valleys in my potatoes??

[vfem]

Strange Steve, I had these on my eggplants this year, in the spring... then they actually went away?! The summer was prosperious and they never touched my potatoes of tomatoes?!

The only thing that changed where I didn't see them again, I planted French Marigold throughout my veggie garden.

I won't swear by it because I wasn't sure what they were while I was squishing and killing them... but come mid June they were gone not to return.

I am sure there are better more accurate things you can do tuffy!

 

[digitS']

Are you talking about the flea beetles, Vfem?

There's no squishing and killing flea beetles. I swear, I worry about them jumping in my eyes - they are in such a hurry to exit the scene of their crimes!

Most areas do not have much trouble with these little critters. They make a few noticeable pits in things, and that's about it. Maybe they have more natural predators in areas of higher humidity but, I think, it is pretty much in arid parts of the country that they converge on green plants and hold their humongous food fests.

Then they lay eggs at the base of the plants and their teeming larvae chew up the roots. Of course, that starts BEFORE they show up by the thousands to chew on the leaves and fruit. I hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em . . .

The potato bugs like eggplants especially well. (I gotta stop relying on Wikipedia for things. ) I notice them on the nightshade weeds around the garden before I ever see them on the veggies. Then they move onto the eggplants! It was a no-holds-barred fight to the finish this year to keep them off the eggplants. Between squishing and 2 organic bug-killers (including Bt for CO potato beetles) - I won !

Steve

 

[vfem]

Oh then I only have the potato beetles! Fine by me... they sound HORRIBLE!!!!!! I'm glad to have as few things to exhaust my energy on as possible. :/