Taters - disease, or bugs?

[i_am2bz]

I am growing taters for the first time, & saw something disturbing this morning...

One patch I have growing in a barrell in the backyard, & mulching with wheat straw & compost. I planted a 2nd patch in a raised bed out front, which I am just starting to "hill" with soil. (I am trying both methods to see which works best for me.)

Well, the plants in the raised beds now have teeny tiny holes in the leaves. The ones in the barrel do not (yet). I inspected for bugs but didn't see anything. :/

Anyone know what could cause this?

 

[vfem]

Sounds like flea beetles! Dust them with DE. Should help... and watch out for slugs!

 

[hoodat]

treat those in the barrel also. Flea beetles can spread a long way.

 

[digitS']

A description of the damage that I've often seen is "shot holes" as from a shot gun.

Flea beetles are not always terrible pests but they can really damage some crops, some seasons. They spend most of their time hiding under debris or stones on the soil surface.

I spray some of the cole crops during the spring months or they would darn near kill them. They can also be very hard on tomatoes. Rotenone/Pyrethrin spray - and overspray - so that the soil surface is covered, is what I use.

Steve

 

[i_am2bz]

Okay, I went out today & got some diatomaceous earth (the folks at TSC & Home Depot had NO IDEA what I was talking about; the 3rd person I asked at Lowe's actually knew what it was & found it for me )...now that I have it, how exactly do I apply it? The directions say to use a "hand duster, power duster, or squeeze bottle" (???)....:/

 

[ninnymary]

2bzy..I don't know if this will work for you. I have DE in a peanut butter jar with holes in the lid. I used an ice pick to make the holes. I squeeze the jar to sprinkle the DE in my chicken coop. I think if you just shake it instead of squeezing, it comes out in a finer form.

Just an idea.

Mary

 

[vfem]

I guess I'm lucky I have a DE bottle with a sprinkle top so I just twist and shake. My suggestion would be just to pour some in a colander or strainer (or flour sifter) and use that. But kitchen is loaded with that stuff and easy to come by.

 

[thistlebloom]

I get my DE in the 50 pound bag for cheap from a health food store who orders it in for me ( less than 20 bucks! ). In the coop I use an old flour sifter. In the garden/yard I just sprinkle it around by hand.

 

[i_am2bz]

Do they still make flour sifters...? I was thinking of maybe using an old metal sieve I have, or going to the dollar store for ideas. I assume it can just be sprinkled over the top, & doesn't need to be on the undersides of the leaves...? And maybe on the surrounded soil?

 

[AmyRey]

Okay, I went out today & got some diatomaceous earth (the folks at TSC & Home Depot had NO IDEA what I was talking about; the 3rd person I asked at Lowe's actually knew what it was & found it for me )...now that I have it, how exactly do I apply it? The directions say to use a "hand duster, power duster, or squeeze bottle" (???)....:/

The DE that I've seen at Lowe's has been for use in swimming pools. I know it's not supposed to be used with chickens. Not sure how it fares in the garden.