Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello all
I am in the French Pyrenees and for the second year running have an attack of the dreaded Colorado beetle (dorifore as they are known here).
II have sprayed and they seem to be dying but have already laid eggs. I had this problem last year but didn't realise until it was too late and had hundreds of the buggers and had to pick them off by hand each evening.

Any thoughts or ideas of a) how to get rid of them and b) how to keep them away permanently.

It seems to be a common problem here in this area.

Sorry I can't help, guinness. It might be a case of picking off again. I often have to do it with cabbage white butterfly eggs - in spite of netting the perishers get inside! Good luck in finding a solution.

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vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated Aug 29th 2008

I have had the same problem for the past couple of years. I usually pick them off and then go around and squish the eggs. Not a nice thing to do but if it's a choice between harvesting potatoes or not then I'm afraid they loose.

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A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot! (Thomas Edward Brown)

Hey there

I planted my potatoes late this yr, the weather was so wet I just hold out longer than normal...............


I have had no problems what so ever with Dorifore at all. I did find 1 the other day.
This has made me rethink my French planting scheme. I may well plant late again next year.

However I have had some serious Blight issues, I was just to slow to get spraying the Bordeaux mix, toms n pots effected. The Toms, I cut off lots of infected growth and layed my plants. They are still fruiting and sent up some nice fresh side shoots that are now flowering and setting fruits.

heythere
thanks for the reply.
I had to spray a few times in the end thouigh i dont like doing that
i patrol each evening and find them and pick off by hand too - the buggers just keep on multiplying!!!! Almost over now though a most of the potatoe plants are ready so will chop maybe tomorrow

Just found this 1 while searching the net.
It is the 1st I have found mentioning Colorado beetles

You may want to give it a go next season.

All of my potatoes have already been dug this week.


Horseradish Repellent:


This spray is effective on aphids, blister beetles, caterpillars, Colorado beetles, whiteflies and soft-bodied insects.

3 quarts boiling water
2 cups cayenne peppers
1 inch piece horseradish root, chopped
2 cups packed scented geranium leaves, any type, optional

Combine ingredients and let set for 1 hour, cool, strain, and spray.

Note: this can be made without the scented geranium leaves if you don't have them to spare.

As a quick side note I have some French friends that grow Linseed alongside there potatoes.

They claim this helps keep the Beetles away.