Fighting the Colorado potato beetle without chemistry

A big problem for every summer resident is the annual struggle with the Colorado potato beetle. After all, the invasion of pests adversely affects not only the quality, but also the number of cultivated root crops.Despite the variety of pesticides on the shelves of horticultural shops, many lovers of gardening works prefer folk recipes. They allow not only to significantly reduce the number of pests, but also not to harm the crop. How to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle without chemistry, and will be discussed in this article.

Manual collection

Methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle without chemistry are very diverse. One of the easiest is to collect insects by hand. Despite the complexity of the process, it is quite possible to collect pests manually in a small area. For areas with a large area, this method is completely unacceptable.

On a note!

You should not try to kill the collected insects in between rows. It is preferable for this to use a container filled with diesel, kerosene, or brine.

Dusting

To protect the potato from the Colorado potato beetle, without using chemistry, it is possible to pollinate the beds with natural means.

Wood ash

One safe One safe folk remedies is wood ash is wood ash. Moreover, gardeners with experience recommend using birch ash for this purpose.It is enough to sprinkle the plants with raw materials, and after two days the number of pests will significantly decrease.

On a note!

Significantly simplify the procedure for the construction of a simple device. The ash is placed in a gauze bag, which is subsequently fixed on the end of the stick. To crush the ash powder enough to stir a little stick.

It is preferable to carry out such a procedure in the morning, while there is still dew on the leaves. The frequency of treatments depends on the period of plant development: before flowering, 1 treatment per 2 weeks is enough, after flowering, dusting with ashes is carried out 1 time per month.

Fighting the Colorado potato beetle without chemistry

Wood ash can also be used to prepare a solution, which is then sprayed with insect-infected beds. To prepare the working composition of 1 kg of raw material pour 10 liters of water and boil for 15 minutes. The resulting broth insist at least two days. After that, add 40 g of chopped soap to it and pour in an additional 10 liters of water. The mixture is thoroughly stirred and used for its intended purpose.

You can use the ashes when planting potatoes, pouring a small amount of raw materials into each well. Not less effect gives the sprinkling of the composition of the rows.

Corn flour

Cornmeal has similar properties, which is also applied to the leaves of the crop. Caught in the digestive tract Colorado potato beetle the composition will cause him problems with digestion, the consequence of which will be the inevitable death of the insect.

On a note!

In a similar way for fighting the colorado potato beetle apply gypsum and cement.

Vegetable repellents

Colorado potato beetle repellent

In order not to have to use chemistry in the garden against the Colorado beetles, some summer residents planted near the potato beds or between them strongly odorous plants, the fragrance of which is not tolerated by insects. Perfectly protect the landing:

• marigolds and nasturtium;
• calendula and tansy;
• night violet and borage;
• catnip and ashberry;
• white mustard.

It gives double benefit to planting between the rows, diagonally or around the perimeter of onions, horseradish, garlic or beans. Such crops serve not only as protection, but also yield a crop.

Alcohol

Some gardeners, wanting to fight the Colorado potato beetle without chemicals, use alcohol. To do this, collect insects from different parts of the garden and place them in a container with vodka.After a time, pests are released, giving them the opportunity to try an alcoholic beverage.

The essence of this method lies in the fact that upon returning to their relatives, “drunken leaf beetles” warn their fellows about the threat in the given territory. As a result, the pest population is sent in search of more favorable habitats.

Infusions and decoctions

Infusions and decoctions from the Colorado potato beetle

To process the potato from the beetle without chemistry can also infusions and decoctions, for the preparation of which use insecticide plants.

• Nut. It is very effective against potato leaf beetle nut extract. 1 kg of fresh leaves pour 10 liters of boiling water, cover and leave to infuse for 5-7 days. Then the mixture is filtered and used for spraying garden crops. For the preparation of a decoction, you can also use a nutshell. 300 g of raw materials are placed in a bucket of water and brought to a boil. After which the mixture is infused for a week. Strained infusion sprayed potatoes eggplants or other cultures affected by the Colorado potato beetle.
• Onion Husk Replace chemistry in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle capable of onion husks.300 g of raw material is poured 10 liters of hot water. The infusion is ready for use after a day, for spraying it is pre-filtered.
• Elecampane. Another analogue of chemical drugs is virgin. Finely chopped dried roots of a plant (100 g) are poured with boiling water (10 l) and infused for 1.5-2 hours. Filtered infusion is sprayed with already grown tops.
• Tobacco. Coping with the Colorado potato beetle without chemistry is possible in the presence of tobacco. 0.5 kg of crushed plants poured a bucket of water and put in a dark place to insist for 2-3 days. The resulting infusion is filtered and to enhance the fixing properties, add 40 g of grated laundry soap to it.
• Garlic. Chemistry is not needed if you fight the Colorado potato beetle with garlic. To prepare the infusion, grind 200 g of garlic teeth or arrows. The prepared raw material is poured 10 liters of boiling water and insist for 24 hours. To enhance the fixation in the filtered infusion add 2-3 tablespoons. l liquid soap or other detergent.
• No less effective against pest celandine. The broth is prepared as follows: ½ volume of the bucket is filled with finely chopped plants and poured to the top with cold water. Capacity put on a gas stove and braised on low heat for 15-20 minutes.The concentrated decoction obtained in this way should be diluted with water before use in a ratio of 1:20.
• Birch tar. 1-2 spoons of tar are diluted in a bucket of water

Sawdust

Sawdust and potato peelings from the Colorado potato beetle

High sensitivity and feature of the Colorado potato beetle to respond to harsh aromas can be directed to the protection of garden plantings. To do without chemistry, it is enough to sprinkle birch or pine sawdust between rows, the scent of which will scare the striped parasites.

Bait

It is possible to influence pests without chemicals by means of baits. To do this, small potatoes are cut into several pieces, which are soaked in kerosene or gasoline for 2-3 days. Such "time bombs" laid out in different areas of the site. The insects who have been fed up with the prepared treat are waiting for the inevitable death.

You can prevent the spread of insects by sprinkling the beds in several places with fresh potato peelings before planting. It is enough to regularly inspect such baits for the presence of insects in them and, as far as they are large, the remnants of vegetables should be poured with kerosene or gasoline. For complete recycling, it is better to set it on fire.

On a note!

Will not let the Colorado beetles to winterize traps set in the fall. 10-15 days before digging potatoes, the tops are cut and folded in a heap. When a significant number of harmful individuals gather in it, the trap is poured with kerosene and set on fire.

Natural enemies

To protect crops from the Colorado potato beetle, you can do without chemicals by attracting natural enemies of the insect to a country site. These are:

• guinea fowl and turkeys;
• pheasants and partridges;
• some types of chickens.

To feathery steel eat the Colorado potato beetle. Together with the usual feed, chickens are given insect larvae. Upon reaching the same age of 3 months, the birds are already able to independently find the Colorado beetles on the leaves.

The Colorado leaf beetle feeds on not only birds, but also some insects. These include the ladybird, the golden-eyed lady, the ground beetle, as well as some bugs and spiders. However, it should be understood that it is completely impossible to get rid of the pest in this way, but to regulate the number of insect parasites is quite realistic.