My potatoes are doomed. :(

[DMH]

Mmm...well...I do not recommend using a shop vac.

Ohoh! I hope it was just one plant.

[El]

Let us know how well it works.

Mmm...well...I do not recommend using a shop vac.

[El]

At worst...maybe one plant.

[nichevo]

I bet you end up with a vacuum full of potato plants

[El]

Will do!

[W.Lynn]

Let us know how well it works.

[El]

vacuum your bugs off of potato plants .

Gets rid of bugs and keeps neighbors away from crazy lady .

I saw it in a farm magazine years ago ..,..
not quite the same as the internet .


DD

Shop vac! You are a genius! I'm going to try this as soon as it dries off outside. I hope I don't suck up a potato plant.

[dangerdan]

vacuum your bugs off of potato plants .

Gets rid of bugs and keeps neighbors away from crazy lady .

I saw it in a farm magazine years ago ..,..
not quite the same as the internet .


DD

[AD]

You can apply to plants with this

http://www.amazon.com/Pest-Pistol-Insert-Diatomaceous-Earth/dp/B002SW52CE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401892714&sr=8-1&keywords=puffer+bottle

[El]

Thanks, Nichevo. I will give DE a try.

[nichevo]

You could try diatomaceous earth which is particularly effective on the juvenile beetles. Make sure you use food grade. If the potato plants are flowering, it will kill the bees. Sprinkle it on the ground and on the leaves top and underside. Cover with row cloth for a couple of days. If it gets wet, you need to reapply.

[El]

Even chickens won't eat these things from what I've read about them.

[W.Lynn]

If the nuisance bug will live there, the things that eat it might be willing to try.

[MillenniumMan]

How about a predatory species that feeds off the bugs? I'd say Anoles, but they're not used to northern climates.

[El]

I thought I was getting a handle on the Colorado potato bugs. Today I only pulled off about 12 adults from my potato patch. There were hundreds and hundreds of these red bugs with black dots, though...sort of like mutated, overgrown lady bugs. Come to find out...these are juvenile Colorado potato bugs.

I broke down and sprayed the potatoes with liquid 7, trying to drown the fers, and knocked all of the bugs I could get off the potatoes, but at the time I didn't know what they were. They are destroying my potatoes and I don't know what I can do about it that I'm not already doing. I know the adult beetles are pretty much immune to most pesticides, but how about the juveniles that haven't formed the hard shell yet? Any chance my spraying will kill them off or disrupt their breeding cycle? Is there any hope at all?

My potatoes are about 2 feet tall and flowering right now. I planted 50 lbs. of seed potatoes and let me tell you...it's been a lot of work. They were doing so good. Even now they look great, but if you walk through there are several plants that have some serious damage. I've read that this is a critical stage for potatoes and that they can only lose about 10% of their foliage and still do well because they need all their energy in forming the tubers.

I'm really discouraged right now.