On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 11:37:15 -0400, Stubby
wrote:

jshofstra wrote:
I have a garden in an area with many other gardens. Some of the other
folks plant potatoes. In past years my tomato plans have been ravaged
by potato beetles. Are there any ways to prevent them from attacking my
plants in the first place? Organic solutions would be great.

Even though they had an organic approach to gardening, the original PBS
"Victory Garden" crew sadly admitted that some sort of powder must be
used to control the Colorado Potato Beetle.

Not so. I have controlled CPB with the same method for years. It is
a PITA but it works.

Become a CPB predator. At least every other day, (every day is
better) go through your potatoes and hand squish any adults or larvae
that you find. Look under each leaf for the orange eggs and squish
them also.

It gets a bit easier after a few days as there will be no adults or
larvae - you squished them and the eggs that will be them. Now all
you have to do is keep getting those eggs and the number of them is
greatly reduced because you squished the adults.

Where do the eggs come from with no adults around? I ezpect that new
adults fly in from the neighbor's yard, lay their eggs and screw
before the great squisher comes.

John