Unchained Preppers
General Category => Sustenance => Topic started by: Jeremy Knauff on October 11, 2013, 10:55:59 AM
-
It took some trial and error, but I've found an organic way to keep pests off your garden without bothering the beneficial insects, like bees.
I poured some vegetable oil, chili peppers, and garlic cloves into a blender, and then applied the mixture to the leaves. (Avoid the flowers so the bees keep coming back, and avoid herbs so as not to taint their flavor.) About a week has gone by and the caterpillars that have been devouring my squash leaves have not shown back up.
I have plans to improve the method of production to make it spray-able from a spray bottle. I'll let you know how that works out.
-
Nice tip. Do you have to reapply the mixture after a certain amount of time, or after a rain? I didn't have many insect problems this year, but need a higher fence to keep the deer out.
-
Yes to both, I haven't yet determined what that length of time is.
I live in Florida, so we get plenty of rain, and it's rained a few times in the last week, but the mixture is still on the leaves?that was because I used oil rather than water. ;)
-
This is on my wishlist:
http://www.amazon.com/1001-All-natural-Secrets-Pest-free-Property/dp/0977670600/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381530790&sr=1-3 (http://www.amazon.com/1001-All-natural-Secrets-Pest-free-Property/dp/0977670600/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381530790&sr=1-3)