The Colorado potato beetle is every gardener's nightmare. Fortunately, no chemicals are needed to control this pest.
It turns out that the weed you pull out of your garden every day can become your secret weapon.
We are talking about tansy, a plant with bright yellow flowers and a tart aroma that beetles cannot stand at a genetic level.
Tansy contains thujone, a substance that paralyzes the nervous system of pests.
To protect potatoes, place fresh tansy stems between the bushes. Change them every 3-4 days, as the smell quickly dissipates.
To enhance the effect, prepare an infusion: pour 500 g of crushed tansy with 10 liters of boiling water, cover with a lid and leave for 24 hours.
Strain the liquid and spray the potatoes, paying attention to the underside of the leaves - this is where the beetle lays its eggs.
Carry out the treatment in the evening so that the sun does not burn the leaves. Repeat every 10 days, especially during the period of mass flight of beetles (June-July).
Tansy not only repels the Colorado potato beetle, but also suppresses fungal diseases such as late blight.
Be careful, though: tansy is toxic to pets. Do not allow dogs or cats to come into contact with the plant.
To prevent this, plant tansy around the perimeter of the potato field. This will create a natural barrier that the beetles will not dare to crawl through.
But remember: tansy aggressively reproduces by self-seeding. To prevent it from taking over your garden, cut off the flowers before the seeds ripen.
Author: Kurchev Anton