In response to Laurie (FlyRight)'s question, I am using a "natural" bug spray.
I cut up some onion pretty thin. Added chopped garlic and some of the super hot cayenne pepper I had lying about. Let that steep in a sealed container with enough water to cover and a dash of oil for a few days.
Then I put it in the new (unfortunately plastic) pump up garden sprayer I got and diluted with water.
I've been spraying most mornings (though I realize I forgot today! Crap.). There is significantly less veg eaten in the mornings and very few of the little bug poops (dark bits) on the chard. The chard is pretty much a goner but I'm spraying the crap out of the tomatoes and beans in hopes of saving some crop. The onions appear to be fine.
The onion/garlic mix without the cayenne is referred to as "allium tea" on some organic gardening websites. And is supposed to be effective in keeping all sorts of bugs off the plants. It will keep the neighbors out of the garden as well. Lordy does it reek! Several sites recommended adding the cayenne and I figured what the hell since the neighbor cats keep getting in there. The cayenne should keep them out. It is also supposed to help with any sort of caterpillar or grub.
A couple of sites said to add vinegar but I haven't done that. It could change the ph of the soil and perhaps bother the leaves.
Some sites also said to add a bit of soap (not detergent!) to the mix. I haven't done that yet either because with such a small garden in a raised bed and non-permeable soil underneath, I could concentrate those sorts of things pretty easily and end up wrecking the soil in a year or two. If I get desperate, I'll add soap or vinegar.
In other news, I went triking again last night. I'm marginally faster than I was last time though I had to stop several times as it was in the MID 90S!!!! I hate the hot. Went from Chatcolet to Harrison and back, for those who know the local area. I'm not sore, but I did take precautions by coating my legs with arnica before bed.
And now, back to work.
1 comment:
Thanks for the natural bug spray recipe. I don't think that would work here because I like my neighbor Chuck and he's always out futzing around in his driveway which is about 2 feet from my garden. . . We have a baby bunny in our yard. Chuck made me give him lettuce (from the garden) and he wouldn't eat it! He kept chewing on dandelion leaves. He must prefer bitter greens. . .
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