I hate potato beetles!

[Gaz]

After a month or more of flourishing potato plants, the beetles have arrived. Within a few days - even after trying to pick them off - my plants are looking poorly, yellowing and sad.

I really did not want to spray...but I think after a few years of dealing with them and trying different methods I have come to realize that I might have to!

So folks...what should I try?

Any advice is always very much appreciated!

Gaz
www.almostafarmer.com

 

[digitS']

Do you have late varieties of potatoes, @Gaz ?

This may be the time for early variety harvest. You may be able to just cut off the foliage, dump it in the trash bin and stomp on any beetles trying to escape!

When the Bt beetle killer went off the market, I was at a loss as to what organic spray to use to keep the potato bugs off the eggplant. You think they like potatoes ..! I was up to spraying twice a week with Pyrethrin! Dead beetles littered the ground around the plants! And, still they came! They destroyed the eggplant harvest and even killed several plants.

The next year I had Spinosad. It's not 100% - and may not kill the adults.

Steve

 

[Gaz]

Thanks Steve.....I will check what we have. At this stage I am temped to let the beetles take over and when the plants die off do the harvest.

There just seems to be no easy fix to this pest..

 

[digitS']

I'd be concerned about having a larger population next year if I left the beetles to their merriment.

Steve

 

[baymule]

I remember as a child helping my Daddy pick off potato beetles, but have had no experience with them here. Ha! We're moving back to that part of Texas, I guess I'll get reacquainted with them.

Will chickens eat them? Or will the chickens eat the vines instead? Could you let the chickens in the potato patch to eat the bugs, especially since the vines are toast anyway? What about ducks? Will they eat the vines? Anybody with any experience of letting the poultry in the potato patch?

 

[Gaz]

Madie (6) and I just went to did the harvest. We used tires for the first time and the harvest was the easiest we ever had It was sad to do this so early...we had around 20 lbs of potatoes for our few pounds of seed spuds we started with...so while not ideal, it was not a complete wash.

Eaten plants and bugs will NOT go into the compost bin

 

[journey11]

I've always just handpicked/drowned mine. You must have a lot! It can take several rounds to get them all.

 

[Gaz]

I've always just handpicked/drowned mine. You must have a lot! It can take several rounds to get them all.

I hand picked for four straight days - threw them in a bucket of water ....the next day there were still thick...some of them the size of pin heads! So sad to see the healthy plants turn to being so sick in just a few days...even with my help.

I hate to think I will have to spray in future

 

[digitS']

They are from Colorado ... or North America, anyway.

There was something I was watching, film from about 100 years ago. Belgium, I'm quite sure.

We are always complaining about Mediterranean fruit flies and Japanese beetles and this and that from one country or another ... How would you like to be going along farming for generations and the dang Colorado potato bug shows up??!

They were using flamethrowers on 'em ..!

Steve

 

[Gaz]

Flamethrowers?? That is MY KIND of spray!