Natural pest control for my vegetable plants?
Question:I was looking for a homemade remedy to keep the bad insects away from my vegetable plants. I noticed some aphids on my tomatoes, and the ladybugs can't seem to eat them fast enough.
I saw something on TV once made with hot peppers blended with other stuff, but I can't remember. I'd like to stay organic and food-safe without having to buy a pesticide (don't want to harm the ladybugs-just repel the "bad guys").
Answers:
Hmm, I've heard about the pepper recipe, but I have no idea if it works!
A website that I use A LOT is from the University of California, Davis. They have a wonderful website with ideas on how to non or least-toxically get rid of, or better yet, prevent, pests.
http://ipm.ucdavis.edu/
First things first though! Basic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) says that you need to know what you are trying to get rid of first. As far as aphids, the website has a bunch of wonderful ideas. I find that insecticidal soap works very well, which you can make yourself using soap and water (recipe: http://azaz.essortment.com/homemadeinsec... ). You can also blast them off with the hose.
http://ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/pestnotes/pn7... is the specific stuff about aphids and you have many options to choose from. Sometimes, if the aphids aren't doing a lot of damage too, who cares if they eat a bit!
Anywho, good luck!
Soapy water works. I've got aphids on my tomato plants as well. You can either constantly spray them off with a strong stream of water or mix a little bit of dishwashing soap with water and spray your plant. It works well and is not harmful to the plant, however I wouldn't do it in the heat of the day.
human hair, vinegar and honey mix
Soapy water dehydrates insects like aphids and they die. If you have japanese beetles you can knock them into a bowl of soapy water and it will do the same thing. Make sure you get the undersides of the leaves.
Other options include products by Safer which you can get in any garden section, keeping dead leaves and bugs etc cleaned up around your plants or look into companion planting which is planting plants that naturally repel insects around plants that the insects are attracted to. Marigolds are one such plant.
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