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Ronniger Blog
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Saturday, February 27, 2010
CO Potato Beetle - Row Cover
Per my conversation with a customer in NY: She grows potatoes
without a whole lot of problems using Ree-May-R spun polyester row cover available at Home Depot. It is white, lets
in the light and water and keeps the flying insects out. She digs a trench, buries the row cover, leaving slack so as the
plants grow, they can push up the row cover. She goes out in the evening for a little while to weed and hill and then immediately
covers the plants back up. The crucial thing is to keep the row cover buried in the trench so nothing can get in. With proper
care, she said that she can re-use the row cover for 3 growing seasons. She said she uses this method every year and has great
success growing potatoes without problems from the CO potato beetle! Thanks,
Denise J
The Colorado potato beetle is the most
widespread and destructive potato pest. Both adults and larvae feed on the leaves and stems, sometimes defoliating entire
plants. Hand picking is a fine control, if the problem is small and you catch it early. Pick into containers, then smash them
all at once. Beetles over-winter in the soil, especially at the edges of the garden. Rotating your potato crop is essential!
Plan a trap: as early in the spring as you can manage, set out eggplants near last year's potato patch. Beetles love eggplants,
and over-wintering bugs will find your trap directly. Pick and destroy, and plant your potatoes later, in a new location.
10:34 am mst
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Ronniger Potato Farm LLC,
12101 2135 Rd, Austin CO 81410, USA | info@ronnigers.com | (877) 204-8704
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