HOME REMEDIES PART I - BY GEORGE EDGAR Some friends
have asked that I write a column about pest control using common
household products or so called “Home Remedies”. I have resisted
doing this as we are taught in “Master Gardener” classes to only
recommend garden solutions using “research based information”. Many
of the “home remedies” that use materials found around the house
have not been tested. Some do work but nobody has taken the time to
research them to see if they are safe. The federal pesticide act
requires that any product that claims to be a pesticide must undergo
extensive testing and periodic retesting. It also requires that the
active ingredient be listed on the label along with the plants it can be
used on, what insect or disease it will control, and if used in the
vegetable garden, how long between application and harvest. The testing
does not guarantee that the product works as claimed, only that it is
safe when used as directed. A home remedy does not have that testing. So
how long do you wait before you can eat the produce? Or how often do you
apply it and at what intervals? Remember that a “home remedy”
control may be toxic to you, your plants and/or your soil. Use with
caution. Part I will
deal with “Creepy Crawlies” (Insect and Animal Control) and Part II
with “Rots and Spots” (Diseases) and “Fertilizers”. Part III
will cover “Weed Control”. INSECT
AND ANIMAL CONTROL: No one
likes “Creepy Crawlies” and rabbits in their yard or on their
plants. Insecticidal soap is a good organic insecticide that works on
many insects. Unscented dishwashing liquid does work as insecticidal
soap. Two tablespoons to a quart of water works fine for aphids, and to
control many other insects. Be aware that “scented” dishwashing
liquid can be toxic to some plants, especially houseplants. If you are
concerned about cost, check the price. Commercial insecticidal soap in
concentrated form usually is only slightly more expensive than home
made, works better, and does not suds up and clog your sprayer. Dishwashing
liquid is not effective as a surfactant. (A substance that lowers the
surface tension of a liquid so it can stick to a leaf or stem better.)
Every dishwashing liquid has a rinsing agent that helps to rinse the
soap scum off your glasses, plates and silverware. When you add
dishwashing liquid to your pesticide it does the same thing on your
plant. Thus, its value as a surfactant is compromised or limited as it
does not help the pest control stick to the plant, but washes off with
the first rain or watering. A sticker-spreader such as Turbo works
better as it has an ingredient that helps the pesticide you are using
stick to the plant as well as acting as a surfactant, and it does not
foam like soap, A radio
personality likes to recommend tobacco juice as a home remedy
insecticide. (He also uses ammonia which is another no, no story.)
Nicotine was used for years as an insecticide but has been removed from
the market because of its toxicity. Your home brew may be weak one day
and then toxic the next so be careful. Also, as I have said before, some
home remedies may not be safe to use on your plant and some may not only
damage your plant but also damage your soil. Beer poured
into a tuna can or any shallow metal or plastic container works as a
trap for slugs. Place the
lip of the container at ground level and pour in the beer. The slugs are
attracted to the beer and fall into the container and drown. Be sure and
clean out the slugs on a regular basis. You can also trap slugs by
placing a board or burlap on the ground close to your plants. Every
morning, turn the board or burlap over and look for slugs. Remove and
destroy. Crushed egg shells (use a rolling pin) placed around plants
will also help control slugs. The sharp edges cut the slugs as they
crawl around. Last year a national Hosta newsletter recommended the use
of coffee grounds as a deterrent for slugs.
Slugs also do
not like pine needles as mulch. Pine needle mulch is available at some
garden centers. Rabbits will also avoid pine needle mulch and pine cones
that have been shredded with a mower. Almost all animal repellants
contain either garlic, capsaicin (hot pepper), coyote or fox urine,
rotten egg solids, or moth balls (naphthalene), It is best to use one
kind of repellant and then rotate about every two or three weeks as the
animal you are trying to repel learns that they aren’t going to get
hurt by the smell or taste so returns to feast on your plants. Some of
these repellants you can make yourself. The best “home remedy for
larger pests like rabbits, squirrels, and deer is fencing.
reminder:
Some “home remedies”
passed on from your grandparents may work, but be careful. Remember,
they have not been tested. As a result you do not know if the product is
safe to use on the plant you are trying to treat, or what the long term
effect will be on the environment. Whether you use a home remedy or a
commercial product, use it correctly and follow the directions on the
label. If the recipe calls for two ounces per gallon of water, four
ounces is not better. Misuse
of any pesticide can be unhealthy for you and your family, whether it be
one you purchased or a “home remedy”. Read the label before using a product, not
after!!! Then be sure and follow the instructions on the label as to
what plant the product can be used on, how to prepare the product, and
how much to use on the plant, shrub, flower, or tree you need to treat. Do not over medicate your plants
or your soil!!!!! If in doubt,
contact your local County Cooperative Extension Educator for information
or check the internet at “http://ianrhome.unl.edu/search”. In the
top box scroll down to Extension publications. In the bottom box type in
the name of the plant, shrub, flower, tree, insect, or disease you want
information about or you want to treat or control. A list of
publications will appear. Read the ones of interest and print what you
want to file and save. Iowa State
University Extension information may be reached at www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews.
In the search box type in the name of the plant, shrub, flower, tree,
insect, or disease you want information about or you want to treat or
control. A list of short, practical articles will appear. Read the ones
of interest and print what you want to file and save. In Part II I
will cover “Rots and Spots” (Diseases) and “Fertilizers”. Part
III will cover “Weed Control”. Copyright July 30, 2005 |