Growing organic fruits and vegetables in your own garden is certainly a rewarding experience. You insure the produce you grow is chemical-free and as healthy as possible. The alternative is to purchase produce from a market or farm along with the unknowns of what chemicals were used to treat and grow the produce. Maintaining the delicate balance of your organic garden's ecosystem is the best way to keep your plants healthy and insect-free. When that balance is upset and insects become a problem, the need for a pesticide may arise. Choosing between a homemade remedy and a commercial pesticide is a hard choice for an organic gardener. It goes against every belief you had about your organic garden. It was supposed to be a chemical-free environment. Why would you actually put chemicals into your garden? It's a valid question.
If
you identify the insect and prepare and apply the recommended pesticide
correctly, a homemade remedy can be as effective, and in most cases,
significantly cheaper, than a commercial pesticide. Consequently a homemade
pesticide is usually the safer bet and logical first choice for an organic
gardener. online vegetable shopping You can
control the ingredients in the mixture and avoid anything that you may not
prefer to apply to your plants. In the event the homemade remedy does not work,
you can always follow up with a commercial pesticide at your discretion. For as
many pests as there are out there ready to feed on your precious plants, there
are an equal number of homemade remedies to control each of these insects. Some
remedies, quite frankly, just aren't practical. (for example, there's one that
requires you to collect dead bugs and blend them into a smoothie!)
Two
Homemade Remedies For Common Garden Insects
Aphids,
whiteflies and other soft-body pests - Mix a few drops of mild dishwashing
detergent with water and spray on plants leaves (make sure you get both sides
and avoid spraying on flowers!) Cabbageworms and spider mites - Mix 2
tablespoons salt in 1 gallon of water and spray on affected plants. vegetable
seeds online As an alternative to spot treatments after an infestation has
already occurred, you can use a general repellent instead that is applied as a
preventative measure at regular intervals throughout the growing season. A
recipe for one such treatment is provided below.
General
Pest Repellent
-
1/4 cup of hot red peppers (red pepper sauce works well as a substitute)
-
1/4 cup of fresh spearmint (look in your produce for fresh herbs or grow your
own!)
-
1/4 cup horseradish, both root and leaves (prepared horseradish doesn't work as
well)
-
1/4 cup green onion tops
-
1 tablespoon of liquid detergent
Grind
the spearmint leaves, horseradish, onion tops and peppers together with enough
water to cover everything in a blender or food processor. Strain the solution
and add the liquid to half-gallon of water with the detergent. Store the
mixture for a few days in a cool place and then spray on affected areas. flower
seeds online Outside use only. Re-apply once every two weeks or sooner
after a heavy rain or watering. It is important to note that the effectiveness
of any home remedy, preventative or otherwise, will depend on the type of pest
you are trying to control and the severity of the infestation. Considering all
of these factors may seem a bit overwhelming and stressful. However, if you are
successful in keeping the harmful garden insects in check, you will be rewarded
by your garden with some of the freshest, healthiest produce on earth. Please
never forget one of the most important things about your garden. You planted it
because gardening is fun.
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