|
Chemicals used in the garden are poisonous. They are poisonous to whatever it is they are designed to kill and to birds, beneficial insects and even to children. In short, they are all dangerous and none more so than those under the general heading of pesticides.
Having said that, there are some products on the market, which are called pesticides that are safe. They can be purchased at any garden centre and two are called Derris and pyrethrum. They can be bought separately or as a mixture and you should check the strength and buy according to what you want to kill. (Do not buy any that are mixed with anything else!) Singly or combined they are effective against caterpillars and a range of pests including aphids.
Derris is usually sold as a dust and is especially effective against fleabeetles, which eat the leaves of cabbages and plants of that family.
Often referred to as the safest pesticide and made by boiling just 100 grams (4 oz.) of wood chips from Picrasma quassioides in 4.25 litres (a gallon) of water for about two hours, is Quassia. This will not kill either ladybirds (ladybugs) or bees both of which are beneficial insects. The ladybugs especially eat large quantities of aphids. Quassia can be used to kill sawfly and raspberry beetle caterpillars.
Another powerful pesticide is Nicotine which can be purchased ready to use or home-made by boiling 100 grams (4 oz.) of cigarettes from which the filters have been removed, in 4.25 litres (a gallon) of water for 30 minutes. For killing caterpillars the final solution needs to be diluted with four parts of water and sprayed.
Where you need the solution to ‘stick’ to the leaves of your young plants, mix 25% of your 1:4 dilution with 25grams (1 oz) of soapflakes. This is ideal for use on cabbage and its relatives for killing aphids, cabbage moth caterpillars and whitefly. Nicotine like this is still poisonous in solution and care should be taken when using it. However, it breaks down very quickly in the soil and there are no potentially harmful residual effects.
Rhubarb leaves can be used to make a solution to eradicate greenfly on roses. Chop up 1.25 kg (3 lb.) of the leaves and boil for 30 minutes in 3.2 litres (6 pints) of water. Strain and allow to cool and then add a mixture of 1 litre (2 pints) of water mixed with 25 grams (1 oz.) of soapflakes. This makes a good spray for aphids.
The dreaded potato beetle can be dealt with in two ways. The first is time consuming but effective and that is to inspect the underside of the leaves and remove any larvae that are found. The second method is to use what is commonly called BT, which is, in fact Bacillus thuringiensis and is safe and effective not only for potato beetle but also for cabbage worms, tomato hornworms, tent caterpillars and gypsy moths. It is sold in spray form at most good garden centres.
There are a couple of simple ideas that you can also use as general ways of keeping down the pests. The first is to make up a solution of your own insecticidal soap which is done by mixing 30 ml. (2 tablespoons) of a biodegradable soap (Ivory is good for this) with 1 litre (2 pints) of water. This should be stirred thoroughly and used as a spray.
The second is to make your own ‘fly papers’. Spread honey, maple syrup or some other sweet, sticky substance, on to yellow paper or plastic and hang near plants where there is evidence of insect damage. Remember, though, that even the beneficial insects will be attracted to these so do use them sparingly and for as short a period as possible.
There are many remedies that require no spraying at all. For instance, the carrot fly can be limited by planting onions between your rows of carrots. These mask the carrot smell which is what first attracts the fly. Cabbage root fly can be prevented by the use of plastic pots (yoghurt pots are ideal) with stem size holes cut in the bottom. The seedling is planted so that it grows through the hole while the ‘top’ of the carton is buried below the surface of the soil. As the plants grow, the stem fills the hole and prevents access to the roots.
These, then, are just a few of the methods that can be used to keep down insect damage in your garden without having to use chemicals that can be deadly to other animals and a potential threat to you and your children.
| 
