Articles on Gardening | Topics: gardening, gardens, garden
by Ulysses Pratt
Did you know that there are safe alternatives that can keep your home and environment pest-free? We can use alternatives that will get the job done while reducing potential and unnecessary health risks to you family. Therefore, you ask what is the best alternative for me. We have supplied you with a list of natural homemade mixtures to best suit your needs. Make sure you label your mixture with the recommended use, date and ingredients.
One of the best steps to keeping your garden pest free and prevent diseases is to select healthy plants that are best suited for your particular growing needs. You also need to choose plants that are designated for your region's climate. If the pests still find their way into your garden oasis try using the following recipes for getting rid of those pesky critters. The following are considered to be safe, non-toxic recipes. However, please note that you need to only treat the plants that are infested. Insecticides will kill the harmless insects that aid in healthy gardens or plants, too.
The first mixture is one that is used to eliminate aphids, whiteflies, and mites. Take one tablespoon of liquid hand soap and mix with one cup of vegetable oil. Then of that mixture, take one tablespoon and mix with one quart of water for spraying on soft-bodied insects. Do not use your mixture on extremely hot days and avoid spraying overly sensitive plants. If you have problems with aphids on your roses and tomatoes you can take one onion and two medium cloves of garlic, finely chop these two ingredients. In a blender add two cups of water, your other ingredients and mix on high until all is blended together well. You will then need to strain out the onion and garlic. Use the liquid that you have to spray on your bushes. Make sure that the top and bottom of the leaves are coated with the spray.
If ants are your pests of choice, then simply take a bottle of concentrated lemon juice and sprinkle it around your entire garden. This will also keep other critters away.
Beat it brown recluse spiders! These certain types of spiders have small markings in the shape of a violin on their back. They are commonly found in across the United States and are considered venomous. Their bites may leave you with a deep, open wound that heals very slowly. One may often find these spiders in rarely used drawers, closets and other recluse hiding areas. One of their favorite spots to call home is a cardboard box. Here are a few simple steps you can follow to minimize your chances them call your house a home:
-Vacuum the areas that they are most commonly found. Discard all of your cardboard boxes. Instead use totes or bags to store your belongings.
-During the warmer months of the year keep all woodpiles away from your house.
| Quote of the Day |
I am not aware that any man has ever built on the spot which I occupy. Deliver me from a city built on the site of a more ancient city, whose materials are ruins, whose gardens cemeteries. The soil is blanched and accursed there, and before that becomes necessary the earth itself will be destroyed.
| —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) |
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-Use sticky glue traps in the areas they are most likely to be living, such as your attic or basement.
Next, think about weeds, diseases, and home remedies to stop them from spreading. If you have a disease you will want to prevent it from spreading. In order to do this you will use fermented compost tea. Start by using 1-part compost to 5-8 parts of water for 3-6 days. Strain your mixture and use the liquid to spray around the stem of your plant and soil to prevent soil-borne diseases. Use the mixture on your leaves if you have a powdery mildew on them.
If you are experiencing fungus in your garden take 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 drop of laundry detergent, 1 tablespoon of canola oil, and 1 gallon of water. Mix all of these together to create a spray that you can use on plants parts with powdery mildew.
Vinegar has many uses, and one of those uses is for killing weeds. Buy your typical white vinegar, use 95% water and 5% vinegar to get rid of many weeds. Spraying vinegar on young weeds that are 2 weeks or younger causes them to turn brown and die. If the weeds are older they will need a stronger vinegar solution. Several applications on their roots will finish them off. Be careful not to spray on your plants as it could harm certain plants. It is best to spot treat your weeds and avoid run-off of the vinegar to areas that you do not want harmed.
Always remember even though these are home remedies you should still keep them out of reach of small children and never drink the ingredients.
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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "How to Pick Off Those Pesky Critters in your Vegetable Garden" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by FlowersPlantsGardening.com. |
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