Experienced gardeners who are in no hurry to use chemicals use this trick.
Potatoes are eaten underground by wireworms, and leaves are gnawed by Colorado beetles.
The pest leaves larvae on them, and by mid-summer only stems may remain of the plantings.
Seasoned summer residents have revealed their secret to combating this scourge. It turns out that it is not necessary to collect the beetles manually and spray the plants with chemicals.
You can plant herbs that are destructive to the pest next to the potatoes. For example, wormwood, mustard, horseradish or mint.
They are effective, but not as effective as fragrant tobacco. Summer residents sow grass along the plot and do not encounter the Colorado potato beetle for years.
This plant is poisonous to the pest, so the plantings are under reliable protection. You will not have to constantly spray the potatoes and collect the beetles manually.
The pest is known for its indiscriminateness. The beetle especially likes representatives of the Solanaceae family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc.). Sweet tobacco is from the same family, so the striped one will eat this plant too. But nicotine will kill the pest.
