Looking to try some new, easy organic recipes
for: insect repellent, fungus control, and more, in 2013? Try some of these
from TheDirtDoctor.com.
Baking Soda/ Potassium Bicarbonate Fungus
Control
Mix 4 teaspoons (about 1 rounded tablespoon) of
baking soda and 1 tablespoon of horticultural oil into one gallon of water.
Spray lightly on foliage of plants afflicted with black spot, powdery mildew,
brown patch and other fungal diseases. Avoid over-using or pouring on the soil.
Potassium bicarbonate is a good substitute for baking soda. Citrus oil and
molasses can be used instead of horticultural oil.
Compost Tea
Manure compost tea is effective on many pests because of certain microorganisms
that exist in it naturally. Here's how to make compost tea at home. Use any
container but a plastic bucket is easy for the homeowner. Fill the 5-15 gallon
bucket half full of compost and finish filling with water. Let the mix sit for
10-14 days and then dilute and spray on the foliage of any and all plants
including fruit trees, perennials, annuals, vegetables and roses, and other
plants, especially those that are regularly attacked by insects or fungal
pests. It's very effective for example on black spot on roses and early blight
on tomatoes. How to dilute the dark compost tea before using depends on the
compost used. A rule of thumb is to dilute the leachate down to one part
compost liquid to four to ten parts water. It should look like iced tea. Be
sure to strain the solids out with old pantyhose, cheese cloth, or row cover
material. Add two tablespoons of molasses to each gallon of spray for more
power. Add citrus oil for even greater pest killing power.
Cornmeal Juice
Cornmeal Juice is a natural fungal control for use in any kind of sprayer. Make
by soaking whole ground cornmeal in water at one cup per 5 gallons of water.
Strain the solids out and spray. The milky juice of the cornmeal will permeate
the water and this mix should be sprayed without further diluting. Cornmeal
Juice can be mixed with compost tea, Garrett Juice or any other natural foliar
feeding spray.
Garlic Pepper Tea Insect Repellent
In a blender with water, liquefy two bulbs of
garlic and two cayenne or habanero peppers. Strain away the solids. Pour the
garlic-pepper juice into a one gallon container. Fill the remaining volume with
water to make one gallon of concentrate. Shake well before using and add 1/4
cup of the concentrate to each gallon of water in the sprayer. To make garlic
tea, simply omit the pepper and add another bulb of garlic. For additional
power, add one tablespoon of seaweed and molasses to each gallon. Always use
plastic containers with loose fitting lids for storage.
Potting Soil
Potting soil – as
opposed to native soil, loam, dirt or landscaper’s soil – is what should be
used in pots - no matter what the crop. Potting soil should be light weight. Do not use peat moss. Peat moss is
excellent for storing bulbs or shipping food or other perishable material that
would otherwise decay. Potting soil should not be sterile as some recommend,
but alive and dynamic. It should be light, loose, well aerated, fertile, full
of microorganisms and have the ability to stimulate quick and sustained growth.
Rcommended formula is:
60% Compost (compost, humate, coconut fiber, coffee grounds)
30% Rock (lava sand, Ditamoaecous Earth DE, zeolite, granite)
10% Sugar - (corn meal,
dry molasses, wheat midlands)
Other amendments that can be in small amounts include greens and, beneficial
microbes (Bacteria and fungi) and organic fertilizers. Some of the best
fertilizers for interior plants include earthworm castings, kelp meal and
coffee grounds. They are mild and odor free.
Toenail Fungus Treatment
What has been reported is to put ½” of cornmeal in a flat pan that’s large enough to get your feet in. Add enough warm water to cover the feet and soak over an hour. . Soak feet for over an hour. More than one treatment may be needed.
