Parasites in the garden, how to get rid of ?
Often our gardens and orchards are plagued by an infestation of aphids, ants, slugs or mites. Often the easiest way is to buy a pesticide to save the crop or, if we want to have completely organic food, the crop may be reduced or lost.
The pesticides we find in many stores are chemicals that are used in agriculture to protect crops from insects, fungi, weeds and other pests. According to the WHO, pesticides are also potentially toxic to humans. They can have detrimental health effects, such as causing cancer or effects on the reproductive, immune or nervous systems. Before their use is allowed, pesticides must be studied to determine all of their possible health effects.
Long before chemical pesticides were invented, farmers had home remedies to get rid of insect infestations that infest plants. These natural alternatives to chemical pesticides can easily be made at home and can save our garden crops.
Garlic is a powerful insect repellent that can deter insects. To make this spray, a head of garlic with a few cloves (types) should be chopped in a blender along with two cups of water until a smooth mixture is obtained. Leave this mixture for a full 24 hours and then add another 3 liters of water. It can be applied by direct evaporation of the plant leaves.
Tomato
Tomato leaves are rich in alkaloids, an excellent remedy for aphids, worms and caterpillars. Fill two cups with chopped tomato leaves and add water. Let stand at least one night and dilute the mixture in two cups of water. It is important to keep it away from pets because it can be toxic to them.
Eggshells.
Shells can be a good fertilizer for soil, as well as a repellent for snails and some caterpillars. Crush the shells and scatter the powder at the base of the plants.
Cilantro
Cilantro is excellent for killing mites. This plant should be boiled with water for about 10 minutes, strain the mixture and use a sprayer to throw it into the garden or vegetable garden.
Vegetable oil
To get rid of aphids, mealybugs, mites or caterpillars, a good solution is to mix 2 cups of vegetable oil with half a cup of pure liquid soap, shake until a white mixture, dilute in water and spray with a sprayer. Preferably use it in the morning or afternoon when the sun is not too hot, because temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius can damage the plant.
Calendula
Planting velveteen or basil around plants is a great solution to repel whiteflies.
Cow’s milk.
To kill insect eggs, mix half a cup of fresh unpasteurized milk with 4 cups of flour and 20 liters of water.
Nettles, in addition to being an annoying plant that causes irritation when you touch it, are an excellent pesticide against aphids and a fertilizer for the soil. Mix 100 grams of nettle with 10 liters of water, let it infuse for 4 days and it’s ready to use.
Tobacco
With natural tobacco we can fight the pesky plague of red spider mites. 60 grams of tobacco should be mixed with 1 liter of water and 10 grams of natural soap. Spread the mixture every 7 days for two months.
Lavender
Lavender is a great solution for repelling ants. An infusion should be prepared from 300 grams of fresh lavender leaves per 1 liter of water. Allow to cool and spray the affected plants.
insecticides for garden soil
Sometimes the appearance of parasites is caused by excess moisture or pre-watering . Not all of these pests are dangerous. Some serve to aerate and fertilize the substrate. But others, such as worms, centipedes and others, can appear that can actually damage roots, leaves or destroy fruit. Sometimes we may not even realize it, and they can slowly die off. So it would be a shame to get lost in the matter and end up with months and months of worry . so sad
One way to find out if you have any of these bugs on your property is to see if small mounds of soil have formed around the pot . This will be unequivocal proof that they are there, as their feces have already begun to form part of the pot substrate, which, in fact, can sometimes begin to overflow.
In the event that these insects are annoying and harmful to your garden, it will be necessary to eliminate them. The best solution for this is to go to a store that specializes in garden products and ask the person in charge to recommend the best insecticides for different types of pests . Most are diluted and added to irrigation water.
However, for pots or flower pots, it is recommended that you do a complete cleaning and replace all the soil in the cage . In doing so, you must be careful about transplanting your species. You should also make sure that the new soil has the right properties for each particular plant, flower or shrub.