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The Colorado potato beetle damages potato and other nightshade crops. The insect eats shoots, leaves, inflorescences and roots. As a result, plants cannot develop normally and their yield decreases.
Fragrant tobacco from the Colorado potato beetle is one of the popular methods of combating this pest. Planting this plant allows you to get rid of a large number of insects. Tobacco leaves and stems attract pesthowever, are fatal to him.
Description of the Colorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most dangerous pests in garden plots. The insect spread throughout the USSR in the fifties of the twentieth century.
The insect looks like a beetle up to 12 mm long, rounded with black and yellow wings. There is a dark spot on the head.
The insect spends winter in the ground at a depth of about 20 cm. On sandy soils, the insect can go 30 cm deep, which allows it to survive the winter frosts. About 60% of pests tolerate cold in winter.
In the spring, these insects crawl out to the surface, where the female begins to lay eggs. Up to 800 larvae can appear per season. Under favorable conditions, they appear within 30 days.
The larva goes through several stages of development, after which it goes into the ground. A pupa is formed there, from which an adult emerges.
Harm from the Colorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle prefers nightshade crops (eggplants, peppers, tomatoes), however, it is most often found on potatoes. The appearance of the larvae occurs during the flowering period of the potato, when the plant is most vulnerable.
The Colorado potato beetle eats the ground parts of the potato, its shoots, stems and tubers. In search of a food source, insects fly over a distance of several tens of kilometers.
Initially, the pest is not easy to spot, as it lives on the lower leaves of the potato. Over time, the insect gets to the top of the bushes.
The pest prefers young leaves. The larva eats up to 100 mg of tops per day. As a result of his activity, only the coarse parts of the leaves remain.
Fragrant tobacco properties and cultivation
Fragrant tobacco is a herbaceous plant up to 0.9 m high, with large leaves and small flowers. This variety has a strong aroma that intensifies in the evening.
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Stems and leaves of scented tobacco attract insects, however, poisonous substances will be contained in them. As a result, the pests die.
Fragrant tobacco grows on any kind of soil. The exception is too poor soils, which require fertilization in the form of compost or humus.
When planting this plant, no additional fertilizing is applied, standard fertilizers for potatoes (wood ash, superphosphate, potassium sulfate) are sufficient.
Fragrant tobacco grows in full sun, however, tolerates partial shade well. Plants need to be watered periodically.
Getting seedlings
Fragrant tobacco is grown by the seedling method. Seeds are planted two months before planting potatoes. By this time, the plant will have reached a height of 20 cm.
You can start planting in early April. This will require small containers and light soil. The seeds are placed shallowly into the ground, then the containers are covered with film or glass. Germination is carried out at a temperature of 20 ° C.
When shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to 16 C. Seedlings of scented tobacco require moderate watering. Before transferring plants to open ground, leave them in the fresh air for two weeks.
Disembarkation at the site
Fragrant tobacco will attract Colorado beetles from neighboring areas. But the larvae of the pest prefer other food. Therefore, to get rid of them, you will have to use other methods. When planting scented tobacco for the next year, you can finally get rid of the Colorado potato beetle.
In the first year, scented tobacco against the Colorado potato beetle is planted around the perimeter of the potato plantation. Up to 1 m is left between the plants.Tobacco is planted between the rows with potatoes in 10 m increments.
Plants can also be planted in mid-summer. In this case, the Colorado potato beetle will have time to lay eggs before its death, so the fight against the pest is postponed to the next year. If the number of pests is large, then the planting of scented tobacco is carried out in several stages.
Advantages and disadvantages
Fighting the Colorado potato beetle by planting scented tobacco has undeniable advantages:
- high efficiency;
- small costs;
- low labor intensity (it is enough to plant plants to get rid of insects);
- unpretentiousness of scented tobacco;
- there is no addiction of beetles to plants;
- there is no need to use chemical methods of pest control;
- plants are harmless to humans, animals, bees and other beneficial insects.
When using the method, you should remember about its disadvantages:
- tobacco attracts a large number of beetles from all areas;
- for the final disposal of pests, it is recommended to repeat planting within three years;
- scented tobacco is effective only against adults.
Other plants from the pest
Planting other plants that repel pests helps protect potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle:
- Calendula... Annual, which is distinguished by yellow and orange flowers in the form of baskets. Calendula is planted between rows of potatoes to protect the planting from pests and fungal diseases.
- Mattiola... A plant with fragrant cluster-like inflorescences that has a straight stem and dark leaves. Matthiola is undemanding to soil and adapts to different climatic conditions.
- Marigold... These undersized plants with double inflorescences protect plantings from pests and have the ability to disinfect the soil. One row with potatoes requires 3 marigold bushes. They do not require maintenance and grow on any type of soil. Planting marigolds in open ground is allowed.
- Tansy... A common perennial that is considered weed... Ornamental tansy varieties contain essential oils that are toxic to pests. The pungent smell scares off the Colorado potato beetle, weevil, and onion fly.
- Coriander... Herbaceous plant with a branched stem and small flowers, collected in an umbrella. Coriander is demanding on moisture and prefers soils fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Nasturtium... An annual plant with rounded leaves and large yellow or orange flowers. Nasturtium prefers a moderate intake of moisture and nutrients, it is enough to add moisture on the driest days.
Conclusion
The Colorado potato beetle damages potato plantations, however, it can also appear on eggplants, tomatoes and peppers. The insect destroys the tops and stems of potatoes and other crops. One of the methods of pest control is the planting of scented tobacco. This plant is unpretentious in care and can grow on any type of soil.
For the final disposal of the Colorado potato beetle, it is required to plant scented tobacco annually.First, seedlings are obtained at home, which are then transferred to open ground. For best results, scented tobacco is planted around the perimeter of the potato plantation and between rows of bushes.
