Potato bug has become a common issue for every second person in the US. It has been noticed that the people of California have shared a lot of stuff regarding potato bugs. It will be your big mistake if you think you can ignore potato bugs as other bugs.
Potato bugs are tiny creatures that eat plants’ leaves and fruit. Most people also declare that potato bugs can spoil your whole crop if not treated promptly.
If you’re new to the crops and planting field and seeing the potato bugs for the first time, you might not know “how to get rid of potato bugs in California.” Don’t worry.
This write-up is here for your salvation. You have to spare a few moments to explore the best ways to fix the dilemma of potato bugs. Here we head.
Fairest Methods To Get Rid Of Potato Bugs In California
Are you worried about potato bugs in California? Cheer up. Numerous people have shared their beneficial ideas for the assistance of newbies in getting rid of potato bugs. So, without expending any second, let’s bounce in and examine the best strategies to get rid of potato bugs.
Use Of Diatomaceous Earth
The first way to remove potato bugs from your garden is diatomaceous earth. You might not know about Diatomaceous Earth; let me make it clear to you. DE comes in powder form, specifically silica powder, manufactured by fossilized algae pellets.
Most people recommend DE because it doesn’t affect the human body or pets, so it is safe to use. You might confuse yourself as if it doesn’t affect humans; how can Diatomaceous Earth affect potato bugs?
So, you should know that DE is mainly produced for killing potato bugs. Therefore, DE is highly effective for potato bugs. The silica powder will stick to the potato bug and make the outer coat of the bug dead.
How To Use?
As DE comes in powder form, so you have to sprinkle the powder on the whole area where you think potato bugs are present or can attack. If you suspect rain after pouring the DE, you should reapply the DE because it comes in powder form, so it doesn’t spread like a chemical on plants.
Use Of Neem Oil
The second helpful method that has tremendous results in removing potato bugs from your garden is neem oil. Neem Oil is safe for humans and pets as it is manufactured with natural ingredients, specifically Neem.
The credit for Neem oil is given to Pakistan and India as it is generated through the neem that has been driven from the neem trees of Pakistan and India. You might be thinking about how neem oil can work in killing potato bugs.
Let me tell you. Azadirachtin’s chemical plays a significant role in killing potato bugs by demolishing the outer layer of bugs.
How To Use?
Before applying to the plant, you should learn how to make insecticide through neem oil. You must bring 1 Gallon of water and combine four tablespoons of neem oil. Mix the combo well and transfer it to a spray bottle.
You can use the Neem oil in two ways either spraying it directly on the potato bugs or pouring it on the whole plant to kill the hidden bugs as well. If you don’t want to make insecticide on your own, you can purchase a ready-made neem oil insecticide from any retail store.
Hand-picking The Bugs
Another method a victim of potato bugs has introduced is handpicking potato bugs. Hand-picking potato bugs is a physical strategy to get relief from potato bugs. In Hand-picking potato bugs, you must inspect the plant accurately and pluck the potato bug that crosses your eye.
You can alleviate all the potato bugs with this plucking method if you have a small number of plants in your garden. This method seems easy, but there are a few drawbacks that you should avoid.
- You can not yield this method of direct plucking if you have a vast crop field.
- You’ll get tired of plucking the potato bugs from plants if they are in more ratio.
- You might get allergies to touching the bugs with your hands.
If you haven’t faced any of the enlisted problems, you can avail of this method and remove bugs from your lawn by Hand-picking strategy.
Use Of Natural Pest Controls
You might not know, but the use of natural pest control acts tremendously in dealing with the potato bugs in your garden. Initially, let me tell you the natural pest controls or the predators that can assist you in removing potato bugs. So, the natural pest controls are.
- Chicken
- Turtles
- Birds
- Toads
And many more predators who can eat the potato bugs without spoiling your potato crop field. Hence, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and bring the predators to your home to get rid of potato bugs.
How To Eliminate Potato Bugs Permanently From Your Garden?
You might not notice but removing the potato bugs permanently from your garden is more beneficial instead of killing them again and again. Various people think about how they can stop potato bugs from entering the field.
They guess it’s an impossible task to get rid of potato bugs permanently. Here’s some good news for you. There are a few ways that can help you in removing potato bugs from your lawn for a long time.
Let’s move along and explore the best methods of revoking potato bugs.
Keep Your Lawn Litter-Free
You should know that potato bugs live in frigid, damp, and isolated places. The best way to get rid of potato bugs is to remove all the tracks from which potato bugs can enter your garden. You can remove potato bugs permanently from your garden by pursuing the bestowed tenures.
- Remove all the useless rocks and bricks from your garden.
- Clean your garden daily so that no dead leaves can be found on the floor where potato bugs can grow.
- Eradicate the dead grass to demolish all the trails of potato bugs.
- Do not store the plant residues at a particular spot in your garden. Discard the waste from the lawn routinely for better results.
By adopting these ways, you can seize the path of potato bugs. If no potato bug enters your garden, it’ll no longer grow in your field.
Remove Small Infestations Through Traps
Another way can assist you in getting rid of potato bugs at small-scale traps. Traps are always known to be the best tactics to get rid of insects in crop fields. If you’re new in the cropping area, you might be unaware of the methods to trap potato bugs.
Here’s a simple and easy-to-do process to get rid of bugs.
- Take a considerable-sized board and apply a decent layer of petroleum jelly.
- Place the boards on the significant places where you’ve seen the potato bugs or are suspicious about the potato bugs’ presence.
- The bugs will move to the board and stick to the petroleum jelly.
When you see that all the bugs are stuck to the board, discard the board or remove the potato bugs away from your garden. This way, the potato bugs can be removed, but you can’t use this method on a large scale.
If you have a huge lawn, you should follow the first method to get rid of potato bugs and then yield the second method if you see any bugs coming into your field.
Preventive Measures
Adopting preventive measures is the best way to eliminate all potato bugs. You might have heard a famous saying that “prevention is better than cure.” When you prevent the bugs from entering your field, you don’t have to worry about removing or killing the potato bugs from your garden.
Here are the crucial steps known as the preventive measure against potato bugs.
- Make a routine to inspect your garden daily.
- If you know that the potato bugs are in a vast range at your place, it would be best to plant resistant cultivars.
- Protect your plant through thin netting. When you know that the potato bugs will appear in a significant season, you should cover the plants with a fragile net.
- Crop rotation is known to be the best measure you have ever tried. If you’re thinking of planting a potato crop next year, try to produce a light-shade crop that will resist the attack of potato bugs.
By interpreting these facets, you can prevent potato bugs from penetrating your garden. You can also remove potato bugs from your area by working on the given steps to eliminate potato bugs.
Final Verdict
Hopefully, you’ve understood all the tips and tricks to deal with potato bugs. Now, you don’t have to bother yourself by thinking day & night about your crop and the attack of potato bugs.
You can also remove the potato bugs from your garden by following all the given methods of getting rid of potato bugs.