Gardening organically is a great way to ensure your family and friends eat healthy from the earth, but it does present some challenges. The biggest challenges are in taking care of pests and fighting disease in order to grow a beautiful and bountiful harvest. Here are some of the homemade solutions to these organic gardening problems.
Aphids
Aphids can be successfully treated with either of the following sprays. The key to either is making sure you are diligent in spraying all the leaves, including the undersides.
Oil and soap spray – Take 2 teaspoons of Mineral oil and add in 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves. Let it steep for about 24 hours, then strain. Next add 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap and 1 pint of water. Use 1-2 tablespoons of this mix with a full spray bottle of water. Always test it on a leaf first to make sure it does not harm it. If it does, dilute it with more water and try again.
This spray is not picky as to which insects it eliminates so if you do have some of the beneficial insects around, you should try this next spray instead.
Tomato leaf spray – Add 1 cup chopped tomato leaves to two cups water and let sit for 24 hours. Strain and add this mixture to a large spray bottle, filling it up the rest of the way with water.
Animals
Use red pepper spray and many critters won’t come back for seconds. It makes the plants just too spicy for rabbits, mice, birds and squirrels. Mix 3 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce and 1 teaspoon dish soap. Add this to 1 quart of water.
Slugs
In the spring, go on a nightly slug hunt. Using a flashlight, locate the slugs and pour table salt on them. A couple nights of this should sufficiently decrease your slimy slug problem.
Weeds
Good old vinegar can kill most weeds but it can also kill your plants. Do not pour it on weeds in your grass or you’ll end up with dead grass spots. If the weeds are close to other plants, try using a paint brush to brush the vinegar on the weed’s leaves.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery Mildew is a serious fungal disease that hits many types of plants, but weekly spraying of 30% skim milk or raw milk to 70% water can take care of it.
Not only are homemade organic remedies good options for your garden, they’re also inexpensive and use everyday household items. Try any of these options to take care of your organic garden problems and reap the rewards with a great bounty.
