective home remedies for combating Colorado potato beetles and how they should be used.
Collect by hand
The simplest and cheapest,natural method of combatingColorado potato beetles must be collected by hand. It is particularly suitable for owners of small gardens as it is very time-consuming. But if you have enough time, it is quite possible to remove the Colorado potato beetles manually.
In the morning or evening, simply put on a pair of gloves and pick off the bugs by tossing them into a bucket of soapy water.
On warm days, the pests are primarily active on the upper parts of the plant, but the lower parts of the plant should also be examined. Be sure to also remove the eggs on the underside of the leaves to prevent further spread.
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Fight with diatomaceous earth
You can get rid of the Colorado potato beetles with diatomaceous earth, but be careful that this remedy is only effective dry and is not as effective on adult beetles due to their hard shells. But it is perfect for getting rid of the larvae, which are actually more destructive than the mature beetles.
If possible, sprinkle directly on the Colorado potato beetles, but you can also sprinkle a thin layer over the entire plant, being careful not to get it on the flowers.
Spray the plants with vinegar
The acidity of vinegar kills Colorado potato beetles and all kinds of pests.
Mix 250 ml of vinegar, a teaspoon of liquid soap and 750 ml of warm water in a spray bottle and spray all plants, larvae and beetles to destroy them.
Drive away the pests with celandine
The celandine grows in meadows and is oftenreferred to as a weed, because of its toxicity. However, it is often used in folk medicine and has also proven its effectiveness against Colorado potato beetles.
You can get rid of the beetle larvae in just 1-2 weeks with its poisonous juice. To use the celandine, you should first prepare a decoction, taking care to protect yourself properly.
Fill a pot with fresh or dried celandine stems and pour water over them. Let them boil for 15 minutes and then filter them.
Dilute 500 ml of the cooled solution with a bucket of water and spray the affected plants with the solution.
Fight Colorado potato beetles naturally with neem oil
Neem oil is the organic gardener's preferred home remedy, which is very effective against the young larvae and prevents the eggs from hatching. However, it cannot kill the adult beetle, but it coats the leaves and stems of the plants, making them less palatable. Neem oil also acts as a fertilizer and keeps a variety of other insects away.
Mix 5 ml of neem oil with a liter of water in a spray bottle and spray the plants, preferably in the evening, so as not to affect the beneficial insects.
Keep away with peppermint decoction
Colorado potato beetles don't like peppermint. Therefore, repeated spraying with a decoction of peppermint is a valuable contribution to warding off these pests. Simply mix the fresh plant parts with water and simmer for 30 minutes. After the broth has cooled, it can be sprayed immediately onto the infected potato plants. This method is very effective for prevention as the beetles usually avoid the treated leaves.
Use coffee grounds for prevention
Once you have successfully fought the Colorado potato beetles in your garden, it is important to prevent new infestations. Coffee grounds are an effective home remedy for preventing Colorado potato beetles in the kitchen garden. Besides, he is an excellent oneFertilizer for potatoesand you will achieve considerable growth with the addition of coffee grounds to your plants.
Sprinkle the dried coffee grounds on the damp leaves in the morning when the young plants have reached a height of 10 cm. Repeat the process every four weeks. Avoid using it more frequently as it can lower the soil pH.
