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Post by WVsnowflake on May 13, 2008 17:13:12 GMT -6
According to an ancient Chinese proverb, “If you would be happy all your life, plant a garden.” Modern gardeners know this to be true, but unfortunately our gardens also seem to inspire delight in grasshoppers, squash bugs and countless other hungry insects. There’s at least one serious insect enemy for every crop, so knowing how to prevent and treat pest problems is fundamental to maximizing the rewards you can reap from your gardening efforts. You can keep pests in their place safely by encouraging the beneficial critters to visit your garden. When faced with a pest problem, gardeners — new ones in particular — often reach for a solution that comes in a spray bottle. It’s true that many poisons sold in garden centers will kill any, and often all, insects in your garden. (Some of these products are less toxic than others, see “Top Pest Control Products” for options approved for organic growers.) But spraying chemicals is rarely the best option for getting rid of pests. Many pesticides are hazardous to humans and wildlife, and most will kill beneficial insects right along with the pests you’re targeting. www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2006-02-01/Organic-Pest-Control.aspx
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Post by pharmerphil on Jun 3, 2008 14:44:21 GMT -6
Snow, Ya Know we do our garden, all 7000+ square foot, completely organic. Takes alot of work, and, alot of time. The change over from traditional gardening, is a long process, and it took alot of dedication, and alot of loss, to get to where we are today.
Wanting to go organic after traditional gardening? It takes time to build up your defenses, get the beneficial insects in and around your garden to help you out, but, they will come. Many have given up, unable to keep up with the bad bugs.
The immediate JUMP you get from chemical fertilizers is so dramatic, Your soil will not have enough organic matter after chemical ferts... Takes time to build up the organic matter to feed the microbes in your soil, Many have given up, unable to get their soil to the point where the organic matter is high enough, and the microbial activity sufficient to "feed" their plants.
But it happens, quicker than the beneficials, yet not like dumping 10-10-10 on your plants.
Time, Mother nature and manure...add all you can, whenever you can, get that brainset, and the next manure pile, pile or bags of leaves you pass, or see in your neighbors yard...will have you loading and haulin it home!
Persistence is the thing... Build your soil, leaves, compost, manure, grass hay, straw, it will reward you. Mulch and you'll save your back weeding (after a few years, the weeds will decline)! Plant companion plants that attract your allies the beneficial insects... provide a nice broken flower pot for a toad... and don't forget your birds..We lose an occasional tomato plant top, snipped by a bird, we lose an occasional pea blossom...but I sit and watch, even the sparrows, swoop in and dine on bugs...
Any questions ya'll need answered on how to deal with any type bug/disease , just ask, I'll be glad to answer all the questions I am able too
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Post by naturelovr on Feb 28, 2009 13:47:53 GMT -6
How to Make Your Own Pesticide June 07, 2006 by mike mcgee We all by now know of the immense harm caused to our health by the use of toxic pesticides. Instead of using those harmful chemicals, you can make your own pesticides at home, the likes of which have been successfully used by our farmers for generations. The ingredients used in making these pesticides are easily available or if necessary, can be bought cheaply from the market. Find here some pesticides that you can make at your home that will effectively keep pests out of your garden. To make your own pesticide, you can first try tobacco or nicotine spray. This mixture is highly effective against many types of bugs, especially caterpillars, aphids, and many types of those nasty worms. For preparing this mixture, you need a cup of tobacco and a gallon of water. First, put the tobacco into a container of water and allow the mixture to set for about 24 hours. Check the color of the mixture after that period. If it takes the shade of weak tea, the mixture is ready. If it is too dark, you need to dilute it with water until it looks right. Be careful not to use this solution on peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, or any other member of the solanaceous family as tobacco chemicals can kill these plants. If you are really keen to make your own pesticide, soap spray is another option. What you need for this is just soapy water. Collect some of the soapy water in a pan and pour it into a watering can or even use a pitcher to pour it over the plants. If you want to make your solution even stronger, mix three tablespoons of liquid detergent into a gallon of water and use this solution weekly. Many bugs just can’t tolerate the taste of soapy water. Alcohol spray is excellent for houseplants, being particularly effective against meal bugs. The ingredients needed are 1/2 cup of alcohol, 2-3 tablespoons of dry laundry soap, and 1 quart of warm water. To make your own pesticide, mix all ingredients and spray immediately. Remember that this solution must be made fresh for each use. www.associatedcontent.com/article/35917/how_to_make_your_own_pesticide.html?cat=7
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Post by famfish on Feb 28, 2009 21:41:35 GMT -6
Add a little of the liquid dish detergent to your liquid feterlizer spray that is mixed with water and do two things at the same time. Only a few drops of dove in a gallon of mixture will do wonders in the garden. The dove disolves the oil on the bugs shells and causes problems. a few drops od cooking oil also will kill bugs mixed in a water base with a little dove. The dovew disperses the oil into fine drops and spreads it around but don,t use too much oil or dove per gallon just a few drops and shake it up and mix in a mild solution of liquid fertilizer and you can do this once a week or day after a rain! A mild solution of epsom salts in a gallon of water will keep the snails at bay especially on the lettuce! garlic in water in the blender strained and mixed in water with a drop of cookig oil is also great! loTS OF HOME remedies! Watch the tobacco because of tobacco mosic a diesease on tomatoes. Don't smoke around tomatoes.
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Post by WVsnowflake on Mar 3, 2009 23:27:18 GMT -6
I had heard about the soap before. And the tobbaco is a bad thing, Cigg butts on the ground chases the toads away !! which is a bad thing !
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