Vintage Garden Background

Showing posts with label Organic Insect Control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organic Insect Control. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2011

Basil Herb Tea Spray: Here Goes Nothing!

As mentioned in previous blog posts we are trying to maintain an organic garden. This means that when bugs attack instead of using store bought solutions with pesticides and chemicals, we are going to use natural remedies. I mean, we are going to eat these veggies and the idea of all those harmful chemicals just skeeves me out.

It's a good thing I thought ahead because I checked on the broccoli the other day and this is what I found-ugh!

After waiting 10 days my basil herb tea was finally ready for use.

Ingredients: basil clippings, natural dish soap, water and plastic spray bottle.  
Ingredients
Basil Herb Tea Spray Prep











Directions: Fill container with basil clippings and add water. Place in sun and allow to brew for about 7 days. Strain out basil clippings and transfer solution to spray bottle. Add dish soap
*Recipe adjusted from: Natural Insect (Pest) Control Ideas*
Day 1 of brew

Day 10 day of brew
 













Each plants foliage was sprayed, covering both the top and underside of the leaves.  
So here goes nothing! We will be sure to update on how effective our organic spray turns out!

**Note: The recipe called for 1 gallon water and 2 tbsp dish soap. My container was 1 qt and the plastic container 1/2 quart. So we used 1+1/2 tsp soap, sprayed the plants and refilled the spray bottle (I wasn't about to waste half of my brew) adding an additional squirt of soap.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Problem: Potential Pests


Good thing I decided to do my background check, I've turned up some more information. I have a new lead on potential pests that could harm our garden. Here's the scoop:

 ** I have featured pictures of some of the many pests I plan to control/prevent with organic remedies**

File:Harlequin Bug adult and nymph.jpg
Harlequin bugs

 Broccoli: aphids, cutworms, harlequin bugs, larvae of: cabbage maggots, cabbage mothers, cabbage loopers and white butterflies, slugs, & mites.


Flea beetle
 Carrots: larvae of carrot rust flies, parsley worms**(see Note)**, nematodes, rabbits, deer, gophers & woodchucks.

   Tomatoes: aphids, flea beetles, fruit flies, mites, nematodes and tomato caterpillars.

   Zucchini: aphids, pumpkin beetles, squash bugs & vine borers.
Aphid
**Note**: DO NOT KILL, this "pest" will become a black swallowtail butterfly. Parsley worms are green caterpillars with black stripes, white or yellow dots and little orange horns that feed on carrot foliage. Move these caterpillars to carrot family weeds, such as Queen Anne's Lace and wait for their cocoons to hatch.
File:Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes 1700px.jpg









The Plan: Create organic remedies to prevent and treat this arsenal of potential pests. I have gathered information and will begin preparation ASAP (which really means on my next day off from work). These are the concoctions I am going to attempt to create:
Stay tuned for....
  • Basil Herb Tea Spray
  • Essential Oil Spray
  • Sugar Spray
  • Pepper Spray