WHY GO ORGANIC?
In
2007 it was estimated that there are over 3 billion pounds of poisons
and insecticides manufactured in the United State each year
for home and garden use.
Pesticide use in agriculture is down slightly,
from 948 million pounds in 2000 to 877 million pounds in 2007. But
that's only about 1% per year, and still close to a billion pounds of
toxic chemicals intentionally introduced into the environment and our
food supply each year.
These are a major threat to groundwater in every state and the problem keeps growing! It's also a major health concern.
More
than 3.4 million people suffer from medically related side effects from
the use of pesticides. Some of the immediate side effects include
dizziness, nausea, headaches, low energy and loss of memory. Tests and
research has proven that many forms of cancer are caused by 65% of all
the pesticides.
The
herbicide glyphosate has more than doubled in use, from 85-90 million
pounds in 2001 to 180-185 million pounds in 2007. According to a report
from the Organic Center, this increase is likely a reflection of the
rising popularity of Monsanto's RoundUp Ready genetically modified
crops. (Glyphosate is the active ingredient of RoundUp.)
Today we have a few
DIY Recipes for Organic Pest Control
**Please remember that some (not all) organic sprays can harm beneficial insects. Just be cautious**
Organic Insecticidal Soap Spray
Option 1:
Add 1 tablespoon organic liquid castile soap
*I prefer Dr. Bronner's* to a spray bottle. Fill with water and use on your garden every other day or as needed on "bad bugs"
Option 2:
Chop, grind, or liquefy one garlic bulb and one small onion.
Add 1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper and mix with 1 quart of water.
Steep
1 hour, strain through cheesecloth, then add 1 tablespoon of liquid
dish soap (I use Organic Dr. Bronner's) to the strained liquid; mix
well.
Spray your plants thoroughly, including leaf undersides.
Store the mixture for up to 1 week in a labeled, covered container in the refrigerator.
As we have said in previous articles:
Be
careful of where and how you use these recipes. Even organic pest
control options can work on "good bugs" as well as "bad bugs."
Spray to Control Nematodes
Nematodes
are tiny parasitic worms that live in your soil. If you've ever grown
tomatoes and found that the leaves were beginning to yellow and fall off
the plant, then you have a nematode problem. While some nematodes are
actually good for your garden, most are not. This mixture can also be
used to spray on your plants to control grasshoppers and caterpillars.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of organic molasses
4 cups of water
Instructions
Mix the molasses and water in a spray bottle and shake vigorously. Use warm water to help the molasses dissolve better.
Spray the "Molasses Tea" on your soil around your plants every couple of days to keep the nematodes away.
NEEM Oil Spray
This
recipe is for edible vegetables and fruit, but be sure to wash all
produce before cooking/eating (you can also use this on non-edibles
too).
1 teaspoon of natural liquid soap (preferably organic like Dr. Bronners etc).
2 quarts of warm water
Spray bottle
Mix
all ingredients in a jug, then transfer to the spray bottle. This
homemade pesticide works best when used fresh, so use within 24 hour of
mixing it up.
**Works on MITES, Aphids, Mealybugs, Scales, Whitefly and more***
We've added
Organic Neem Oil at Mary's Heirloom Seeds to help you grow a healthy, organic garden!
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