Post by Pharmer Phil on Jun 14, 2007 4:42:21 GMT -6
Long before the chemical companies found out they could make a killing off of gardeners, we were left to our own means, these "remedies" work great, and at very little or NO cost.
Not all of these recipes should be considered organic.
Apple Cider Vinegar Fungicide:
Leafspot, mildew, and scab
Mix 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar (5% acidity) with one gallon water and spray in the morning on infested plants.
Baking Soda Spray:
Anthracnose, early tomato blight, leaf blight and spots, powdery mildew, and as a general fungicide.
For plants that already have powdery mildew, hose down all the infected leaves prior to treatment. This helps to dislodge as many of the spores as possibly to help you get better results.
Use as a prevention or as treatment at first signs of any of the diseases.
Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil with one gallon of water. Shake this up very thoroughly. To this mix add 1/2 teaspoon of pure castille soap and spray. Be sure to agitate your sprayer while you work to keep the ingredients from separating. Cover upper and lower leaf surfaces and spray some on the soil. Repeat every 5-7 days as needed.
Compost and Manure Teas: Many people have success with manure tea keeps blight and other pathogens away from plant. soak the area around plants and use as a foliar spray. Do not use on seedlings
There are two types used, Passive (anaerobic) and Aerobic, The type I use most often is aerobic, this requires a lil work, or purchase a "bubbler" already made
To Make Anaerobic:
Fill a 30 gallon trash can with water. Let sit for 24 hours to evaporate the additives (use rain water if you can). Add about 4 shovelfuls of manure to this and cover. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks, stirring once a day. Strain and apply as needed.
To Make Aerobic:
similar to the bucket method, except that an aquarium-size pump and air bubbler are used in association with microbial food and catalyst sources added to the solution as an amendment. Since aeration is critical, as many as three sump pumps may be used in a bucket simultaneously.
Organic Recipe for Mildew
1 tbspn. Baking Soda
1 tbspn. Olive Oil
1 tbspn. Liquid Coconut oil soap (such as Dr. Bonners Pure Castile Soap)
1 gallon water
Non-Organic Spray Formula: Mix into one gallon of water, in the order listed:
1 tbsp. of mild dishwashing soap (such as Palmolive or Ivory)
2 tbsp. of ultrafine horticultural oil (such as Sunspray™ oil)
1 heaping tbsp. of baking soda
1 tbsp. of fish oil/seaweed emulsion
3-5 drops of Superthrive®
Garlic Oil Fungicide Spray:
Leaf spot and mildews
To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain. Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castille soap to this. Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months.
To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.
Horseradish Tea:
Make a tea from horseradish roots to use as a preventative spray for fungal diseases. Useful against brown rot in apple trees. The white flesh of the horseradish root also contains significant amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamin C.
To make: Process one cup of roots in food processor till finely chopped. Combine this with 16 ounces of water in a glass container and let soak for 24 hours. Strain liquid, discard the solids. Now mix the liquid with 2 quarts of water and spray.
Milk for Mildew:
Milk with its' natural enzymes and simple sugar structures can be used to combat various mildews on cucumber, asters, tomato, squash and zinnia foliage. Use a 50/50 mixture of milk and water. Thoroughly spray plants every 3 to 4 days at first sign of mildews or use as a preventative measure.
Milk can also be mixed at a rate of 2 ounces milk to 18 ounces of water and used as a spray every 7 to 10 days to treat for fungal diseases on cucumber, tomato and lettuce.
Tomato Protective Spray:
Skim milk provides the tomato plant with calcium. A calcium deficiency is common in tomato plants.
To make: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of antitranspirant (like Cloudcover, Wiltpruf etc.) with 8 ounces of skim milk, and 1 gallon of water. Spray plants. Clean out your sprayer when done and flush with fresh water.
*equivalent of prepared powdered milk may be substituted for the skim milk.
Chamomile Spray: Chamomile tea is an excellent preventative for damping-off. Use on seed starting soil, seedlings and in any humid planting area.
Chamomile is a concentrated source of calcium, potash and sulfur. The sulfur is a fungus fighter. This can also be used as a seed soak prior to planting.
To make: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile blossoms. Let steep until cool and strain into a spray bottle. Use as needed. This keeps for about a week before going rancid. Spray to prevent damping off and anytime you see any fuzzy white growth on the soil.
Seaweed Spray:
Seaweed spray is rich in nutrients and minerals. It provides protection from many fungal diseases and can be used to prevent damping-off.
To Make: Use 2/3 cup of kelp or seaweed concentrate to 1 gallon of water, spray.
Horsetail Tea:
Horsetail , which is very invasive, is rich in silica and helps plants to resist fungal diseases and can be used to increase plants light absorbing capabilities. Use on most plants to combat powdery fungi, and on vegetables and roses to control mildew. You can use this on seedlings and plants in greenhouses. May prevent damping off.
To make: In a glass or stainless steel pot, mix 1/8 cup of dried leaves in 1 gallon of unchlorinated water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for at least 1/2 hr. Cool and strain. Store extra concentrate in a glass container. Will keep for a month. Dilute this mix, adding 5-10 parts of unchlorinated water to one part concentrate. Spray plants that show any symptoms of fungal type disease once every 4 days. Spray your seed starting mixtures to prevent damping off.
Elder spray:
This kills aphids, small caterpillars and is useful as a fungicide for mildew and blackspot on roses.
The toxic agent is hydro-cyanic acid, so in preparing the spray use an old saucepan.
Gather 1 lb. leaves and young stems of elder preferably in spring when the sap is rising. Place in the saucepan and add 6pt. water. Boil for half an hour, adding more if necessary. Strain through old nylons and use the liquid cold and undiluted. It will keep for three months if bottled tightly while still hot.
Rhubarb spray:
1 lb. rhubarb leaves, place in an old saucepan with 2 pints water and boil for half an hour, adding more if necessary. Stir the mixture thoroughly and use undiluted as a spray
Corn/Garlic Spray Fungus Preventative:
Surprisingly potent preventative spray to protect your plants.
To make: Gather a handful of corn leaves, clematis leaves (any kind) and as much of the paper like outer leaves of garlic as you can. Process thoroughly in a blender. Then mix with sufficient water to make a thin liquid. Let sit for an hour, strain and spray on plants as a preventative.
Not all of these recipes should be considered organic.
Apple Cider Vinegar Fungicide:
Leafspot, mildew, and scab
Mix 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar (5% acidity) with one gallon water and spray in the morning on infested plants.
Baking Soda Spray:
Anthracnose, early tomato blight, leaf blight and spots, powdery mildew, and as a general fungicide.
For plants that already have powdery mildew, hose down all the infected leaves prior to treatment. This helps to dislodge as many of the spores as possibly to help you get better results.
Use as a prevention or as treatment at first signs of any of the diseases.
Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil with one gallon of water. Shake this up very thoroughly. To this mix add 1/2 teaspoon of pure castille soap and spray. Be sure to agitate your sprayer while you work to keep the ingredients from separating. Cover upper and lower leaf surfaces and spray some on the soil. Repeat every 5-7 days as needed.
Compost and Manure Teas: Many people have success with manure tea keeps blight and other pathogens away from plant. soak the area around plants and use as a foliar spray. Do not use on seedlings
There are two types used, Passive (anaerobic) and Aerobic, The type I use most often is aerobic, this requires a lil work, or purchase a "bubbler" already made
To Make Anaerobic:
Fill a 30 gallon trash can with water. Let sit for 24 hours to evaporate the additives (use rain water if you can). Add about 4 shovelfuls of manure to this and cover. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks, stirring once a day. Strain and apply as needed.
To Make Aerobic:
similar to the bucket method, except that an aquarium-size pump and air bubbler are used in association with microbial food and catalyst sources added to the solution as an amendment. Since aeration is critical, as many as three sump pumps may be used in a bucket simultaneously.
Organic Recipe for Mildew
1 tbspn. Baking Soda
1 tbspn. Olive Oil
1 tbspn. Liquid Coconut oil soap (such as Dr. Bonners Pure Castile Soap)
1 gallon water
Non-Organic Spray Formula: Mix into one gallon of water, in the order listed:
1 tbsp. of mild dishwashing soap (such as Palmolive or Ivory)
2 tbsp. of ultrafine horticultural oil (such as Sunspray™ oil)
1 heaping tbsp. of baking soda
1 tbsp. of fish oil/seaweed emulsion
3-5 drops of Superthrive®
Garlic Oil Fungicide Spray:
Leaf spot and mildews
To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain. Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castille soap to this. Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months.
To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.
Horseradish Tea:
Make a tea from horseradish roots to use as a preventative spray for fungal diseases. Useful against brown rot in apple trees. The white flesh of the horseradish root also contains significant amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamin C.
To make: Process one cup of roots in food processor till finely chopped. Combine this with 16 ounces of water in a glass container and let soak for 24 hours. Strain liquid, discard the solids. Now mix the liquid with 2 quarts of water and spray.
Milk for Mildew:
Milk with its' natural enzymes and simple sugar structures can be used to combat various mildews on cucumber, asters, tomato, squash and zinnia foliage. Use a 50/50 mixture of milk and water. Thoroughly spray plants every 3 to 4 days at first sign of mildews or use as a preventative measure.
Milk can also be mixed at a rate of 2 ounces milk to 18 ounces of water and used as a spray every 7 to 10 days to treat for fungal diseases on cucumber, tomato and lettuce.
Tomato Protective Spray:
Skim milk provides the tomato plant with calcium. A calcium deficiency is common in tomato plants.
To make: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of antitranspirant (like Cloudcover, Wiltpruf etc.) with 8 ounces of skim milk, and 1 gallon of water. Spray plants. Clean out your sprayer when done and flush with fresh water.
*equivalent of prepared powdered milk may be substituted for the skim milk.
Chamomile Spray: Chamomile tea is an excellent preventative for damping-off. Use on seed starting soil, seedlings and in any humid planting area.
Chamomile is a concentrated source of calcium, potash and sulfur. The sulfur is a fungus fighter. This can also be used as a seed soak prior to planting.
To make: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile blossoms. Let steep until cool and strain into a spray bottle. Use as needed. This keeps for about a week before going rancid. Spray to prevent damping off and anytime you see any fuzzy white growth on the soil.
Seaweed Spray:
Seaweed spray is rich in nutrients and minerals. It provides protection from many fungal diseases and can be used to prevent damping-off.
To Make: Use 2/3 cup of kelp or seaweed concentrate to 1 gallon of water, spray.
Horsetail Tea:
Horsetail , which is very invasive, is rich in silica and helps plants to resist fungal diseases and can be used to increase plants light absorbing capabilities. Use on most plants to combat powdery fungi, and on vegetables and roses to control mildew. You can use this on seedlings and plants in greenhouses. May prevent damping off.
To make: In a glass or stainless steel pot, mix 1/8 cup of dried leaves in 1 gallon of unchlorinated water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for at least 1/2 hr. Cool and strain. Store extra concentrate in a glass container. Will keep for a month. Dilute this mix, adding 5-10 parts of unchlorinated water to one part concentrate. Spray plants that show any symptoms of fungal type disease once every 4 days. Spray your seed starting mixtures to prevent damping off.
Elder spray:
This kills aphids, small caterpillars and is useful as a fungicide for mildew and blackspot on roses.
The toxic agent is hydro-cyanic acid, so in preparing the spray use an old saucepan.
Gather 1 lb. leaves and young stems of elder preferably in spring when the sap is rising. Place in the saucepan and add 6pt. water. Boil for half an hour, adding more if necessary. Strain through old nylons and use the liquid cold and undiluted. It will keep for three months if bottled tightly while still hot.
Rhubarb spray:
1 lb. rhubarb leaves, place in an old saucepan with 2 pints water and boil for half an hour, adding more if necessary. Stir the mixture thoroughly and use undiluted as a spray
Corn/Garlic Spray Fungus Preventative:
Surprisingly potent preventative spray to protect your plants.
To make: Gather a handful of corn leaves, clematis leaves (any kind) and as much of the paper like outer leaves of garlic as you can. Process thoroughly in a blender. Then mix with sufficient water to make a thin liquid. Let sit for an hour, strain and spray on plants as a preventative.
