The Sunday Mail
THE dawn of summer comes with the proliferation of garden pests. All of a sudden, your once tranquil garden becomes a hype of activity as pests and diseases invade it.
Sadly, those pests usually come during the most inopportune of times when your coffers dry up.
This week, we look at a number of plant remedies that can save your garden as you try to keep that vegetable patch alive.
Onions and garlic
Onions and garlic belong to the same family and have that pungent odour that can be used to repel pests such as aphids, beetles and mice. Haven’t you suffered in the kitchen trying to cut some onions and been brought to tears.
Put that same power to use in the garden by taking a small onion or garlic crushing it to one litre of water and adding a little soap.
Remember that this concoction can also harm other beneficial insects and it should not be used on legumes as it hinders the nitrogen fixing bacteria.
The beautiful marigold
The beautiful marigold
The beautiful marigold has other uses besides its aesthetic outlook.
Make a mixture of about 10 chopped plants and 20 litres of hot water. This is an effective remedy for nematode infested soils. Just plant marigold and even plough it into the ground to reduce nematode populations.
Control many flying insects such as aphids, cabbage worms and beetles through this remedy.
Moreover, marigold can also be used as a trap plant. Once harmful insects congregate on the plants, one can plough them into the ground. Apparently the leaves can also be mixed with stored grain to prevent damage.
Chili Pepper
How hot is your chillie?
That bitter sweet taste for some can be very useful in the garden.
Mhiripiri can be mixed with onions and or garlic. Mix one garlic bulb, an onion bulb and a tablespoon of hot crushed pepper with one litre of water. Add some soap after an hour. Spray this mixture on a variety of insects such as caterpillars, aphids, ants and mealy bugs.
Known for its herbal properties – basil – both the English and the indigenous forms can be used as a garden spray. It can be used to safeguard crops from soil borne diseases and pests. It has fungicidal properties.
The solanaceae family
The solanaceae family which consists of tomatoes and tobacco is a source of a potent insecticide, which should only be used as a last resort. It can kill some plants if used in high concentrations.
Crush a few leaves of tomato leaves and soak them in water for a couple of days. Use this mixture to kill grasshoppers and white flies. However, since it is poisonous, do not use it on food bearing plants. Tobacco scrap can be used as a mulch to control slugs, snails and cutworms. The recommended mixing rate is 1kg of tobacco leaves to 15 litres of water. Spray this mixture on sucking pests such as whiteflies, aphids, thrips and some scales.
Pyrethrum
Another classic insecticide against red spider mites is pyrethrum from the feverfew plant belonging to the chrysanthemum family. Mix one litre of boiling water to 250g of feverfew flowers, leaving to soak for a couple of hours. You can then add a litre of soapy water. This mixture can be safely used on crops a day before harvesting.
As can be seen, some plants can be used to advantage in the garden. Enjoy summer with these home remedies for your garden. Happy gardening!
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