Organic Sprays
Methods of good Organic Garden & Plant management
(see our complete Organic Gardening Subjects)
will usually keep pests & their damage to a minimum. However, if pest levels build up (for many
reasons) & detrimental damage is occurring, Organic Sprays, made of natural
ingredients can be used.
Organic Sprays that you may find useful:
Garlic Spray 1
- Soak 3oz
of chopped Garlic bulbs in 2 tspn of Mineral Oil for 24 hours. Afterwards,
add 1 pint of water in which 1/4oz of soft Soap has been dissolved.
Stir well & strain into a non-metallic container & store. To use,
dilute 1 part of this mixture to 20 parts of water.
Garlic Spray 2 - Boil
about 10 cloves of Garlic, 4-5 hot Chilies & 2-3 Onions for approx 10
minutes. Let the mixture stand overnight, then add a bit of liquid soap or
milk to help the spray cling to the plant leaves. Store in a glass bottle
& use as you need it. Dilute 1 small cup of Garlic mix to 2 gallons of
water. (Leaf Curl can be eradicated by spraying infected trees
every day for 1 week with a mix made from 6 crushed Garlic bulbs soaked in 5
gallons of water)
Nettle Spray -
(Used
for Aphis) To make a fermented extract which is a liquid
Herb mixture, cut up 2lb of Nettle & leave in 2 pints of water for 24
hours. Sieve well. This liquid is an Aphid repellent. Apply very
generously. Another application 5 days later will get rid of any
persistent attackers.
Horse Radish Spray - Use young Horse Radish leaves at the beginning
of the Brown Rot attack. Pour boiling water over the leaves & leave to
infuse for 15 minutes. Dilute 4 times as much water, spray over affected
plants.
Chives Tea -
(Black Spot on Apples) Most
attacks of Black Spot are mild & should not cause panic - don't worry about
some in the orchard during wet weather. The first month of Orchard growth
is very important in controlling Black Spot. Cleanliness in the Orchard
right up to fruit picking time is very important also. Chive Tea has been
successfully used to combat Black Spot, so give it a go! Pour boiling water over
dried Chives, infuse (leave to sit) for 15 minutes, then dilute with 2-3 parts
water & use immediately.
Wormwood Spray -
(Used
for Aphids, Natural Pesticide - Fly Spray) Pick some fresh
leaves before the plant has reached flowering stage. Add water to cover
& bring the boil. Leave to cool, sieve off liquid & dilute to
proportions of 1:4. Do not use too often in tender vegetables as it may
retard their growth. And make sure the mixture is properly diluted - it's
a very strong brew!
Rhubarb Spray -
(Used
for Mildew & Aphis) Cut up 2lb of Rhubarb leaves, boil for
1/2 hour in 3 quarts of water & strain. When cold, dissolve 1oz of Soap flakes
in 1 quart of water, then mix the two thoroughly. Use in a
general spray for any aphis. It can also be made with 3lb of Elder Leaves
~ this mixture was made in the past as a spray for mildew on Roses.
Seaweed -
(Good
for the Soil) Seaweed is treasure
from the Ocean, which those living near the sea can collect with very little labor
or cost - it is a most welcome addition to any Garden! Seaweed, as
well as being a useful compost material, can also be used as a Mulch, & has
been found to be particularly beneficial to crops of Red & Silver Beet, as
well as a tonic for Fruit Trees. One treatment which has proven to be of
help to Trees & Fruit, especially Stone Fruit, is to scrape away 1-2 inches
of soil without disturbing the roots, put down a thin layer of small type
Seaweed, & replace the soil. Water well, Mulch on top with Sawdust,
Straw or Shavings & leave to compost - fantastic. J
Herbal
Insecticides
Basil
Leaves can be used to repel aphids. For method, see chamomile flowers
below.
Costmary Leaves can be used as a general
insecticide. See chamomile flowers method below.
Wormwood Leaves should be used only on
mature plants (because of it's toxicity) against larger pests such as
caterpillars, moths, flea beetles and aphids.
Method: Put 15gms of dried herbs in 1 liter of cold water. Simmer
covered for half an hour. Turn off heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Do not use
aluminium pots.
Chamomile Flowers prevent damping off in
seedlings.
Method: Pour 1 liter of boiling water over 30gm of dried flowers
or over a handful of fresh flowers. Cover, steep for 10 minutes, strain and use
at once.
Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide which
rapidly paralyses insects. It's flower heads can be dried or powdered and used
against all common sucking insects: bedbugs, mosquitos, cockroaches and the
domestic fly. Prolonged contact with the flower heads can cause allergice
reactions in some people, so rubber gloves are a must.
Method: Pick the open flower heads. Dry and pulverise them. To
make a spray, steep 30gms of powder in 50ml of methylated spirits. Dilute this
with 18 liters of water. Spray the insecticide at dusk so the plants and bees
will be safe. The solution will have dispersed by morning, especially if exposed
by bright sunlight.
If you have any organic/earth-friendly
suggestions or methods for dealing with White Butterfly & the
consequent small caterpillars that love all Broccoli, please let me know. That is the only thing I struggle with during the summer. Use the easy form
below, & thank you!
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