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Post by ogeezer on Apr 22, 2007 8:53:20 GMT -6
Don't like using harsh, toxic chemicals in your veggie garden, then here's a insect repellant you can make using only seasonings from your spice and laundry cupboards.
Protect your garden plants from cabbageworms, caterpillars, hornworms, aphids, flea beetles and other chewing/sucking insects by routinely using a natural spray that you can make at home. The spray must be applied regularly in atomizer or garden sprayer, especially after a rainfall. Brew up a batch as follows:
6 cloves of garlic 1 Tbsp dried hot pepper 1 minced onion tsp pure soap (not detergent) 1 gallon hot water
Blend & let sit for 1 - 2 days. Strain & use as spray. Ground cayenne or red hot pepper can also be sprinkled on the leaves of plants (apply when leaves are slightly damp) to repel chewing insects or added to the planting hole with bone meal or fertilizer to keep squirrels, dogs and other mammals away from your gardens. Be sure to reapply after rain.
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Post by ~WineMe~DineMe~69 on Apr 22, 2007 16:53:06 GMT -6
i always use seven dust, seems to work pretty good also
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Post by ogeezer on Apr 23, 2007 6:57:41 GMT -6
Seven Dust is good stuff but some organic gardeners won't use it -> reason for this thread. Here's a couple of other pest control methods: - To deter cucumber beetles, try planting a few radish seeds in each hill of cukes. Let it grow alongside the cucumbers all season. The strong smell or taste of the radish seems to keep the beetles away.
- Control powdery mildew and fungi on garden crops by combining one cup of milk with nine cups of water and spray onto affected plants twice a week. Researchers believe the milk has a direct germicidal effect as well as indirectly stimulating the plants to become more resistant.
Let us know how this methods work for you.
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Post by ~WineMe~DineMe~69 on Apr 24, 2007 20:17:19 GMT -6
milk and water, who woulda thunk it?
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Post by humbug on Apr 24, 2007 21:25:33 GMT -6
When I have used seven dust the bugs just laugh at me. I have heard of the milk and water thing just haven't tried it.
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Post by ogeezer on Apr 25, 2007 6:40:13 GMT -6
You mite want to review the threads posted in this Forum on Companion Gardening I + II for garden pest deterents. Otherwise, here's some other garden pest control methods: - To prevent cutworm attacks, place a newspaper or cardboard collar around the stems of tender transplants at the soil surface.
- Crop rotation and good garden sanitation is essential to repelling squash bugs and cucumber beetles.
- Heavy mulching can help prevent potato and cucumber beetle larvae from finding the plants.
- Mix one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid per ½ gallon of water and spray insect pests directly to kill. It is best to spray plants on cloudy days or in the early evening when they are not in direct sunlight. It’s a good idea to rinse the soap residue off after a couple of hours to reduce leaf damage to sensitive plants.
- You can prepare garlic and hot pepper sprays to prevent insect pests from munching on plants. Mix several garlic cloves with water and steep overnight. Strain and spray on plants every few days or after rainfall. You can do the same using hot peppers in place of or in addition to the garlic. These bad tasting sprays can also deter small mammals.
- Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects beans, cucumbers, melons, peas, pumpkins, squash and strawberries as well as many fruit trees and roses. Black spot is a fungal disease that produces black spots on the leaves of infected roses. In severe cases, the plant can be defoliated. To remedy these problems, mix 3 Tbs Baking Soda, 2½ Tbs horticultural oil and one gallon of water. Spray the mix onto infected plants. Reapply as often as needed.
- Drill holes in the centers of small bars of soap (such as those found in hotels), hang four to five in each tree on "S" hooks of wire to repel deer.
- A galvanized nail spike (20d are larger penny nail) beside a tomato plant repels cutworms.
- Place cornmeal around tomato plants for cutworm control.
- For grass and weeds growing between stones or bricks on walks or terraces, sprinkle 20 Mule Team borax powder and sweep into cracks (one application every other year).
- Use wood ash for slug control.
- Use stale beer or yeast dissolved in water in pit fall traps (cups sunk into the ground so rim is a or slightly above ground level) to attract and drown snails and slugs.
- Spray aphids with garlic.
- Spray Ivory soapy water for plant scale, aphid and spider mite control.
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itchy
Founding Member
I 'B' Itchy!!! Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,128
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Post by itchy on May 8, 2007 12:02:48 GMT -6
actually just dish soap and water will do the trick... save the milk for the mator plants... they need the calcium
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