By David Grist, Gardener’s Supply Company
Photographs courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company
In the garden, it helps to know your foes. Last week, we spotted some strange “bugs” on our tomato plants. Turns out that they’re larvae of the Colorado potato beetle.
Larvae of the Colorado potato beetle.
Because our potato crop is nearby, we wanted to take care of the problem right away. We put on gloves and scraped the larvae into a bucket of soapy water. Problem solved.
If you’re growing potato-family crops, watch for these pests, which can be found on potatoes, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos.
Adult Colorado potato beetle.
Colorado potato beetle eggs on the underside of a leaf.
Look for the larvae and adult beetles, but also check under the leaves for tiny yellow-orange eggs, which you can crush. If you get the eggs, there’ll be no larvae, no beetles. The adult beetles are about 1/4 inch long, with yellow-orange bodies that have black stripes on the wings and black spots just behind the head. Control them by hand-picking, tossing them into a jar of soapy water.
A new year brings an opportunity to change things up. And annuals can be the throw pillows of our garden. Our friend Delilah has identified five new annuals to look for at your favorite plant retailer. click here. for an interesting article.
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