Natural Garden Pest Control
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No dig gardens essentially strive to be their own ecosystem. This is the sign of the best sort of garden, one that is in tune with itself without the need for pest or disease control. Starting with a weed free bed and clean compost, the garden should get off to a roaring start on this front.
That doesn't mean pests or disease won't ever be present, but it may be minimised under these conditions. Once your garden is underway, factors may change to alter the harmony in your garden. There is an astonishing range of things that can bring your garden plants under attack. To rectify problems, always go with the least toxic option for your garden's sake and for your sake, starting with these home recipes.
To discourage animals and some insects from eating your plants, combine one cup of water, 5 garlic cloves and 6 large hot peppers. Blend thoroughly in a blender, then strain into a spray bottle. Add another cup of water and spray away.
For red spider mites, mix 4 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid in one gallon of water. Spray plants weekly until mites are gone, then monthly to stop them from returning.
Encourage native birds into you garden with bird houses, water baths and native flowering vegetation. They will eat many times their own weight in insects.
Cucumber peels on an ant route will make them go away.
For hardshell scale insects, mix 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 tablespoon mild liquid soap in two gallons of water. Spray or wipe on plants once a week for 3 weeks or until gone.
Put beer in a shallow pan in the garden to trap snails and slugs overnight. Vinegar in a shallow pan will do the same thing.
Salt sprinkled on snails and slugs will kill them instantly. Go out in the evening with a flashlight and salt shaker and protect your plants!
Orange or grapefruit halves hollowed and turned upside down placed around the garden will also attract snails and slugs. Go out in the morning to shake salt on those hiding under the peel.
Put a whole garlic bulb through a garlic press and let it sit in a glass jar with several ounces of mineral oil. Mix a few spoonfuls with dishwashing liquid, hot pepper sauce and water in a spray bottle. This will discourage rabbits, gophers and woodchucks from entering your garden. It will also keep beetles off most vegetable plants.
Another important method for pest control in the garden is companion planting. Some examples include: Planting garlic to deter flying insects; while mint and sage near cabbage will repel the cabbage fly. There is more information on companion planting on my site www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com.
Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being an executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
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Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (part 4) Environment
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Growing Great Asparagus
I went out to feed the birds this morning - the temperature was comfortably above freezing, and a downy woodpecker was telegraphing his territorial rights on the nearest utility pole. I realized it was time to feed the asparagus.If you love fresh, succulent spears of asparagus but rankle at the price you pay for them (and the quality you get) at the grocery store, consider growing...(related: Gardening Supply)
Home For A Gnome?
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How To Prevent Damping Off
Damping off is the single term used to describeunderground, soil line, or crown rots of seedlings due tounknown causes. The term actually covers several soil bornediseases of plants and seed borne fungi. The fungi whichcause root rot are species of Phyium, Phytophthora,Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.There are two types of damping...(related: Gardening Supply)
How To Build A Waterfall
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Natural Garden Pest Control
No dig gardens essentially strive to be their own ecosystem. This is the sign of the best sort of garden, one that is in tune with itself without the need for pest or disease control. Starting with a weed free bed and clean compost, the garden should get off to a roaring start on this front.That doesn't mean pests or disease won't ever be present, but it may be minimised under these conditions. Once your garden is underway, factors may ch...(related: Gardening Supply)
Escape To Sunny Mexico - At Home!
Can't get away for a southern vacation this year? Don't despair -- plan a sunny Mexican style refresher for your patio décor and enjoy the festive atmosphere of a hacienda at home this summer.As with every other decorating style, Mexican décor has its own basic elements.Color
- The predominant color in the sunny Mexican look is yellow -- bright, cheery and warm. If you're lucky enough to be working with an outdoor space that abuts a stucco house exterior, consider painting the stucco yellow or soft terracotta. Otherwise, fashion walls for your space from a fence, a screen or a trellis painted an uplifting sunny hue.
- ...(related: Gardening Supply)
Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Come To My Garden
Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybirds, can be a gardener's best friend. The ladybug's bright coloring brings welcomed cheer to the garden, as well as helping with pest control. Since medieval times, ladybugs have been valued by...(related: Gardening Supply)
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Growing Palms
Palms
Everybody recognises palm trees, they are the universal symbol for the tropics but many are hardy enough for our temperate climate gardens. Until recently New Zealand gardeners have had only a very limited range of palms to choose from. In the last five years the range has grown enormously as nurseries have been encouraged by gardeners eager to experime...(related: Gardening Supply)
Home For A Gnome?
Kitsch is defined by several dictionaries as relating to poor quality or gaudy art objects that appeal to "low-brow" taste. But in the garden, kitsch categorizes folksy or commercial art that's viewed condescendingly by some, and with irony by others. It's this irony (this stuff is so bad it's good) that has made items such as pink flamingos and garden gnomes more widely popular in recent years.Garden gnomes have long been popular in Europe, especially in the middle European countries of Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. In fact, the city of Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic has declared 2004 to be the Year of the Gnome.Worldwide popularity of these dwarvish creatures was given a boost after the release of the French film Amelie in 2001. The title character in that movie, frustrated by her father's refusal to tr...(related: Gardening Supply)
Natural Garden Pest Control
No dig gardens essentially strive to be their own ecosystem. This is the sign of the best sort of garden, one that is in tune with itself without the need for pest or disease control. Starting with a weed free bed and clean compost, the garden should get off to a roaring start on this front.That doesn't mean pests or disease won't ever be present, but it may be minimised under these conditions. Once your garden is underway, factors may ch...(related: Gardening Supply)
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