potato plants not doing well

Jun 14, 2024 11:16:21

Hi Everyone

I am concerned about these potato plants. They are pale, are getting eaten by bugs, and some have yellowing/drying/curling leaves. Are these signs of different issues? If so, which issues? Is the photo of the beetle the most likely bug making doilies out of the leaves and eating the flowers?

What suggestions do people have to bring these plants into better health?

Thank you!

Jun 14, 2024 11:45:18

colorado potato beetle. bad pest. can wipe out potatoes , eggplant and other crops in very short time
but there is an organic solution called Novodor. but it works best on immature beetles.
pick them off by hand and sticky boards are a couple other ways to get the bettle population down

Jun 14, 2024 12:06:45

Pretty sure the big beetle is Colorado potato beetle (CPB). The beetle chews badly enough, but if the eggs they lay hatch, you will have scads of little CPB larvae that can really defoliate when numbers are high. The other small 'shot-holes' in the leaves are typical of flea beetle damage and for the time of year, could well be the culprit.

Don't know if spinosad and pyrethrins are considered 'toxic gick', but if not (both are approved in the U.S. for 'organic' agriculture) they would provide good control of both bugs.....there may be a Bt product out there as well for CPB. CPB also can be removed by picking them off of plants and squishing the eggs on the underside of the leaves. Yellowing of leaves might be related to the insect damage, but is more likely caused by fungal pathogens that gained easy access through insect chewing wounds.

Others may weigh in with additional ideas but this nay give you a start!..... See https://vegento.russell.wisc.edu/pests/colorado-potato-beetle/ and good luck!

Jun 18, 2024 05:42:59

John Weiland, thank you so much for that article! I like that it provides different management options and gives the rationale. Thank you for addressing the yellowing of the leaves too.

We looked underground, and many of the plants have healthy, good-sized potatoes, so luckily the infestation did not have a significant impact on that

Jun 18, 2024 09:07:16

A really good way to get rid of potato bugs is to flick them, one by one, into a coffee can. I even get the occasional potato bugs eating my pole bean plants. You could try spraying with neem oil, though I've only used neem oil on my orchard so far. I can't say how it would do, but it is not a chemical, so that is why I like it.

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