Backyard Poultry Forum

In my efforts to become more self sustaining and the need to grow vegies as chemical free as possible I have been researching and asking anybody and everybody I know about hints and tips.

My Dad recently sent me this list of homemade insecticide/pesticide recipes they can be premade and stored (carefully as for other poisons) for a few months:

Weed Killer
1 cup common salt, 1 litre brown vinegar
Dissolve and brush onto weeds. Care not to touch anything else as it is very potent.

Lacewings
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of vegemite into 500ml water - spray onto plants to attract beneficial Lacewings into garden. (Great for vegie garden as lace wings will eat the bugs that eat your vegies - not chooks tho )

Scale and mealy bugs
4 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, 1 cup vegetable oil, shake well. Dilute 1 part to 20 parts of water to spray.

Aphids/caterpillars
2 tablespoons soap flakes, 1 litre water. Dissolve, use neat.

Black Spot
3 teaspoons Bi-carb soda, 1 litre water. Dissolve. Add a few drops of dishwashing detergent and spray.

Fungicide
Mix 1 teaspoon Bi-carb soda to 1 litre water. Add 1 litre skim milk and a pinch of Condie's Crystals (from produce agent - horses) and spray.

Grasshoppers/caterpillars/possums
Mix 1 cup molasses to 1 litre water. Spray.
*Add 1/2 litre of mixture to 2 litres of water and spray over garden to get rid of Nematodes.

Great all-round Insecticide
4 large onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 4 hot chillies. Cover with warm soapy water, leave to stand overnight. Strain off liquid and add to 5 litres of water for ready to use insecticide.

Insecticide
Crush bulb of garlic and cover with vegetable oil. After 2 days strain off liquid, add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid. Mix 1 millilitre to 1 litre of water.

I have also discovered a company which is online called "Bugs for Bugs". As the name suggests they sell bugs that are the natural predator for other bugs. I think they are reasonably priced and have placed my first order which they will post to me in a few days. Their web address is http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au

I hope some of you find this helpful in your gardening.

Wow! These are fabulous. Thanks so much for sharing

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Cheers!
Lyn

2 black cats and 8 goldfish, 2 isa browns, 2 pekins and 2 silkie X. More to come

Thanks idealistic, simple recipes and so useful ! Shall certainly try them out !

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Richness is when you need no more..... author unknown

Hello Idealistic,
This homemade insecticide is very useful.
Thanks for sharing this with us