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The flowers are blooming and the tomatoes are bulging delightfully green and red in the fruit and vegetable patch. Life is looking good - until you notice the ants - and the aphids - and the fungus.
What do you do?
Ants can often host aphids by sheltering and protecting them. Why? Ants feed on the aphids' honeydew. So, a good place to start in ridding your garden of both pests is with the ants. To annihilate a colony of ants and not harm nearby plants, place a large flower pot over the ant hill. Plug the pot's drainage hole. Then pour a bucket of extremely hot water over the soil surrounding the pot. The ants will seek refuge under the pot. When you feel that most of the colony has scrambled to the pot, turn it over and fill the pot with the rest of the hot water. (If plants or plant roots will be directly in the path of the hot water, do not use this method.)
There are natural nontoxic concoctions and mixtures that may be made in the kitchen to kill both ants and aphids. Many use products and ingredients common to most households. A list of methods using household remedies follows:
1. Sprinkle grits in the paths the ants have made in the soil and in other highly affected areas of the garden. The ants will ingest the grits, which expand inside of them, causing instant death.
2. Chop three jalapeno peppers and puree them in the blender. Then add three cloves of garlic and puree again. Add warm water and fill to the top. Cover and blend on high. Strain the mixture and discard the jalapeno and garlic pulp. Pour the jalapeno-garlic water into a spray bottle. Apply liberally to affected plants.
3. Puree orange peels and water in the blender. Remove orange pulp and discard. Pour the orange-peel water directly into the center of an ant hill. Do this early in the morning so that the mixture has the opportunity to work for the entire day.
4. Mix approximately four ounces of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of warm water. Pour this into a spray bottle and apply liberally to affected plants.
5. Combine one tablespoon of liquid handwashing soap and one cup vegetable oil in a small bottle. Place a cap on the bottle and shake vigorously to mix. Add two teaspoons of this mixture to one gallon of water and pour into a spray atomizer for easier application. Note: this spray should not be used on squash, cauliflower, or cabbage, as they are prone to leaf burn.
6. Collect several aphid-infested leaves and crush these. Blend one-half cup of aphid-and-leaves with two cups water. Strain. Discard leaves and aphid bodies. Spray aphid-water on plant foliage. The water is rich in acid derived from the aphids' crushed bodies, which is toxic to other aphids.
7. Sprinkle wood ashes over the lower portions of affected plants. Leave on one day - enough time for the ashes to suffocate the ants and/or aphids. Use warm water or hose water to rinse the plants the following day.
8. Soak 2-3 pounds of rhubarb or tobacco leaves in four quarts of water for 24 - 36 hours. Discard leaves and boil water. Reduce heat and simmer for thirty minutes. Add one ounce of laundry soap flakes. Cool to room temperature and apply to affected plants by use of a sprayer.
Commercial pesticides that kill ants and/or aphids include rotenone-based sprays and pyrethrum. These sprays are not harmful to humans or pets. They do, however, kill ALL insects, including those that are beneficial to the soil such as earthworms. Commercial sprays should be applied at night as direct sunlight on treated leaves can cause burning to foliage.
Most gardening specialists recommend treating one or two inconspicuous plants with a pesticide spray (homemade or commercial) before application is made to the entire garden. Watch the plant(s) that has been sprayed for scorching or discoloration. If the plant remains healthy, apply the pesticide to all plants in the garden within the next 36 hours.
Preventative measures can be taken to reduce the incidence of ants and aphids. Many insects are deterred by the aroma of mint, marigolds, lavender, chives, and garlic. Planting these along borders can help protect flowers and vegetable plants alike.
Fungus is another garden enemy. The most common varieties include verticillium wilt, clubroot, powdery mildew, black spot, and rust. Certain preventative measures can help alleviate fungus. These include:
1. Watering early in the day so that leaves and foliage have the opportunity to dry in the sunshine throughout the day.
2. Using sterilized pots and gardening tools so that disease isn't transported from the plant that last was housed in the pot or tended with the same tools. (Running gardening utensils and pots through the dishwasher is an excellent method of sterilization.)
3. Pruning overgrown plants and shrubs so that air circulation and sun penetration is improved.
4. Raking and removing fallen leaves or diseased portions of plants that are on the ground around the base of plants.
But, sometimes, fungus appears despite the gardener's best efforts. Fungicides must be applied to affected plants. These can be homemade or commercial.
For fungus treatment via a kitchen remedy, combine one teaspoon of baking soda and one-fourth teaspoon vegetable oil with one quart warm water. Pour into a spray atomizer and shake well to mix the oil and water. Immediately apply to the foliage of affected plants. Be sure to spray the underside of leaves as well as the most visible portions. This is particularly effective for black spot on roses.
Commercial fungicides are available at most nurseries. Read the manufacturer's directions when purchasing a commercial fungicide to be sure to purchase the correct one for your particular plant varieties. The wrong fungicide - or even an overdose of the right one - can kill plants.
The most important factor when dealing with pests such as ants and aphids, as well as the various forms of fungi, is to watch plants carefully. Attend to affected plants immediately. Putting off affective treatment can rob you of healthy, flowering, producing plants.
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