QuestionQUESTION: I will be planting a few hills of potato's for the 1st time. A friend of mine showed me some gross little flesh colored slug type of creature on her plants, a few years ago. She has since died . .so she can't help me. I am worried sick about this happening to me. I'm also, concerned about the regular potato beetle. I'd like to be as organic as I can, I hope you have solutions for me.
Thank you, for any help you can give to me.
Carole
ANSWER: First of all, do not worry yourself sick. Plants want to grow even more than you want them to....
Bacillus Thuringiensis - Bt (a naturally occurring bacterial disease of insects) will kill them in the larvae stage.
There is a product that is organic called Sluggo..for killing slugs... if is phosphorus based and not harmful to other things.... get some and make a ring around your potato hills..... re apply as needed.
For beetles, Beneficial Nematodes are available online, which you mix with water and spray on your soil.... this kills them in the larvae stage. If you see adult beetles you can use Rotonone.....but only at night because it kills bees. Wash it off in the morning. There are also beetle traps.
Wait and see if something starts to bother the leaves. They will eat at night, so go out with a flashlight and identify the pest.. http://www.goliathus.com/en/gallery.php has great photos to help you identify them...and hand pick them off....and get an organic pesticide for that pest. But remember, bees will also be killed.
You might want to just place some light floating row cover like Remay fabric over the whole hill... this would keep insects away from the plants.
http://www.avant-gardening.com/gardenpestsorganiccontrols.html Our website has some resources for organic pesticides... Avant-Gardening: Creative Organic Gardening A good place is Harmony Farm Supply https://www.harmonyfarm.com/online-store/organic-pest-control/page/2/
Good luck! And don't worry.... there is a learning curve...!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: How many "eyes" per hill do I need to plant ?
The same for corn, how many kernals do I plant in each spot ?
Thank you for the info on Sluggo, I will find it on the site you provided.
Our weather is so cold here, no one has planted anything yet, which is unusual. Tonights forecast is for one inch of snow and down to 25 degrees !! I have some started plants on my deck that will have to be moved indoors !!!
I am so happy, I found your site. Thank you ! Thank you !
Carole
Answer
typical 4 or 5 foot wi
For potatoes and corn I would plant them in rows....about 6 inches apart in all directions. Corn likes to be in sections for pollination. Potatoes can be in sections also. like four feet across so you can reach the middle from each side and never have to step on your section.
Be sure to mulch your garden.... hope you read about the importance of that on the soil building pages....!
Sluggo is available via Ace Hardware, or they might order it for you.....Don't plant anything until the weather warms up.... things will just grow faster anyway...!
