10 Organic Home Remedies for Garden Pests
Garden pests are a common problem and if growing your own produce, you would not want to use chemical pesticides. I joined a Facebook group of organic gardeners and they shared and recommended simple and quick DIY solutions that will keep your home garden pest-free. We can also control the growth of insects such as mealybugs and aphids using ingredients from the kitchen shelf. These 10 Organic Home Remedies for Garden Pests will prevent pests from destroying your beloved vegetables and fruits that you grow with so much love and attention.
These easy kitchen hacks do not kill the insects but protect the plant from them. I am an advocate of Organic pest control and do not use synthetic pesticides that are toxic. Organic bug control offers an ecologically friendly solution and thwarts the spreading of these toxic chemicals to the groundwater and produces.
. Turmeric
To drive away ants’ from the plants, try the Turmeric trick. Just sprinkle turmeric on the plant or dissolve 25 gms of turmeric powder in water, and spray it on the plants.
- 3 G Mixture- Green chilli, garlic and ginger
An easy and interesting home remedy; mix green chillies, gineger and garlic paste, add a cup of water to it and leave it overnight. The next day, strain it and add one litre of water to it. Spray this solution on the plants.
- Neem oil for Shielding
10 ml neem oil, add to one litre of water. Add a few drops of soap oil to it. Spray this on your plants. Neem oil is easily available on Amazon now.
- A dose of buttermilk and hing
Leaves of some plants like green chillies, start curling. Add a pich of Asafoetida or hing in a litre of sour butter milk and spray it on the plants. The next day the leaves will unfurl.
- Soap-nut solution
Soapnuts are easily available in India. Just soak one soapnut in 200 ml of water and leave it overnight. Next morning, filter and add more water to it. Spray this solution on the plants. The Soapnut water coats the aphids and crushes their eggs.
- Egg shells and Coffee grounds.
Wash and dry eggshells. Crush them in a blender; do not make a powder. It should have jagged edges. Simply sprinkle shells around the base of plants that attract slugs and snails. Or rinse the coffee grounds before scattering them lightly near the base of plants and around the edges of your garden. This will deter pests, and also act as an effective fertilizer.
- Essential oils
Scents like lavender, peppermint, and rosemary deter certain pests, while orange and cedar wood kill many garden bugs. Add 10-20 drops of oil to a gallon of water and spray the affected areas.
- Spices and Herbs
Create a concentrated mixture of garlic, cinnamon, cloves, and hot peppers. Spray the mixture over plants in the evening and repeat every week to ward off common gardening bugs and rodents that feed on veggies and fruits.
- Citrus Spray
Take 2 orange peels or lemons. Heat 4 cups water to a boil, remove from heat. Now add the peels. Cover and steep until cool, strain. This citrus spray is the best to repel white flies
. Onion Spritz
Collect and save onion peels or skins in a zip lock bag; refrigerate it. Fill a bucket with warm water, place the onion peels in it. Soak up to a week, strain. Once you have enough, place the pieces in a pail and fill with warm water. Soak for a few days, up to a week. Optional: You can keep this on the patio in the sun to steep. Spray your plants with this onion solution to fight aphids and pests.
All these gardening hacks are easy and the ingredients are right on your kitchen shelf. If you know of any other organic gardening hacks like these, please share in the comments below.
Do check out my Garden to Table recipes- Radish or Mooli ke Patte ki sabzi, Andhra mullakada, Sorakaya Majjiga Pulusu , Kadhi-Chawal with Kale pakoras
‘This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter’
