It’s not necessary to spend money on commercial products for your garden. They are easy to make with minimal effort. Although you have to purchase the ingredients, it will still be cheaper than buying other products that you buy at the store. You can make organic pesticides that will be just as effective using these recipes and gain the many benefits by going organic.
Organic Fertilizer
When making this mix, you will be measuring by parts, so use a scoop, bucket or jar to measure the ingredients by volume. Be sure that you don’t measure by weight. Your proportions could vary by 10% and it will still be okay. You can use a five gallon bucket to mix up to 14 quarts.
Ingredients:
- 4 parts seed meal
- 1/4 part finely ground agricultural lime
- 1/4 part gypsum
- 1/2 part dolomitic lime
- 1 part bone meal, manure or rock phosphate
- 1/2 part kelp meal
Mix ingredients thoroughly. You can find the ingredients in a farm feed or grain dealer. The rest of the ingredients can be found at your local garden store. You could also order the ingredients online.
Pest Control Spray with Garlic
Combine garlic with mineral oil and soap to use for pest control.
You have to be aware that this spray is not selective and will kill beneficial insects as well. You can use it to get rid of leafhoppers, cabbageworm, squash bugs and whiteflies.
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. finely minced garlic
- 2 tsp. mineral oil
- 1 pint water
- 1/4 oz. liquid dish soap
Let the garlic soak in mineral oil for at least 24 hours. Then add the water and dish soap. Mix well and then strain in a jar to store. This is a concentrate.
When you want to use it, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons in a pint of water. Don’t make it too strong as it could cause damage to the leaves of the plant. To make sure it won’t hurt your plants, spray on the lower leaves first to make sure it won’t adversely affect them.
Dormant Oil
This spray will suffocate aphids and mites. Many of the products that you buy commercially are made from some type of petroleum oil. For a more sustainable and less toxic solution, using renewable resources like vegetable oil works well.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons liquid soap
- 1 gallon of water
Add the vegetable oil and liquid soap first. Slowly add the water and continue stirring. The soap helps the water and oil to mix better. Use a garden spraying container to spray the mixture over the plant. You will have to keep shaking the container as you spray it. This recipe will make one gallon.
Insecticidal Soap
Soap is one of those ingredients that people have used for centuries. It kills pests by dehydrating them. Make sure that you don’t use too much soap or you could also kill the plants. Use the following proportions of the soap to water.
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid dish soap
- 1 quart of water
You can mix it in a bucket and then pour it into a spray bottle.
Use these recipes to get rid of bugs in a way that won’t hurt the environment and the people eating the produce. There are many benefits to organic gardening and by going organic, you are helping Mother Earth and your family.
The life cycle is a wondrous thing and everything was put on this earth for a reason. It’s vital to keep that natural order going. These organic pesticides and recipes can provide you with a way to get rid of pests in your garden without hurting the earth. Use them for these benefits.
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