Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A safe insect repellent to use on plants?

Alright so these aphids on my sweet basil plant are killing me. THey keep making these big holes in the leaves so i was wondering if there was a safe isecticide to use on the herb and that wont harm me and my family.A safe insect repellent to use on plants?
Are you sure those holes are caused by aphids? I suspect they are caused by slugs. you can use copper bands around your garden plot or containers or use sluggo pellets.





If indeed you have aphid problems, spraying with dishwashing soap (1 tsp concentrate to 1 quart water) plus 1 tsp of canola oil, spray once or twice a week should take care of the aphid problem. Very safe. A simple rinsing should remove the residue before eating the leaves.A safe insect repellent to use on plants?
Insececticidal soap works on aphids and is safe for edible plants. Lady bugs are the biologicial control that you can use for this problem that is also very safe. Make sure that the holes are being made by aphids. Most Garden stores have insecticidial handbooks that show the plant damage and pest - along with the chemical to apply. Below is a link to the Purdue University Help site for Gardeners. This may help. As a last resort - contact your local college extension agent - they are there to help with such problems.





http://www.ces.purdue.edu/q%26amp;as.htm
If you know anyone with a citronella pelagonium, pinch a few leaves, steep them in hot water overnight, steep a quartered onion and 2 cloves of garlic in cold water, strain both and mix the fluids in a spray bottle and, voila, a repellant that will keep bugs slugs and snails out of your garden, plus the dog too.
That's not really what aphids do, prob. slugs like someone else said. But this website has natural insects to kill any pest.





http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/ladybu鈥?/a>
indeed, you should use lady bugs...i would not eat anything that has been sprayed, saying that there is a new insecticide called spinosad that just came out, check it out on the web...monterey gardens carries it in their product line....again on the net.
lady bugs work the best. go out and catch as many as you can and put them on your plant. alternately, ive heard that tomato plant stalks and leaves can be boiled and the resulting broth is good for a repellant.
Hi, You could go buy something at the hardware store,that claims to be safe, but I don't trust the labels. I could tell you my homemade spray that stops them dead. They'll be having their last supper for Easter! It,s safe, it works, and you probably already have it. Mix up this concoction,put it in a spray bottle, and that's it! Bye,Oh I guess telling you what's in it would help! Use the peeling off of one orange,and chop it up,than put in 2 cups af water and about one tablespoon of baby shampoo.Stick it all into the blender, than use your water hose to spray the aphids off as much as you can ,and spray that on your roses.They won't be back. I forgot to tell you to strain the pulp off first before you put it in the bottle.Bye(for reals)
try soap and water

1 comment:

  1. The best slug control....Hi Just read about your insect and slug problem and thought you would like to know of a brilliant Garden protector....I like you and most gardeners suffer from slugs and snails in this damp weather and in fact now that the climate has changed we have the slug and snail problem all year round, I have tried beer traps, copper tape, and wire salt, egg shells, even throwing them in my neighbours garden etc,etc all these methods are not practical long lasting and are harmful to our wildlife. recently a lady gardener recommended a new device to control slugs and snails called the slugbell she has used it and found it to be absolutely brilliant at controlling them I have just ordered 6 of them to place around my flowers and vegetable garden ,here is there web page……. www.slugbell.com......... they use both Organic or Normal Metaldehyde bug pellets and that the small amount of pellets needed will last up to three months.!!! as they don’t dissolve in the soil and are pet i.e. Cat , Dog and wildlife Safe Brilliant for pet owners , I will try anything to keep my garden looking how it should whilst protecting natures cycle.

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