Does anyone have any ideas to deal with potato bugs? Last year I had a terrible time with them, tried so called natural soaps, finally gave up and handpicked the buggers for a bit but they outnumbered me fast.. I only grow about 10 pounds of seed potato but would love for them to be better than last year. Thanks
Hi, give the neighbour's kids 50 cents and let them pick the beasts . The larvae can be killed with powdered mineral. And there is some sort of bacteria that can be sprinkled over the plants and that is supposed to kill potato bugs. But I don't know if you can buy that stuff in small quantities. Regards Gyro
I went to a garden center and they recommended Bacillus Thuringiensis, read the label and was too concerned to buy it. I guess I may go back and if my hands can not pick fast enough I might try it. Thank you for your help!
Hello, I don't know if the Bacillus Thuringiensis (that might be named after one of our newly formed federal states ) is 'good' or 'bad' stuff. At least it is natural. But that doesn't mean that it has to be harmless to human beings. Anyway, I can remember that ducks like slugs (oh, that rhymed ). Maybe they like potato bugs, too? But I'm in doubt. This little beasts look a little bit untasty ;-). Regards Gyro
Thanks for your thoughts. I did go back but did not buy it, natural or not the warnings were for butterflies and other animals and also not to eat for at least 24 hours. I have worked really hard to keep it natural so decided to just pick the nasty things off again this year. Will buy some fancy gloves instead.
Good morning, . Things might be better if one knows how much work it needs to build or grow them. I can't remember the potatoes we had when I was young, but I can remember the meat that we had. Meat from our own animals, they could run free all day, no chemicals, no antibiotics. Imagine a steak that doesn't shrink or that as tasty with a little bit of salt or with herb butter only. Regards Gyro
Last year was the first year that we had a full garden since I was a teenager. My kids (14 and 15) really did enjoy seeing it grow. They got such a charge out of the funny shapes of some things like carrots that did not look like something out of the market. It really was great. The biggest surprise for them was how brussel sprouts grow, they checked them constantly to see if they were ready. All summer the comments were about the taste.....how much it tasted different than what we would buy. We all loved just walking out and picking and simply eating it without having to worry about what was on it. I am going to try to continue to stay as natural as possible, so far it worked well other than those ugly little bugs.
Research what feeds on the bugs... that may send you in a more ecologically friendly direction... beyond that I'm remarkably free of useful advice.
Hmmm..I wonder where someone can buy ladybugs http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-kill-potato-bugs-2530.html
LOL...$15.99 per thousand Home depot...who'd have thunk that http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...ToIt&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=910832 http://yourhome.shoptoit.ca/shop/product--catId_1001235__locale_en__productId_8060645.html
I did look into that but I was told that because this area has the Asian lady beetles (like a lady bug but orange) they would not stay. I may upon reconsidering with your post just try it as the orange ones won't kill the red ones so at I guess if worst comes to worst, I have given other plants some friends. I will get some and try that, decision made. The only plant I found was using other potato plants that they like more as bait but my space is limited and I was hoping to not have to do that as then I will have to plant less of the ones we like. I broke about a half acre of sod last year and really don't want my garden bigger than that. I guess I could break a little more and try that as well. Maybe another 6 or so feet would be enough. Some pioneer I am turning out to be.
Would you like to come break some sod to take home with you so that your criiters will be happy? I do have to agree that they are cute critters.
I cant remember off hand, but there is some kind of sand you can sprinkle around your plants that scratches the bugs skin or shell or whatever. I know it works on slugs and ants so I cant see potato bugs liking it either. You could try and look it up, I know most grow shops carry it.
Hi and a little update! My taters are up and I have very few potato bugs this year so far. I have squished probably only about 30 or so and last year I could of easily done that in a day. They drove me nuts! I turned over 6 more feet of sod and planted small red potato seed in with my regular Yukon golds as they told me that they like the reds better. So I am willing to let them eat those stalks, if they can get past me. I also planted marigolds around the perimeter and catnip. According to some organic farmers they do not care for those plants either. I bought lady bugs and threw them into the general garden and so far they have not left my garden, so I think they might stay. Yellowcab, I think the substance might be rotenone and while we can get it here, only in liquid form now as it is on the ban list of pesticides as of last year so it is hard to find. I can only get it premixed in a little squirt bottle. I really did look at it but am working so hard to only use soap as a deterrent other than plants. If all fails this year then next year I may resort to it but I worry that when I rotate the crop rows next year then I will have to be really careful about what I plant there. I will say that my tomato plants are thriving and I am not sure if that is because the lady bugs also hang out around them a lot. Also my sage is in total flower, so I think that those little ladies are doing a great job. I also have found a couple of garden snakes so they may also be helping to eat some of the bugs as we only have nonvegan garden snakes here. I am now forbidden from expanding the garden as no one is willing to do so again. I am sure they will all forget that by next spring.
