35 Pest and Disease Remedies

Turn to your pantry and medicine cabinet for simple solutions to common garden problems

by Sharon Lovejoy

I ’ve found that awareness and a quick reaction are two of the well ally against garden foes . By sleep with my plants , as well as theirpestsand diseases , I can be proactive in combatting garden ill . When problems do arise , I rick to the mostbenignand rude forms of control , like mitt - pickinginvaders , set up up roadblock , or trimming job areas off plant life . If these treatment flush it , I apply my easy homemade potions to treat my gardens , keeping in nous the welfare of the soil and the dwellers who share the globe with me . Anyone walk into my potting area is nonimmune to find four or five salmagundi of fertiliser brew and oddball pest blends fermenting in tubs , along with a strange collection oftools and utensil . It is not the aftermath of some cataclysmal tragedy ; it is my laboratory , my living depository library , and the makings for a healthy garden .

WEEDS

Vinegar wreaks havoc on weeds

flack weeds with a directed stream ofvinegar(5 pct acidity ) conflate with afew drops of limpid soap . You may substituteequal part waterandisopropyl alcohol(70 percent solvent ) for the vinegar . This works well for region in stone or brick patios where you do n’t want weed or gage . Drench the weed leaves in the heat of the sidereal day . When applying , be careful not to spray any wanted works ; cover them with paper for trade protection .

For heavy surface area , spray the vegetation , lay down pieces of composition board , top them with shredded bark ( a layer at least 3 in deep ) , and let the bed “ rest ” for a season . The next fountain , the cardboard will be like mulch , and the bed will be weed - free and loose to work .

Corn gluten stops weeds before they start

Professor Nick Christians and other researchers at Iowa State University receive an awe-inspiring use for corn gluten repast , the baffling , sticky , pliable by - product of milled Indian meal . The protein - rich corn gluten repast control an herbicide that inhibits root formation during sprouting , and this outcome hold up for month .

Timing is everything when it hail to using edible corn gluten . If the weed seeded player have already sprout and germinate , this technique wo n’t work . To protect a freshly plant ( but unsown ) bed from a boney encroachment , workcorn gluten mealinto the top 2 to 3 inches of your soil , andwaterthoroughly . Lawns and subsist bloom bed can be top - clothe with corn gluten meal . Do not fertilise the regale area for a calendar month after app because corn whisky gluten meal is gamy in N .

TRIAGE

Poison oak and ivy

If you come in touch with poison oak tree or toxicant English ivy , usesoapandhot waterimmediately to wash the affected surface area . ( Do n’t take a hot bath or shower because this can cause the poisonous plant oil color to overspread . )

If you do n’t have access to scoop and water , putmudon the sham expanse and scrub smartly . Repeat several times , using smart mud . Then dab fresh clay onto the open of your skin , and let it dry out .

Insect bites

If you ’re bitten or bite by an insect , imperativeness acrushed garlic cloveorslice of oniondirectly on the worm bite . Leave it there for at least 20 minutes . These kitchen favorites have antibacterial , anti - inflammatory , and counterirritant properties .

To ward off pesky insects , rub the fresh leaves of the following plant on your skin and hair before you do work in the garden : sweet St. Basil , penny - royal , lemon balm , lemon thyme , orange mint , peppermint , Mentha spicata , catmint , andJapanese muckle .

DISEASES

Chamomile tea is a cure-all for fungal diseases

It ’s a little - known fact that Anthemis nobilis tea has antibacterial and fungicidal properties that will aid plants sustain from fungus and mildew . I often make a unsubdivided brewage for my poorly plant . Place16 camomile tea bags(or 2 cups of dried chamomile blossom ) in2 quarts of water , and simmer for 20 minutes . Turn off the heat , and set aside the tea bags to steep for several hours . Strain , if using driedflowers . expend the tea to irrigate tender seedling ( from the bottom ) to prevent damp off , or utilise as a foliar spray to battle disease on plant . Because I never have anything go to waste , I also add leftover teatime and used tea leaf bags to my watering can .

A tonic for black spot and powdery mildew on roses

Roses , while beautiful , are often plagued with black spot or powdery mold . I mix these constituent into a quinine water , which I spray on my roses:2 teaspoons of baking sodaand 1/2teaspoon of melted soapor Murphy ’s crude oil soap in2 quarts of water . The tonic protects the pink wine for month .

Garlic helps thwart noxious diseases

For plants with a fungal , viral , or bacterial disease , cook up a raft of what I call “ garlic soup . ” Pureetwo cloves of garlicin a liquidizer for a minute . lento add1 quart of water , and continue blending for about six minutes . Strain the intermixture , and add1/8teaspoon of liquid soap . decant the liquidity into a storage container and cover tightly . When you ’re ready to take action , mix1 part garlic soupwith10 persona waterinto a spray bottle and give the mixture to the top and undersurface of your sick works ’s leaves , taking precaution not to spray beneficial insects and larvae . Scientists have pick up thatgarlic leavesare potent in their own right , so you’re able to also strain two handfuls of leaves alternatively of using cloves .

Aspirin is the remedy for fungal headaches

sinister blot , powdery mildew , and rust are a terrible trio of fungus kingdom , which can round and destroy your plants . Scientists have found thattwo uncoated aspirintablets ( 325 milligrams each ) dissolve in1 dry quart of waterand used as a foliar nebuliser can baffle these diseases .

ANIMAL PESTS

Deterrents for deer

Most gardeners agree that a stiff , tall fencing ( sooner electric ) angle outward at a 45 - degree angle , or two fences about 5 feet aside , are the longest - hold up solutions to a cervid job . But if a fence is n’t in your budget or does n’t fit in with your garden design , here are some alternatives :

Simple ways to keep rabbits at bay

The heartbreak due to a mowed - down helianthus , hosta , tulip , or whatever bechance to be on the nonmigratory rabbit ’s fare that mean solar day is something no gardener should have to bear . Here are a few magic trick I expend to divert those rascally rabbit :

Moles be gone

To discourage moles , sink a line ofglass bottlesinto the soil with about 1 inch of neck exposed . The whistle sound of malarky blowing across the bottleful tops disrupts counterspy ’ sore hearing and hinders their ability to find quarry . Poking several noisytoy windmillsinto the grime will also disturb mole , as the palpitation will repel them away .

Moles dislikegarlic , so try flatten some crushed cloves into the run . you’re able to also repulse them with a genus Castor - oil mixture . Mix8 tablespoon of Alpha Geminorum oiland1 tablespoonful of swimming soapin1 gallon of water . comprehend down into one of the critter ’s runs , and pour the mixture inside .

INSECTS

Barriers and baits for slugs and snails

Slugs and snail are responsible for wipe out many a gardener ’s dreams . I produce barriers around prized flora to protect them from annihilation . Copper stripsproduce a shock to snails and slugs trying to cross them . Wrap inexpensive , thin copper , found in craft stores , around tummy , plant life , and trees to create a protective barrier . Pine needles , coffee undercoat , crushed eggshells , ordiatomaceous earth(fossilized , silica - shell remain of prehistoric diatom that desiccate insect body ) provide a cranky roadblock and should be reapplied after a rain . Always purchase innate diatomaceous world because swim - pool grade arrest crystalline silica , a respiratory luck .

I also habituate several come-on proficiency to catch slugs and snails ; then I scrape the tool into soapy water in the morning . Here are some ways to entice them :

Japanese beetle busters

Like slugs and snails , Japanese beetles have plagued gardeners for years . One way to hold on them in their tracks is to suck them up with asmall , handheld vacuum . Another way is to throw a handful oflarkspurordelphinium leavesinto a liquidiser , add the blend to1 gallon of water , and spray the mixture onto plants being attacked by Nipponese beetles . The lethal alkaloid ( deliosine and delsoline ) in the leaves will nuke the beetles .

Some gardeners have had success deter Nipponese beetles by institute aring of garlicandchivesaround the unnatural industrial plant , while others bound those bugs into a bucket ofwarm , buttery waterwith a long - handled spatula or spoon . It is a natural defense for a bug to drop to the ground , so the Japanese beetles will fall directly into their sudsy demise . endeavor to get them in the early morning whenthey’re still a little sluggish .

I have been using crimson - common pepper powder for years on everything from cucumber beetles and spittlebug to leafhopper and cabbage inchworm . Now there is scientific backup for this treatment : Entomologist Geoff Zehnder of Auburn University in Alabama credits McCormick cerise - common pepper gunpowder for protecting cabbages better than any standard chemical substance insecticide .

Mix2 tablespoon of ruby-red - pepper powderand6 drops of fluid soapin1 gallon of piss . Let the intermixture sit overnight , and stir thoroughly . rain buckets the admixture into a spray bottleful , shake well , and spray weekly on the tops and bottom of the leaves . This will protect plants , peculiarly fellow member of the cabbage family ( include broccoli , Brassica oleracea botrytis , scratch , and brussels sprout ) , from destructive insect .

Tricks for removing aphids, mites, and other small insects

Scientists at Texas A&M University estimate that up to 90 per centum of problem with aphid , mites , and saliva - bug nymphs can be bring around by dislodging them with a strongblast of water . you’re able to also useadhesive tapeto remove aphid and other small insects from industrial plant leaves . Simply wrap a long piece of magnetic tape around your fingers ( awkward side out ) , and smear off the glitch .

For aphids in particular , set ayellow dish filled with soapy waternear the works . aphid are take out to the colour yellowness . For spider mites that persist despite a daily spray of plain water , use aspraydeveloped by scientists at Purdue University . Combine 1/4cup of buttermilkand2 cups of wheat berry flourin 2 - 1/2gallons of piss . Pour the mixture into a nebuliser bottle , escape from the ingredients exhaustively , and spray it on your plants .

An herbal brew to combat troublesome creepy crawlers

Basil and especially powerfully scented herbs — such as lavender , rosemary , golden buttons , southernwood , rue , mint , wormwood , or sage — help fight harmful leafhoppers , aphids , cabbage loopers , mites , Cucumis sativus beetle , and many other creepy-crawly crawlers . just gather a handful offresh Basil the Great leave andstemsand anyother herb trimmingsyou have on hand , suppress them slimly , and ingurgitate them into a mesh produce sackful , if you have one . Put the sack ( or the loose herbs ) into a bucketful or a large trash jarful that is at least a half - gallon in size , and fill withwater . Cover the container , and set it in the sun to brew for a few daytime . Remove the sack , or strain the solids from the mixture . Store the liquid in a covered container in a cool , dark area until it ’s needed as an insect powder . When you ’re ready to do battle , pour the herbal brewage into a atomiser nursing bottle , add 1/8teaspoon of liquid Georgia home boy , and shake well before spraying .

HELPFUL HINTS

My friend and garden assistant , Peggy , tells me that of all the yards she helps tend , mine is the healthiest ( although it is not inevitably the kempt ) . I credit that health to myriad factors . Every speck of my spring up areas ( even potted plants ) is covered with rich constituent thing like elderly compost , insect cast , or shredded leave .

I grow a divers array of industrial plant — bulb , annuals , perennial , bush , and trees — to create a well - integrated yet multifaceted garden that attract score of beneficial indweller such as insect , lizards , toad frog , frogs , snakes , and snort . Before adding any industrial plant to my garden , I verify that it is healthy and roaring and is planted in an domain that suit its need .

On the social function that I necessitate to treat a plant for a pest or disease problem , I follow these dewy-eyed guidelines :

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