Home made pesticides and weed killers

No matter what type of gardener you are, even if you are a homeowner with some ornamentals along your walkway you have one thing in common. Everyone who has ever dug in the dirt hates weeds and pests.. Many people don’t want to purchase pesticides and weed killers from the store because they are full of chemicals that can be harmful to your crops, your pets, and your family. Not to mention the expense.

Today I am going to give you some homemade remedies for killing weeds and bugs. Most of these can be done for less than $10!

Greenhouse/Garden Bugs

Bugs can be really difficult to get rid of in your greenhouse or garden. One way is to use beneficial garden bugs; however, if you are creeped out by releasing hundred of bugs into your greenhouse or you don’t want to spend the money on them there are a few other solutions:

1. Neem Oil- In a spray bottle, combine two quarts of warm water, ½ oz. Organic Neem Oil, and ½ teaspoon of organic liquid soap. Shake to mix ingredients and spray on the leaves of your plants, be sure to get the underside of the leaves where bugs like to hide. If you have extra spray the soil around the plants as well, neem oil is great for soil! The neem oil mixture works great for almost any type of pesky garden bugs and it will not kill beneficial bugs.

2. Cayenne Pepper & Citrus Oil- In a spray bottle, combine 1 cup warm water, 10 drops citrus essential oil, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, shake well and apply to the infected plants. This mix works great on ants!

3. Garlic Oil- Mince or finely chop 3-4 cloves of garlic and add that to 2 teaspoons of mineral oil. Let this mixture sit for at least 24 hours before straining out the pieces of garlic and adding the garlic oil to one pint of water. Put this mixture in a spray bottle and spray on infected plants. The garlic oil will keep in your fridge for up to a month. WARNING: Garlic oil works very well but it also kills beneficial bugs such as ladybugs. Be careful when spraying if you have seen beneficials in your garden or use another method such as the neem oil that does not kill beneficials.

With all homemade insecticides make sure you wash your produce well before you eat it.

Weeds

For weeds we have one natural solution that works very well (I have tried it myself). In a spray bottle, combine one gallon of vinegar and 1 oz. of dish soap. Mix it well and spray it on your weeds. Spray your weeds on a day when there is no wind and lots of sun, the sun helps dry up the weeds faster. As for the wind vinegar doesn’t know whether it’s killing a plant or a weed so be careful to only spray the weeds when spraying this in your garden. As for walkways, sandboxes, (I used it on a beach area) spray your heart out! It works really well!

Source: www.rimolgreenhouses.com blog