Natural Ways to Kill Potato Pests

Hot Pepper Wax Products

• Use hot pepper wax products to kill pests on potatoes and other crops. This product contains only natural ingredients, such as kelp, hot pepper extract, onions, garlic and other herbs that pests find offensive. The hot pepper from Cayenne pepper is the main ingredient that disrupts an insect's nervous system without harming plants, animals or humans. These products can also kill beneficial insects such as ladybugs, so use it sparingly.

Neem Oil Products

• Neem oil products contain oil that comes from the Neem tree plant. This oil doesn't harm humans or animals, but it does kill invading pests quickly. Only buy 100 percent Neem oil designed to kill pests. There are other Neem products used for hair and skin care, but these products won't work for pest control because of the formulation and added ingredients.

Ladybugs

• Ladybugs protect plants because they kill aphids and other bugs that feed on potato crops. You can buy hundreds of ladybugs to devour insects and protect plants. Ladybugs continue eating other bugs rather than harming plants, but they might not stay around long. The Tasteful Gardening website recommends spraying your crops with a sugar and water solution before releasing ladybugs, so they will want to stick around your potato crops for longer periods of time.

Liquid Copper Products

• Liquid copper products also have the ability to protect your potato plants and stop pests in their tracks. The products contain copper salts in a specialized formulation. The excess copper doesn't harm humans or animals and it also washes off potatoes well. Copper is found naturally in the soil, so many vegetables already contain some copper that you ingest after eating.