Ammonia from the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes: how to apply

To get rid of the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes will help such a simple remedy as ammonia. Constant pest control is a problem for people whose work is connected with the soil. An insect attack affects the quantity of the crop and its quality. Despite the large assortment of preparations for the destruction of insects, experienced summer residents continue to use ammonia and do it with great success.

Why this remedy

The agricultural market is ready to offer a lot of insecticidal preparations. They have an effective effect in the fight against insatiable beetles.However, they are dangerous not only for root crops, but also for the person himself. Because of this, gardeners prefer traditional medicine, one of which is ammonia.

Ammonia solution repels beetles, and is also an excellent top dressing for tubers. As a result, the fight against insects ends up being beneficial for plants. The effectiveness of the action lies in the strong and pungent aroma that repels pests. Due to the poor stability of ammonia, the treatment is repeated after 1.5-2 weeks.

How does ammonia from the Colorado potato beetle work on potatoes?

Ammonia solution begins its action immediately after hitting the bush. Its smell is so strong that the pests try to quickly leave the bushes. As a rule, after 5-7 days there will not be a single Colorado potato beetle on the potato. Thanks to this action, ammonia is considered one of the most popular drugs.

Application Features

You can use ammonia against insects in various ways. The solution is carefully applied under the root, which allows you to quickly get rid of the beetle. You can also make homemade traps using ammonia. To do this, take strips of cloth and soak them in the solution.

Ready-made fixtures are placed between potato beds. The pungent odor spreads throughout the land. The Colorado potato beetle smells ammonia and tries not to approach potatoes. In windy weather, the effect increases several times.

Spraying is considered no less effective. To do this, ammonia in the form of a solution is diluted in water. Laundry soap is used as an additional ingredient. Before adding to the liquid, it must be crushed with a knife or grated.

Thanks to the soap, the mixture with ammonia remains on the leaves for a long time, and continues to repel the Colorado potato beetles by smell. He cannot eat potatoes covered in ammonia solution and runs away in search of other suitable territories. Egg clutches under the leaves also die over time. This method prevents the emergence of larvae and adults.

How to prepare the solution?

The recipe depends on how you use it.

Under the bush

On a bucket of water you need to take 3-5 tbsp. l. ammonia solution. Stir the liquid thoroughly so that all components are combined. Then ammonia is applied under the root. It is necessary to pour at least 0.5 liters under one bush.

Scare Traps

For traps, fabrics are taken from any material. They are cut into even strips and moistened in an ammonia solution - 3% is enough. After the fabric has absorbed a sufficient amount of ammonia, they are distributed between the beds throughout the area. The bug smells and runs away.

Spraying plants

Ammonia is diluted in water - 500 ml of the substance is used for 10 liters. There is another option - 50 ml of ammonia per bucket of water. Just before spraying the bushes with beetles, less than half of the laundry soap is added. To make it dissolve faster and mix with the rest of the components, it is crushed.

A good alternative to spraying is watering with a wide nozzle. The atomizer works in such a way that most of the liquid escapes.

When to perform the procedure

The best time to apply ammonia against the Colorado potato beetle is morning or evening. It is desirable that on the selected days there is no wind and precipitation in the form of rain. The procedure is repeated as necessary if the pest begins to appear on the bushes again. As a rule, from 2 to 3 sprays with a solution of ammonia are carried out per month.

Precautions

Ammonia is characterized by the presence of a sharp specific smell that beetles do not like. As it turned out, ammonia also negatively affects the human body. To avoid poisoning, the solution is prepared on the street. All the time working with the drug, a person must be in a respirator.

Ammonia and Coca-Cola against the Colorado potato beetle

In addition to ammonia, there is another tool that also drives the insect from the beds with lightning speed.We are talking about the popular drink Coca-Cola. One of the ingredients is phosphoric acid - a real poison for parasites. In turn, phosphorus is an important component in the preparation of insecticides. The effect of using the ammonia solution becomes noticeable after 5-8 days.

How to prepare the solution?

There are 2 options for preparing the solution. In this matter, the degree of damage to the vegetable by the Colorado potato beetle plays an important role:

If pests have just begun to appear on the beds, they are driven away with a solution of low concentration. In this case, only water and Coca-Cola are taken in equal parts.
Medium or severe damage requires the preparation of a drink with a high concentration. There is 1 liter of water for 5 liters of sweet Cola.

The leaves are sprayed with liquid from both sides. In no case should you spray on flowers and buds.The drink can be used separately from other anti-bug ingredients. If the liquid is prepared on the basis of Coca-Cola and water, the composition should not contain other components, especially ammonia.

Feeding potatoes with ammonia

Ammonia-based solution has established itself as a good top dressing for vegetables. Contains a large amount of nitrogen. Ammonia solution promotes the formation of chlorophyll. Thanks to this, in cloudy weather, potato bushes will not suffer from a small amount of sunlight.

The need for nitrogen can be determined by the following features:

poor shoot growth;
small leaves with underdeveloped structure;
at the bottom of the bush is covered with yellowed foliage;
thin stems.

Nitrogen is a substance that is of great benefit to the culture. But in this regard, you need to be careful. If you add too much ammonia solution, the effect is the opposite. The bush becomes more lush, and the tubers are reduced in size.

Ammonia also affects their quantity - it decreases.

Other ways to deal with the Colorado potato beetle

In addition to ammonia and Coca-Cola, other no less popular traditional medicines are also used. It can be wood ash, onion peel or tar. Urea is considered no less effective. Solutions are prepared from these components or they are used in pure form.

Beetle Prevention

Recipes for repelling the Colorado potato beetle, which are based on ammonia, are time-tested.They remain relevant to this day. But this does not mean that one procedure with a solution will help solve the problem with the invasion of beetles. It is necessary to treat potatoes with ammonia periodically to deprive the Colorado potato beetles of the opportunity to feed on them.

Reviews from our readers

Mikhail: “I don’t want to use chemicals, so I took a chance to try ammonia. What was my surprise, the method really works. Always use only ammonia solution. The only drawback is repeated spraying, as the smell disappears over time, and the Colorado potato beetle returns.”

Aleksey: “Every year I am surprised at the condition of the potatoes that grow on the land of my neighbors. They don't have a single bug, not like I have a whole riot. Decided to find out their secret. Turns out it's all about the ammonia. Now I know the recipe and will try it in my garden.”