Homemade Cures for Pests and Diseases

Homemade Cures for Pests and Diseases

Organic gardening specialists recommend these do-it-yourself recipes for ridding your garden of unwanted visitors.

Cooking Oil Solution

Effective against eggs and immature insects.

1 cup cooking oil

1tbs liquid dish soap.

'Mix oil and soap. Use 2 ½ tsps per 1 cup of water. Pour into a spray bottle and spray surface and undersides of leaves to smother insects. Apply once every 2 to 3 weeks until pest is gone.

Baking Soda Solution

Usually effective in preventing foliage fungal problems, especially on roses.

1 tbs baking soda

1 gal. Water

½ tsp. Insecticidal soap.

Dissolve baking soda in the water. Mix in the soap and pour into a spray bottle. Spray to cover the top and unerside of foliage about twice a week from spring through early fall. It's a good idea to test this solution on just a few leaves before spraying an entire plant. Some plants may be sensitive and the solution strength may need to be diluted so the foliage does not discolor.

Solutions for a nice garden... Picture by Elena.

Garlic-Pepper Solution

Effective against a wide range of chewing insects and animals.

2 cloves garlic

1tsp liquid detergent

2 tsps cooking oil

1 tbs of cayenne pepper

2 cups water

Combine ingredients in a blender and mix until the cloves are throgughly pureed. Spray solution on affected plants. Reapply as needed.

Bordeaux Mixture

Effective against common fungal disease. Ofnet used on small fruits.

2 heaping tbs fresh hydrated spray lime

2 level tsps. Copper sulfate crystals

3 gals. Water

Dissolve hydrated lime in 2 gallons of water. In a separate container, dissolve the copper sulfate in 1 gallon of water. Add the copper sulfate solution to the lime solution. This will give you a 3-gallon, slurrylike solution that can be strained through a cheesecloth directly into a sprayer. Spray to cover foliage. When dry, it forms an insoluble copper precipitate that prevents fungal spores from entering and infecting plants. Begin applications in spring, repeat once every 7 to 14 days through early fall. This mixture can cause injury to plants if used during cool and wet weather.