# Potato Garden Pests and Diseases: Best Must-Have Guide

- Link: https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/
- Published: 2026-10-24T02:38:50-05:00
- Author: Bert Swope

Many [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) diseases are difficult
to treat, making prevention the key. Hilling the soil around plants, crop rotation
and clearing away night-shade plant debris are among the many strategies available
for minimizing disease risks.

Fungus issues to consider in cool wet climates include black scurf (Rhizoctonia 
solani) which causes leaf lesions and stem cankers with firm tissue; and late blight,
which produces dark-brown spots on leaves and corky bumps on tubers, leading to 
dark-blotched foliage and corky bumps on tubers if left unchecked; in both instances
use antifungicides if required.

## Aphids

Aphids are an increasingly prevalent threat to [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
crops. Feeding on young leaves, they can weaken and stunt growth as well as spread
plant diseases like [Potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) 
Leafroll Virus (PLRV). Afflicted plants produce small, misshapen tubers unsuitable
for sale due to this virus as well as experiencing phloem net necrosis– a brown 
discoloration inside of tuber that reduces quality – further diminishing quality
and quality levels overall. Although PLRV can also spread by Green Peach Aphids 
as well, [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) aphids tend
to be more harmful.

[Potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) aphids can be either
winged or wingless and spread more than 40 plant viruses. They tend to congregate
on the lower third of [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
leaves when sampling; be mindful to observe whether wingless or winged aphids appear;
this will indicate their status and population size; because these insects feed 
off various sources, regular monitoring is vitally important.

Utilize multiple approaches to prevent and control aphids. Spraying insecticides
can be effective; however, this approach could disrupt natural enemies like lady
beetles and lacewing larvae, so when possible it would be prudent to use alternative
products such as horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps, and neem seed extracts 
instead of spraying insecticides directly.

Crop rotation and bed coverage are essential in managing aphid populations. Checking
and replacing straw as necessary ensures a comfortable, well-covered bed that protects
from disease caused by rot and prevents [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/)
from sprouting prematurely. It is also wise to establish and implement an effective
weed management program as these may compete with aphids for water and nutrients.

## Leaf Roll

[Potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV)
infection produces stunted, erect foliage with stiff leathery texture that often
rolls upward at its edges. PLRV affects [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
plants as well as nightshade family plants like pepper, tobacco, tomato and eggplant
and leads to necrotic netting on tuber vascular tissue of tubers.

PLRV infection can be difficult to prevent or control; however, effective ways of
reducing its incidence include early planting with certified seed [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/),
garden sanitation and the removal of volunteer tubers before planting can reduce
its occurrence significantly. Aphids serve as the main vectors for PLRV transmission–
green peach aphids typically pick up and carry it throughout their lives, becoming
infected at long distances exceeding 100 feet.

Aphicides such as pyrethrins and methyl ethyl parathion are an excellent way to 
manage aphids effectively, particularly during the spring when their numbers increase
dramatically. When applying insecticides with this wide spread pattern sprayer ensure
that all plant parts are covered, including interior foliage as well as ground surfaces.

Sulfur can be added to topsoil to slightly acidify it, which will help lessen the
severity of many diseases like Fusarium and Verticillium wilt. Weed control should
also be kept to a minimum while [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
plants are growing, since competing weeds compete for water and nutrients that could
otherwise go towards harvesting [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/).
Regular hoeing or raking with hoe or rake rather than cultivation with tiller will
prevent tubers or roots being pulled up accidentally and polluting soil contamination.

## Verticillium Wilt

Verticillium Wilt can cause significant crop losses in [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
and other nightshade family plants (tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos and eggplant).
Its symptoms include the leaves wilting or fading away along with discolored vascular
tissue; verticillium wilt fungus may restrict water flow into plants which stunt
their growth reducing yield significantly. Verticillium Wilt symptoms can be difficult
to spot; if foliage shows brown discoloration with rapid wilting it could indicate
presence of verticillium Wilt.

Fumigation with metam sodium can be effective at eliminating soilborne inoculum 
of V. dahliae and should be done prior to planting higher value crops such as [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/).
Fields can be treated with herbicide or fungicide sprayings or rotated with other
crops in order to decrease inoculum build-up in soil, while decreasing frequency
of [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) planting can reduce
disease severity while rotation with non-host crops reduces both nutrient depletion
and disease pressure in soil.

Hilling your [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/) –
piling soil around each plant to keep its tubers submerged during growth – is one
way to help combat verticillium wilt in your crop. Simply pile several inches of
dirt or mulch at the base of each plant until all but the top few rows of leaves
have been covered by soil, then check on them periodically during their season for
signs that the tubers remain buried under soil.

Watering too frequently after harvest could result in rot. Instead, try watering
deeply once every week to maintain even moisture levels in the plant’s root zone
and keep its leaves uniformly moist.

## Beetles

Colorado [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) beetles (Leptinotarsa
decemlineata) not only feed upon [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/)
but can also wreak havoc with other members of the nightshade family, such as tomatoes
and eggplants. Adult beetles emerge each spring to lay eggs on leaves before larvae
feed beneath the leaf surfaces and rapidly increase in size before pupating 10 days
later – an individual female beetle may lay 500+ eggs during just one growing season!
Two generations may occur within one growing season.

[Potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122) beetle infestation can
be difficult to prevent without chemical pesticides, so commercial growers have 
developed various strategies for mitigating it, including planting non-host plants
in the area as trap crops; this practice has been shown to increase tomato yields
by 61-68%! Alternatively, planting a cover crop of corn may disorient or confuse
beetles and prevent an infestation occurring immediately.

Mulching with 2 to 3 inches of clean straw or hay mulch is an effective method for
protecting [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/) against
beetles, while deterring and repelling other common garden pests such as beetles.
Additionally, this barrier acts to deter and repel many other garden pests as well.

One natural way of dealing with beetles is introducing beneficial insects into the
garden. Ladybugs, spined soldier bugs and lacewings all feed off of egg masses and
larvae left by beetles in your soil; adding nematodes that attack immature beetles
could also prove effective.

If these tactics fail to control Colorado [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
beetles effectively, spraying with pyrethroid insecticide is another option. Select
products with high selectivity for Colorado [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
beetles while not being harmful to mammals such as cyfluthrin, permethrin or esfenvalerate
are suitable; should the beetles develop resistance, organic insecticides such as
Btt (Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis) may provide some control – please keep 
in mind that managing pests successfully will require multiple steps and frequent
applications over time.

## Cutworms

Cutworms, moth larvae of various moth species that feed along the ground by cutting
off seedlings and stems before burrowing down into roots, tubers and fruit to feed,
are an ongoing threat to most vegetable crops, particularly [potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/a-brief-history-of-potatoes/).
When present they have the power of wiping out up to 75% of your crop!

Protecting and controlling cutworms will help ensure a healthy harvest. Their larvae
overwinter as eggs in the soil or garden debris and once temperatures warm up in
spring they hatch and begin feeding at night while remaining hidden during the daytime
hours. After several molts they eventually pupate in the soil when fully grown –
producing one to five generations of moths every year.

Protect delicate transplants from cutworms by placing collars made of tin cans or
cardboard (cutting slits in toilet paper rolls and extending them two inches out
of the soil will also work), into the soil around their bases; this provides protection
from caterpillars reaching stems; another effective strategy is inserting sticks
or coffee stirrers into the ground around each plant so cutworms cannot wrap themselves
around these objects.

Hilling — regularly layering layers of soil or mulch around [potato](https://wordpress.com/page/lifeandwork.blog/34122)
plants during growth — helps prevent cutworm damage to tubers by keeping them underground
throughout their growing season. To make sure this happens without damaging their
flavor and making them unsuitable for consumption by sunlight-sensitive organisms
like cutworms. It’s essential that tubers remain covered and not exposed to direct
sunlight, which could turn them green and inedible.

Biological controls such as parasitic wasps and tachnid flies can help combat cutworm
infestation, while deep tillage in late summer or early fall also helps decrease
the amount of eggs laid by cutworms on soil surfaces.

Identifying and Treating Potatoes Diseases, Pests and Deficiencies

[The Potato Patch: A Home Gardeners Guide to Growing Potatoes](https://lifeandwork.blog/wp-content/uploads/Potato-Patch_-A-Home-Gardeners-Guide-to-Growing-Potatoes-The-Albert-Swope.pdf)
[Download](https://lifeandwork.blog/wp-content/uploads/Potato-Patch_-A-Home-Gardeners-Guide-to-Growing-Potatoes-The-Albert-Swope.pdf)

### Share this:

 * [  Print ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/#print?share=print)
 * [More](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/#)

 * [[
 * [Share on Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/share)
 * [  Email ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Potato%20Garden%20Pests%20and%20Diseases%3A%20Best%20Must-Have%20Guide&body=https%3A%2F%2Flifeandwork.blog%2Fmanaging-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden%2F&share=email)
 * [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
 * [  Telegram ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=telegram)
 * [  WhatsApp ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=jetpack-whatsapp)
 * [  Reddit ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=reddit)
 * [  Threads ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=threads)
 * [  Mastodon ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=mastodon)
 * [  Nextdoor ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=nextdoor)
 * [Post](https://x.com/share)
 * [  Bluesky ](https://lifeandwork.blog/managing-pests-and-diseases-in-your-potato-garden/?share=bluesky)

### _Related_