Less Toxic Insecticides

[digitS']

I need to restock the shelf.

Less Toxic Insecticides, from Clemson University

Steve

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Here are some Insecticides and Fungicides that you can try also. I was looking for something to help with Septoria leaf spot and found these.

Fungicidal (black spot remedy)
In hand sprayer mix:
1-2 Tbs baking soda
1-2 Tbs soap
1-2 Tbs veggie or olive oil
Fill to top with water. Do not spray in the heat of the day.

Insecticidal Soap:
1 Gal H2O
2 Tbs Dish soap
2 Tbs Olive Oil

Mix together, spray top and bottom of leaves---KILLS APHIDS! Do not use in the heat of the day.
OR:
1 T baking soda, tsp liq.soap added to 1 gal H2o, use as above.

OR: buy and release lady bugs;
OR: plant nicotina, catnip and marigolds around veggie plants for natural repellant


Kill Brown Patch:
Sprinkle with baking soda, cider vinegar, diluted citrus oil, or NEEM; see also fungicidal recipe above.


To Kill Fire ants "Ant Death"!
1 Gal H20
1 T molasses
1 squeeze liq. Soap
6 oz (3/4 Cup) Citrus Oil
Stir up or chop off top of mound, pour mixture into mound, completely encircling it. Retreat as needed. Recipe can be diluted to 2 oz of citrus oil. Use a garden
fork to thoroughly mix ant mix into mound. Most mounds die immediately!

Fly Spray:
In spray bottle mix the following:
2 oz tea tree oil
2 oz glycerin
Fill to top with citronella/lemongrass

 

[digitS']

Thanks, HunkieDorie!

Of these, I've used the

Homemade Insecticidal Soap:
1 Gal H2O
3 Tbs Palmolive Green Dish soap

Aphids get on the large sunflower plants and that's a lot of plant to spray with expensive stuff. If I don't get them off, I'm afraid they will infect other plants.

Spraying them with water creates the risk that I will contribute to infecting other plants. Blast!! 20 feet away : aphids parachuting down on new territory.

Still, I do spray with water the day after I've sprayed them with the dish soap. It is important in a dry climate with bright sunshine NOT to spray anything, unless it's water, until late in the day. And, I've seen a plum tree drop every leaf after it was sprayed with who-knows-how-much dish soap and left to its own defenses. . . .

I understand that some people use Dove but - whatever works, and Palmolive works well for me. Maybe not quite as good as the commercial soap bug-killer but it works.

I'm curious about the idea of spraying an extract of one plant onto another. It may cause a lot of "bug confusion" if it's host plant suddenly smells and tastes like something else! You know, you're hanging out on the corn when suddenly, everything around you smells and tastes like rhubarb! In fact, you are covered with rhubarb juice!!

I've read that artemisia works well but it is a toxic plant (even more so than rhubarb) so . . . I haven't quite worked this out yet. Of course, these are all "toxic" substances - I'm not doing this just to annoy the pests! So, whatever I do out there had better work because "The Garden Needs Guarding" - that's my motto.

Steve

 

[digitS']

That reminds me!

Notice what Clemson says about:

Nicotine derived from tobacco, is one of the most toxic botanicals. It is a fast-acting nerve toxin and is highly toxic to mammals. It is easily absorbed through the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes.

Because of its high toxicity it is no longer registered for use as a pesticide. Home brewed nicotine preparations can also be quite toxic. Less harmful products will produce equal results.

S'

 

[ducks4you]

"Pyrethrum" or Pyrethrin is the main ingredient in horse fly-spray, and it is the ONLY reason that I can handle it. I had always read that the flower is related to the chrysanthemum. (quick...can you spell that?!?)

 

[ninnymary]

hunkiedorie23...Thanks for the recipies. I've written them down to add to my gardening binder.

mary

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Have a look at this site:

http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/plants_in_pest_control/garlic.html

If you look at the column on the right-hand side you will find a long list of plants you can use as controls for various pests etc. Each one has recipes & information on use.

I found this by courtesy of boggy b's thread at:


http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=255406#p255406


Happy Gardening now that Spring is here......!! :happy_flower


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Ariel301]

Here's a fairly non-toxic pet and child safe ant killer I use:

Put 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes until it becomes a syrup. Cool it a little and then put it in a designated jar, and stir in a couple of tablespoons of Borax laundry soap. (I don't know if other brands work too, or just this one). Then place this yummy ant candy in small dishes anywhere the ants are a problem. I use lids left over from jars of food, or the bottoms cut off of old water and soda bottles, so I can just throw them away later. The ants will eat the candy and die. They will feed it to the queen also so she dies. It won't hurt your kids or pets if they eat it. Might clean out your kids' smart mouths though. Or at least teach them not to eat stuff they find laying around.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

http://www.snwa.com/html/land_main_pests.html

I have posted this link before, however, here is an update after I have used it.


I have used the Dr. Bronners diluted Peppermint castile soap recipe on my plants. I feel there is a difference. First, it has not hurt the plants. I can see no damage and I apologize that I cannot take pictures right now.

On my Scarlett Runner Beans, you can see where there is insect damage and it is as if someone drew a horizontal line, because above the line the leaves are perfect.

Now a few things could have happened.

1) The bugs took a vacation.
2) Their season has passed.
3) Or the soap spray worked.

I did repeat the spray about every other day for a couple of applications.

 

[warmfuzzies]

Wow guys this is great info! Thanks! I think it should be a sticky.