How to Become an Organic
Gardener
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Organic Recipes
 You don’t have to
purchase commercially produced organic products for your garden.
Many can be made by you with a minimum of effort. Of course, you’ll
have to buy the ingredients, but we can assure you that in the long
run, it’ll be much cheaper than buying those other products.
Organic Fertilizer
To concoct the fertilizer
mix, measure out all materials by volume: that is, by the scoop,
bucketful, jarful, etc. Proportions that vary by 10 percent either
way will be close enough, but do not attempt to make this formula by
weight.
Mix uniformly, in parts
by volume:
4 parts seed meal
1/4 part ordinary
agricultural lime, best finely ground
1/4 part gypsum (or
double the agricultural lime)
1/2 part dolomitic lime
1 part bone meal, rock
phosphate or manure
1/2 to 1 part kelp meal
(or 1 part basalt dust)
Farm feed and grain
dealers are the best sources for large bags of seed meals, which are
typically used to feed livestock. The other ingredients usually can
be found at garden shops, although they probably will be sold in
smaller quantities at higher prices per pound. You may find the best
prices by mail order or on the Internet.
Garlic Pest Control
Spray
Many cultures around the
world have used garlic as a natural antibiotic and anti-fungal
remedy. When garlic is combined with mineral oil and soap, it
becomes a very effective pest control product.
However, when it is
sprayed, it is not a selective insecticide. It can be used to
control cabbageworm, leafhoppers, squash bugs, whitefly, but will
also affect beneficial insects so be careful where and when you
apply this product.
3 ounces finely chopped
garlic
2 tsp mineral oil
1 pint water
¼ ounce liquid dish soap
Allow the garlic to soak
in the mineral oil for 24 hours. Add water and liquid dish soap.
Stir well and strain into a glass jar for storage. This is your
concentrate.
To use: Combine 1-2
tablespoons of concentrate in 1 pint of water to make the spray. Do
be careful not to make the solution too strong. While garlic is safe
for humans, when combined with oil & soap, the mixture can cause
leaf injury on sensitive plants. Always test the lower leaves of
plants first to make sure they aren't affected.
Dormant Oil
The purpose of an oily
spray is to suffocate over wintering pests, such as aphids and
mites. Most commercial products are made of kerosene or other
petroleum oil. A much less toxic and more sustainable approach is to
use a renewable resource such as vegetable oil.
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp liquid soap
1 gallon water
Combine the soap and oil
and stir to blend thoroughly. Add the water a bit at a time,
stirring as you go (water and oil don’t really emulsify; the soap
helps the process). Pour the mixture into a clean garden spray
container. Spray a coat of the mixture over the entire plant. Shake
the container frequently as you are spraying. This recipe makes 1
gallon.
Homemade Insecticidal
Soap
Soap has been used for
centuries as an all-purpose pesticide. It disrupts insects’ cell
membranes, and kills pests by dehydration. The key is not to use too
much soap, or you’ll also kill the vegetation near the pests. If you
follow the proportions of soap to water in the Soap Spray recipe,
below, the vegetation should be fine.
1 to 2 tablespoons liquid
soap (not detergent)
1 quart water
Combine ingredients in a
bucket, mix, then transfer to a spray bottle as needed.
All Purpose Pesticide
Soap Spray
Strong smelling roots and
spices such as garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger, rhubarb leaves,
cayenne and other hot peppers, are all known to repel insects.
A handful of roots and
spices
Boiling water to cover
the roots and spices
Soap Spray (recipe,
above)
Add the roots and spices
to the bottom of a mason jar. Cover with the boiling water, screw on
the top, and let set overnight. Strain, and add to the Soap Spray.
Note that this will rot, so use it all up or freeze leftovers for
another time. Place into a spray bottle and apply to the plants to
control pests
Bug Juice
Although it seems a bit
macabre, consider using bug juice to fight pests.
Some scientists believe
that pheromones from blended insects send a warning to their living
relatives. While this has been tested, it isn’t a fool-proof method,
but it’s something worth trying!
1/2 cup of pesky insects
Water
Place the insects in an
old blender with enough water to make a thick solution. Blend on
high and strain out the pulp using cheesecloth or a fine sieve.
Dilute at a rate of 1/4 cup bug juice to 1 cup of water, pour into a
spray bottle, and apply to plants. |
