Do You Prefer Non-Chemical methods to control garden Pests and Diseases?
This month our team have put together some tried and tested natural ingredient recipes that you can try to control those annoying pests and diseases that we gardeners seem to come up against from time to time.
White Flour
Try dusting your vegetables with WHITE flour to protect them from pest damage. Flour has double insecticidal action.
1. The fine particles block the insects breathing holes.
2. On larger pests like caterpillars flour acts as a stomach poison.
Gardening Tips: Apply with a flour sift. Needs to be re-applied regularly.
Milk
Milk has several uses in the garden although it is best known as a fungicide. There are many theories as to why it works, but most suggest that milk stimulates the production of parasitic fungi which then attack the harmful ones.
The recipe is a mix of one part real whole milk and nine parts water. Some gardeners prefer to use a stronger 50/50 mix.
Use on fungal diseases and mildews.
Gardening Tips: This mix can also stimulate the growth of young seedlings, use the weaker mix and just pour the mixture over them once a week. Don’t forget to wash the watering can out after using to prevent that sour milk odor.
Milk And Flour
This recipe is effective against two-spotted (red spider) mite and azalea lace bug.
Mix together 1/4 cup milk and 4 cups white flour and 20litres water and stir very well. keep stirring until ready to use. Spray onto all surfaces of the infected plants every other day until the mites or bugs are gone.
Gardening Tips: Make only as much mix as you will need each day as the storage life is very short.
Soap
Soap sprays are excellent for controlling soft bodied pests like aphids or caterpillars. To make soap sprays use only special soaps made with caustic potash instead of caustic soda. Pure soaps like “Velvet” are also acceptable.
You will need approximately 60grams soap to every 9 litres water.
Grate the soap with a cheese grater to speed up the dissolving process. Never use soap sprays under pressure, a watering can is ideal. Although soap sprays are an excellent way to control soft bodied insects, they can sometimes cause damage to some plants. Never use on a hot day, and always test on a small area first. Check test area for 3-4 days to allow any possible damage to show and to ensure that you have the right soap and/or mix strength.
Gardening Tips: Do not over use. Regular use of Soap sprays can cause damage by breaking down the natural wax coating of plants. Used carefully this is one recipe you will find invaluable.
Cooking Oil
Recipe for white oil to control scale insects.
Mix 1 cup water and 2cups of canola or sunflower oil in a blender until they become a milky white solution. Add this concentrated solution to water at 20 to 70 ml per litre. Use immediately as it separates quickly. White oil should NOT be applied during hot weather.
Gardening Tips: This mix is best used when you know the temperature will remain below 24 C for 3-4 days following application.
Pyrethrum C.cinerariifolium
Only the flowers of Chrysanthemum.cinerariifolium contain the insecticide known as Pyrethrum. Although Pyrethrum is non-toxic to mammals and non-accumulative it should also be noted that when extracted the active ingredient Pyrethrin concentrate IS toxic to man and animals.
To make a spray : Crush dried flower heads into a dust. Steep 4oz(110g) in 150ml of methylated sprit and then dilute with 12 gallons (55 litres) water. You can also purchase Pyrethrum liquid concentrate and follow manufacturers instructions carefully. Spraying plants in the evening will prevent harming bee’s as the active ingredient is short lived especially in daylight.
PLEASE NOTE Pyrethrum will also kill the ‘good’ insects and is deadly to Fish.
Gardening Tips: Sprinkle dried powdered flowers to deter ants, cockroaches, lice, bedbugs, fleas and mosquitos. It is better to wear gloves when drying and crushing the flower heads as the flowers can cause allergies.
Vinegar Weed Killer
Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle, and spray on weeds in , your driveway, between your pavers, patio, footpaths etc. Vinegar will kill any plant life that is growing where you do not want anything to grow.
Gardening Tips: KEEP WELL AWAY FROM YOUR PLANTS.
