When To Spray Potatoes For The Colorado Potato Beetle? Is It Better To Process In The Morning Or In The Evening? Can You Pickle When Blooming?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:33

Many novice gardeners and gardeners with the cultivation of potatoes have the question of when is the best time to spray it from the Colorado potato beetle. And the most important thing is whether it is possible to process potatoes during their flowering, and whether the processing depends on the variety. It is very important to know these and some other nuances in order to get a good harvest and not harm the plants, as well as the beneficial insects pollinating them.

Is it better to treat in the morning or in the evening?

Many people believe that the time of day for processing plants is not so important. But this opinion is very erroneous. Experts agree that it is necessary to spray potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle in the morning until 10 o'clock in the morning . If we talk about the evening, then the spraying procedure can be carried out after 17 hours.

The time for processing potatoes also depends on weather conditions and air temperature . It is very important that there is no strong wind and that there is no dew on the tops and stems. And, of course, you should not deal with processing in the rain or in cloudy weather. In addition, in cloudy weather, beetles very often live on the ground, which means that it will not work to etch them all.

When spraying plants, it is very important to act according to the instructions of the selected preparation, as well as observe all the necessary precautions . Including, it is imperative to work in a mask and gloves and, if possible, in protective clothing, or in one that you would not mind throwing away after baiting a beetle. After processing potatoes, it is very important to thoroughly wash your hands and take a shower, since the remedies for the Colorado potato beetle are quite toxic to the human body, they can easily cause allergies.

Potatoes usually have to be processed several times, since voracious beetles can hatch in several generations in just one harvest.

Can it be processed during flowering?

During the flowering of potatoes, many experts recommend collecting beetles mechanically, that is, manually, since various chemical insecticides can negatively affect the future harvest. Frankly speaking, you cannot splash. In any case, it is highly undesirable.

Nevertheless, if there are a lot of beetles, then it is recommended to choose preparations less toxic to plants. For example, it can be "Fitoverm" or "Akarin" - these funds have a destructive effect on the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle . It is possible to spray plants with these products with minimal damage.

It is not recommended to poison beetles during flowering also for the reason that the active formation of future tubers is taking place at this very time . Chemicals can have a negative effect not only on the plants themselves, but also on beneficial insects that fly to pollinate potato flowers. Unsuccessful processing can severely "cut down" the crop.

The recommended time for the use of special preparations is immediately after the wilting of the inflorescences . Re-spraying is advisable no earlier than 2 weeks later.

However, if chemicals are contraindicated in flowering potatoes, this does not mean at all that other measures cannot be taken, as well as preventive measures to combat the annoying Colorado potato beetle. Many plants, including onions, are natural enemies of the Colorado potato beetle. This pest does not tolerate the smell of onions. As a result, experts often plant onions, garlic and calendula between the rows of potatoes . Thus, you do not have to worry about the harvest during flowering.

Spraying according to the variety

Usually, depending on the type of potato and the selected preparation, the processing time may differ. Most often, this point is indicated in the instructions for a particular tool. For example, some preparations are recommended to be used a week before harvest . Also, depending on the type of potato, it should be sprayed 1 to 3 times, and sometimes more, in one season.

It should be noted that modern genetic engineering has not stood still for a long time . Scientists have developed modern, and most importantly, safe varieties of potatoes, into which special genes have been introduced that scare off the Colorado potato beetle. However, in recent years, there have been cases that beetles have become less susceptible to such varieties, but in fairness it's worth a try.

There are also proven breeding varieties of hard-topped potatoes . Beetles do not attack such tops; it is completely unattractive for them in taste.

Regardless of the variety, you can spray potatoes at any time using folk remedies . For these purposes, homemade infusions and decoctions from medicinal plants are best suited. For example, an infusion of wormwood, celandine, an infusion of garlic, or a decoction of dandelion. These funds are completely safe for potatoes at any stage of their growth, but absolutely destructive for the beetle. Also, such funds are completely non-toxic to humans.

The end result in getting rid of the beetle will depend on whether the treatment is done correctly, as well as directly on the amount of the Colorado potato beetle itself . If we talk about chemicals, they almost always kill all insects.

Repeated treatments are usually required to consolidate the effect. But folk remedies with a large number of individuals may not help the first time, and new treatments will have to be carried out at intervals of only a few days.

To summarize, we can say that the best measure of protection against the Colorado potato beetle is good prevention . When choosing between chemicals or folk remedies with an abundant amount of beetle, it is recommended to give preference to folk remedies. Since chemicals, especially those used during flowering, very often are not completely removed from the plants and can be transferred to the tubers.