Folk method of fighting the Colorado potato beetle: what is wormwood for?
Bitter wormwood is one of the folk remedies for combating the Colorado potato beetle, a pest of potatoes and other nightshade plants.
The Colorado potato beetle is a species of insect from the leaf beetle family that was brought to Europe from North America in the early 20th century.
Bitter wormwood contains essential oils and bitters that repel the Colorado potato beetle with their smell and taste. There are several ways to use wormwood to protect potatoes from the beetle.
Plant wormwood near potato beds or between rows. This will create a fragrant barrier to the beetle and improve the soil.
Collect fresh or dried leaves and flowers of wormwood and sprinkle them on potato bushes. This will help repel beetles and larvae.
Prepare an infusion or decoction of wormwood and spray it on potatoes.
To do this, pour 1 kg of fresh or 200 g of dry wormwood with 10 liters of water and leave for 2-3 days or boil for 15-20 minutes. Then strain and add 40 g of soap to better wet the leaves.
Bitter wormwood is an effective and safe means of combating the Colorado potato beetle, which does not harm plants and the environment.
However, it cannot completely destroy the beetle, so it must be combined with other methods of protection, such as manual collection, baits, biological preparations, etc.
