For The Garden
Dormant Oil Spray
1 gallon water
1 c. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. dish soap
Combine oil and soap, add to aprayer. Slowly add water while stirring. Use immediately to coat leaves and bark of all fruit trees before buds open.
Basic Liquid Insecticidal Soap
1 qt. water
1 tsp. liquid organic soap
Combine and spray on plants as needed saturating the leaves.
Insecticidal Soap (chewing insects)
1 qt. water
1 tsp. liquid organic soap
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
Mix the water and soap. Add the garlic and let sit, covered, for 24 hours. Strain out the garlic and spray as needed.
Deer and Rabbit Repellent
1 qt. water
4 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)
1 tsp. garlic
Combine water, soap and pepper sauce. Add garlic and let sit, covered, for 24 hrs. Strain and use as needed on plants as well as the perimeter of the garden. WEAR GLOVES WHEN APPLYING.
Organic Fungicide
2 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 gallons warm water
Combine oil and soda. Mix well. Slowly add to water and stir well. Use to prevent/treat powdery mildew.
Fungicide 2:
Combine one part organic (or raw) milk with 2 parts water. Mix well and spray susceptible plants before fungus appears.
Fertilizers:
Liquid Kelp (or seaweed) is valuable in starting seeds, preventing damping off and makes a nutrient rich foliar spray for indoor and outdoor plants. The plants’ leaves and roots store the nutrients so apply only 3x a season: at the seedling stage, upon setting plants out and at the blossoming stage.
Compost Tea: Used like manure tea only it’s made from your own kitchen compost. To make simply put 2 c. of compost into a mesh bag, old pantyhose, sock etc. and place into 1 gallon of water. Let steep for 48 hours. For large outdoor gardens put two shovel-fulls of compost into a large container and fill with water. Let sit 48 hours before using.
Prevention:
Powdery Mildew: Horsetail tea (yes, horsetail that horrible invasive weed!) can be used effectively against powdery mildew on vegetables. A few dried leaves mixed into a gallon of water and allowed to steep for a day will make a concentrate that needs to be diluted before use. Mix 1 part tea to 5 parts water for use as a foliar spray.
Downey Mildew: Chive spray. Chopped fresh chives simmered in hot water for a few minutes and strained will make an effective foliar spray for cucumbers and winter and summer squash. It also helps to repel chewing insects.
Black Spot: Apple cider vinegar (about 2-3 Tbsp.) mixed into a gallon of water and sprayed on roses will treat leaves affected by black spot.
Bug Puree
Gross but it works. Gather up a quantity of whatever insect has invaded your plants. (Japanese beetles!) Puree them in an old blender (or whatever gets the job done) and mix with water. Let sit overnight,covered. Strain and spray as needed.
For Ants
Sprinkle borax mixed with sugar along the trails and near their hills where they are coming into your home.
To prevent “damping-off” in seedlings
Steep two Chamomile tea bags in 4 c. hot water for 10 minutes. Compost the tea bags and let the water cool. Use instead of water to mist the soil around seedlings until the first set of true leaves appear. Chamomile naturally protects seedlings from soil-borne diseases. (Cinnamon sprinkled on the soil’s surface works,too.)
For The Home:
All-Purpose Cleaning Solution
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1 cup ammonia
1 gallon hot water
Combine in a bucket. Use for general cleaning and mopping. No rinsing needed.
Natural Furniture Polish
2 cups mineral oil
1 tsp. citrus oil (orange, lemon etc.)
Use a cloth to apply and buff until shiny.
