Organic Garden Helps & Solutions

[Health Dr. 2]

The Holistic Gardening Series: Organic Helps & Solutions

Gardening is a lot like everyday life. We breeze along, day in and day out, and sooner or later, we all hit a snag. The same thing happens in our gardens. Everything is going great guns when WHAM! we notice an infestation of aphids, or perhaps the rose has powdery mildew. Just like everyday life, there is more than one solution to a given problem; the choices we have, though, have to be made with care so we do not end up creating new problems.

This is why I am such an advocate of organic gardening methods. There are easier solutions to many problems, to be sure; unfortunately, those easier solutions often create other problems by hurting the environment or other living creatures. We have to take a responsible stance, and look at the consequences of how we garden.

While organic gardening is safer than other methods, we still have to exercise caution with some of the methods we use. Most organic products are relatively harmless, but if used indiscriminately or improperly, there still can be possible harm to other organisms or animals. For example, Rotenone, an organic pesticide, is safe when used as instructed, but if used near a pond or any place where runoff to a waterway might be a problem, harm can occur to aquatic animals until the product breaks down.

So, why go through all the effort and bother to garden organically? Because most, if not all, organic materials are relatively safe when used as directed and because most of the organic materials we use break down to harmless substances in a relatively short period of time. Synthetic chemical compounds can remain active for years, and can pose a serious threat to the long-term health of the environment. Organic gardening methods clearly offers the more responsible way to garden.

This article is one in the series, Holistic Gardening. Here we will discover some organic solutions to various problems that arise in the garden.

Baking Soda Spray

This spray is very good for preventing powdery mildew on plants, including roses. It will also offer a measure of protection against Black Spot:

1 tsp of baking soda
1 quart water

Spray on plant foliage and stems, covering all surfaces.

Milk, The Wonder Product, Including Use On Roses!

Why does an alkaline, baking soda, and an acid, the lactic acid in milk, work so effectively in suppressing Black Spot and Powdery Mildew? It is because the spores of both of these diseases have such a narrow range of pH in which they can survive. Alter the pH a few degrees more alkaline or acidic, and the spores cannot survive.

--Mix together milk and water, 50:50, spray on roses at this rate. This helps to prevent Powdery Mildew and Black Spot.

--Mix 1 part milk to 8 parts water, spray on cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins, lettuce, and tomatoes to treat powdery mildew and to help prevent tobacco mosaic disease.

NEEM Oil

If you want a good insecticide and a good fungicide, you might wish to try NEEM oil, which is an extract of a plant. It is very good at controlling chewing insects and for controlling Powdery Mildew and Black Spot. I have found it to be a very good deterrent for Japanese Beetles. An important plus is that it is biodegradable, and as such, breaks down relatively quickly.

Uses For Cornmeal, Including On Roses

--Dust the ground around tomatoes with cornmeal for cutworm control. It also helps to ward-off fungal diseases of tomatoes. Reapply as needed, when you can no longer see the cornmeal on the soil.

--Dust the ground around roses with cornmeal, and water in. This helps to eliminate black spot spores that attack roses, and also helps to eliminate the spores in the soil around roses.

Basic Cornell Spray: For Control Of Black spot & Powdery Mildew

This was developed by Cornell University for foliar diseases on roses. Do not substitute vegetable oil spray for the summer weight agricultural oil, it doesn't emulsify in suspension when water is added. The lightweight oil also is an added protection against disease and pests. Another tip I have learned is to spray this in the evening, around or just after supper time. Do not spray this in the hottest part of the day:

2tbs Horticultural Oil (Sunspray or Volk Oil)
1 tbsp of baking soda

Add to 1 gallon of water and spray leaf surfaces LIGHTLY, not to dripping. Reapply every two weeks.

Molasses Fungal Disease Deterrent For Tomatoes

2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses mixed into a gallon of water and water the tomatoes. Can also be used as a foliar spray.

Japanese Beetle Control

Milky spore. Bt, and beneficial nematodes kill the grubs in the lawn. Milky spore works best in soil temps above 70 degrees and must be applied in more concentrated applications in the North than in more southerly climates. I have read where the recommendation is to apply Milky Spore at 4x the rate for those of us who live in a line north of Central Pennsylvania.

I have also read that applying beneficial nematodes as well as milky spore will help in controlling the grub population in lawns, which is the breeding ground for all those nasty beetles we see every year.

Neem oil, pyrethrin, ryania or rotenone are also biological controls that can be applied to the adult beetles.

Plant Four o'clocks, and larkspur which poison the beetles, who are fatally attracted to these plants. The leaves of castor bean plants also cause fatal feedings amongst the adults.

Tachnid flies and tiphia wasps are predatory beneficial insects. They will lay eggs in the grubs which will then hatch into larvae which will eat the grubs.

The main thing to keep in mind with most of these treatments is that it takes time to see an appreciable improvement in the decline of the beetles and their grubs. Patience is the key, and a multiple approach for organic control might be necessary. You will see immediate results with biological pesticides, but the long-term results will be evident with nematodes, parasitic insects, and milky spore.

Slug Spray

Mix one part no suds ammonia and two parts water and spray on a day below 80 degrees.

Insect Pest Barrier

Milk cartons with both ends cut out with a band of sticky or greasy material such as Vaseline applied to the exterior of the carton, placed snugly in the soil enclosing the plant will serve as a physical barrier to many pests.

Sabadilla

Sabadilla comes from the seeds of the sabadilla lily. It is considered to be one of the least toxic of insecticides in regards to residual effects since it breaks down rapidly, although it is irritating to the eyes and will cause nasal irritation and sneezing if inhaled. So, if you do decide to dust with Sabadilla, use a mask and safety glasses and apply on a windless day. (We should all have masks and safety glasses when applying any chemical, anyway)!

This botanical insecticide breaks down rapidly in sunlight and UV radiation, and begins to break down almost immediately with no residue. Why use it? Because of its rapid breakdown and lack of residue. If you have an infestation of caterpillars, such as cabbage butterfly larvae, squash bugs, leaf hoppers and thrips, the bugs will ingest the Sabadilla and this is a stomach poison for them as well as a contact poison. Because of its rapid breakdown, it is an excellent organic pesticide to use in vegetable gardens. Of course, rinse off any vegetables or fruits that you may dust with Sapadilla as with any insecticide!

Ryania

Another of the botanical pesticides, Ryania is an extract of a tropical plant, Ryania speciosa. It is a stomach poison, and acts as as an appetite suppressant initially. It does take some time to work, so use this in conjunction with other pest deterrents. It is effective against a wide range of insects, including caterpillars, Tomato Horn Worm Aphids, Asparagus Beetle, Bean Leaf Beetle, Blister Beetles, Japanese Beetles, Colorado Potato Beetles, Corn Earworms, Cucumber Beetles, Leaf miners, rollers, and hoppers, and mites.

Pyrethrum and Pyrethrins

Pyrethrum is an extract of a plant, while Pyrethrins are the active compounds that are the pesticide. It is a broad-spectrum pesticide, and will control many different pests including mites, aphids, and stink bugs. It is a paralyzer, and eventually the insects that come in direct contact with this pesticide will recover. After applying, you can spray plants with insecticidal soap to finish the extermination process.

Rotenone

Another extract from tropical plants, Rotenone is another broad-spectrum organic pesticide. It is toxic to fish, and as such, should be avoided around ponds or other water features. It has a low residual effect. Although harmless to bees, it can kill other beneficial insects.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

Bt is very effective against many grubs, larvae, and chewing insects. This bacterium causes the insect to develop digestive problems, and they cannot continue to feed on plants. It switches off the feeding mechanism and they simply die. Useful on lawns for grub control and in the garden on hornworms, cabbage loopers, and Colorado potato beetles, use this on those areas only where these insects are the primary problem. Avoid using Bt on or near host plants for beneficial insects such as Monarch butterflies.

There are various strains of Bt, so be sure that the strain you are using is effective against the targeted insect pest.

Rhubarb Pesticide (For Ornamentals Only)

The rhubarb plant is one we are all familiar with: Eat the stalks, not the leaves. Why? The leaves contain large amounts of oxalic acid, not good for people, and also not good for bugs! Pick rhubarb leaves, place them in a pan, add just enough water to cover them, boil, and strain. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid, and add to an old window cleaner bottle and spray your plants to ward-off insects.

Aphid, Leafhopper, And White Fly Deterrent

Mash a whole garlic bulb. All of it! Soak in about a tablespoon of clear mineral oil for two days. Add 1-1/2 teaspoons of liquid, non-detergent based soap to this, such as castile soap. Add 2 cups of water, strain, and store in a jar. Don't forget to label it!

Spray plants with a mixture of about 1 tablespoon to 2 cups of water. You might want to test this on plants by spraying a few leaves to check for sensitivity, first. Some plants might get irritated by the soap. If all is well, you can proceed, spraying all leaf surfaces.

Home Spray For Insects

1 whole head of garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon fresh crushed cayenne pepper
1/4 onion, mashed
2 quarts warm water

Add together, allow to steep for two or three days. Strain into a pump spray bottle, and add a drop or two of a mild dishwashing liquid detergent. This really works well against flea beetles as well as other insects.

Vinegar: A Natural Weed Killer

If you have a problem with weeds coming up through cracks in the pavement, add white vinegar to a spray bottle and nuke 'em with the full-strength vinegar! After a couple of applications, the weeds will die, and that is a good thing!

Boil The Weeds Away!

Another good weed killer for use in pavement cracks is simple boiling water. Pour boiling water over the weeds and stew them. It might take a couple of applications, but they will die.

Poison Ivy Control

1 cup salt
8 to 10 drops liquid detergent
1 gallon vinegar

Combine the salt and vinegar in a pan and heat until the salt is dissolved, then cool. Add detergent. Use a spray bottle to spray the vegetation only. Do not apply until it is dripping onto the soil, simply apply to get the leaves wet, and take care not to apply to beneficial plants, as this will kill everything!

Birdbath Algae Preventer

--Bundle lavender wands (the stems and flowers of lavender) together, place the bundle in a clean birdbath to prevent algae from forming. Good for about one to two weeks, then place more bundles in the birdbath to keep it safely algae-free!

--Add bundles of Barley straw to birdbaths and ponds. Add the straw to burlap bags or nylon hose, weighed down with a few stones, and sink to the bottom of the birdbath or pond.

Spring Tonic For The Garden

Our great-grandparents used to give their kids spring tonic, so why not borrow the idea for your plants??? Here is a little organic pick-me-up for the plants in your yard!

3 tablespoons of liquid seaweed or sea kelp
3 tablespoons of Epsom salts
3 tablespoons of fish emulsion
1 packet of dry baking yeast
1 tablespoon of baking soda
3 tablespoons of blood meal powder
3 tablespoons of bone meal, finely crushed
1/4 cup of molasses or 1 can of regular cola

***If you can get your hands on some, add a teaspoon of SuperThrive to the mix. This natural product has plant vitamins and natural hormones and micronutrients that really get seeds, seedlings, and established plants, "jump-started"!***

Mix together in a 2 gallon watering can and fill with warm, not hot water, use to water all your plants. You can dissolve the materials and save them in a quart jar, strain, and put in a hose end sprayer and adjust for two gallon dilutional proportions. Use in weather below 75 degrees.

Herbal Tea For Plants

Did you know???

--Comfrey makes a great garden tonic, and is just loaded with wonderful minerals and nutrients that plants can utilize! It really is wonderful as a nutrient booster for plants. Take comfrey leaves, chop them up, and add hot, not boiling water over them. Let this steep until the water turns brown or greenish brown, then strain, and mix 3 parts of water to 1 part of comfrey tea concentrate and spray on your plants.

Aquarium Water Fertilizer

When you remove some of the water from your freshwater aquariums, don't pitch it down the drain! Use it to fertilize houseplants and potted plants.

Garden Elixir...Garden Beer!

Stinky to people, but plants crave it:

Use a 32 gallon plastic garbage can with a lid.

Add about 6 pounds of alfalfa pellets, 1 pound of Epsom salts, and 1/4 pound of cheleted iron, and 1/2 cup of liquid seaweed and toss in 6 packages of yeast.

Fill the garbage can with water and let it stew with the lid on. Take the lid off, stand back 'cause it is potent smelling stuff! Draw off about a gallon for roses, and water other plants liberally with this brew. When you get down to where you can't reach the bottom, just fill with water, top off with more seaweed and yeast as before, and let it stew again for a few more days. This is good for about two go-arounds. You can add the silage to your compost pile or around your plants. This elixir for some reason also helps to strengthen plants and protect them against powdery mildew and other diseases.

Epsom Salt Bloom Booster

1 - 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts mixed with a gallon of water can be applied as a foliar spray to plants at bloom time and again 10 days later to encourage better fruits and flowers, peppers and tomatoes. Also use this before the first flush of blooms and after the first flush of blooms on roses. It provides both magnesium and sulfate, and is better taken in by the plant as a foliar spray than when added to the soil.

Compost Accelerator

Mix 8 ounces (1 cup) of blackstrap molasses and 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of kelp or seaweed. Add to 5 gallons of water and sprinkle over the layers of your existing compost pile, or when starting a new pile.

Rooting Hormone Alternatives:

Honey Water Rooting Solution:

1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup boiling water

Combine and cool. Place cuttings in this solution for a couple of days to help them root. This may be refrigerated in advance for two days.

Willow Water Rooting Solution:

Take the young branches, still greenwood, from pussy willows, since they water root so readily. Mash them up, and pour cold water over them in a jar, and do a sort of sun tea on them: leave them out in the sun to infuse for a day. The water should be a pale green. Root cuttings in this water.

Confectioner's Sugar Powder:

Dust the freshly cut ends of stems with confectioner's sugar to help new cuttings root.


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As with any program of organic or inorganic pest, disease, and weed management, common sense should be your guideline. Wear goggles and masks. While many of these products are in themselves not harmful to humans, they could cause problems or discomfort if inhaled from close exposure. This holds true for any chemical or organic compounds or sprays. Also, always test an organic remedy on a small part of a plant first. Do not apply remedies during the hottest part of the day, avoid spraying anything when the sun is directly overhead, or when plants are in the sunniest part of the day.

These are only a few weapons in our arsenal that we can use when combating pests and diseases. There are many more products, and there are excellent organic sources, both mail order and online for organic controls. It does take a bit more effort to use organic techniques. But, please try a few in your garden. They are well worth the effort, and will give you a feeling of satisfaction with knowing that you can control your problems without having to resort to harmful synthetic chemical solutions!

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