There’s nothing like home-grown potatoes from your own garden. Growing them isn’t complicated, but unfortunately they are susceptible to diseases and pests, such as potato blight, tuber dry rot, powdery mildew and Colorado potato beetle. In addition, you also need to watch out for wireworms. These are the larvae of beetles from the click beetle family. They grow up to 3 cm long, are yellow or orange and feed in the soil.
What do wireworms look like? Their name is not accidental
Wireworms dig tunnels and holes in roots, then contaminate them with their excrement. They attack trees, shrubs and flowers. Their main target is potatoes, but they also parasitize:
- Beetroots,
- Carrots,
- Parsley,
- Onions,
- Time,
- Lettuce,
- Corn,
- Strawberries,
- Tomatoes.
They spread very quickly and are difficult to expel from the garden. Their shape resembles copper wire, hence their name. The pests are most visible in June and July. Hot, dry summer and long, warm autumn are ideal times for their development. They search for food rich in water.
What do wireworms look like? Lyubov Demus/iStock
Home remedies for wireworms. A herbal decoction will help you
Pests gather in meadows, pastures, perennial grass plantations and weedy places. They like fertile sites, rich in humus with a pH close to neutral. They cause plants to turn yellow and dry out, and infected ones are not suitable for consumption or making preserves from them. If you want to get rid of wireworms, do it in the morning, when they are still sluggish after the overnight drop in temperature. Tansy slurry works best.
- Cut 1 kg of tansy leaves and put them in a plastic bucket,
- Pour 10 liters of water over the leaves and place in a shaded place,
- Leave to ferment. This may take 2 to 4 weeks.
Once a day, stir the mixture. When it stops foaming and becomes clear, it is ready to use. Dilute one part manure with 20 parts water and water the potatoes. The pests will quickly leave your garden.
Source: Gazeta
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