No gardener is immune to the
agony of watching their garden getting eaten away by insects that seem
invisible, rodents that steal in the night and the plant disease that
appears out of nowhere.
We have all been there. Whether the holes in the cabbage plants seem to
get larger by the second, or squash bugs infiltrate the zucchini plants
by the thousands, these unforeseen circumstances can arise at anytime
for any gardener.
While weather, that force of nature you have no control over, can play a
factor in a lot of the plant diseases you may face, you can take some
steps in helping put more of that control back into your hands, as well
as rule over the harmful insects that will arise.
Here are three homemade recipes you can put together yourself to help you with your efforts.
Compost/Manure Tea
This is a great recipe to use. You simply fill a burlap sack with a
gallon of compost or well seasoned manure and drop it into a bucket
containing 4 gallons of water. Cover the bucket and let it sit for 72
hours. Once complete, remove the burlap sack, pour the mixture into a
watering can or a sprayer, and use on your vegetation. This works
great as a fertilizer for your plants and when sprayed on foliage, it
helps prevent many types of diseases.
Baking Soda Spray
If you are looking for an easy to make spray that helps prevent and
manage various plant diseases such as powdery mildew, then try this one.
Simply mix one and a half tablespoons of baking soda, a tablespoon of
vegetable oil and one and a half gallons of warm water in large
container. Mix thoroughly. Make sure the mixture is well blended
prior to pouring it into a sprayer. Use this right away while the water
is warm.
Garlic/Pepper Spray
At a local garden center here where I live, they sell a commercially
made organic pepper spray. These types of sprays work great for keeping
a lot of insects and rodents off your vegetation. There are but two
downfalls. First, it has to be applied after every time your plants are
watered, regardless of whether you are doing the watering or mother
nature. Second, because you will use a lot of it, sprays purchased at
the store can get expensive over time. So instead make your own.
Using a blender, food processor etc., mix together eight cloves of
garlic, one and a half tablespoons of cayenne pepper (or another very
hot pepper variety), and three and a half cups of hot water. Mix these
ingredients thoroughly and allow the mixture to steep for seventy-two
hours. Strain the mix as you pour it into your sprayer, then use on
your plants you are …read more
Source: Mike the Gardener
