Colorado potato beetles are already on the rampage. Just add one thing to your garden bed, and they’ll give it a wide berth

The Colorado potato beetle is one of those pests capable of destroying a crop in a matter of tens of minutes. After an infestation, many plants are left in such a state that we can only dream of getting any decent tubers. The battle against this so-called “imperialist” beetle seems endless. Yet often, it takes very little. It’s worth sprinkling ordinary wood ash into the garden bed. Then we’ll have peace from the Colorado potato beetles. But there are other methods as well, which we’ll also focus on in this article.

How to Repel colorado potato beetles with wood ash

Wood ash is definitely not something that Colorado potato beetles love. Quite the opposite. Birch ash is particularly effective, but ash from any other type of tree will work as well. How should you use wood ash? The best approach is to sprinkle the ash on both the leaves and other green parts of the plants after it rains. It’s also a good idea to sprinkle ash between the rows.

Photo: Pixabay

How much ash should you use, and when should you apply it to the potatoes?

As for the amount, about half a kilogram to one kilogram of ash per square meter is ideal. You should apply the ash to the plants about once or twice a week before flowering. After flowering, it’s still possible to apply ash to the plants, but it’s not highly recommended.

Photo: Pixabay

Walnut spray and the pine alternative

If you want to try something other than traditional wood ash, you can make a spray based on walnut leaves. For the spray, you’ll need 10 liters of settled or rainwater and 1 kg of walnut leaves. Mix everything together and let it steep for a week. Then strain it and use it as a spray on the green parts of the potato plants. Alternatively, it’s also a good idea to sprinkle fresh pine sawdust on the soil beneath the plants. Colorado potato beetles can’t stand this scent.

Sources: Author, Meta, tojenapad.sk

Photo: Pixabay