Thread: Organic pest control recipes

I was doing a cleanup the other day and came across this old handwritten list tucked in a gardening magazine. I’ve no idea who wrote it and it looks like it has some good info.

Organic pest control recipes

1.FRUIT FLY

Flies are attracted to moisture, sugars and proteins and these form the base of any bait preparation. The time to place baits is approximately two months before fruit begins to ripen.

Ingredients:
1 litre of water
2 cups of urine
3 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon of vegemite
1 cup of sugar

Preparation:

1/3 fill small jars and suspend 4 to 5 jars per tree. Renew every 10 days.

2.GARLIC SPRAY

Garlic is well known for its medicinal value and is useful for the control of insect pests such as aphids and some caterpillars.

Ingredients:
1 Full bulb of garlic
2 tablespoons of paraffin
½ cake of sunlight soap or 2 cups of Lux flakes
1 litre of water

Preparation:

Finely chop bulb of garlic or put through a blender. Add paraffin and soak for 2 to 3 days. Dissolve soap in 1 litre of water, add to garlic and paraffin, stir and soak for another 1 to 2 days. Strain residue through pantyhose of mosquito net.

Dilute ½ cup to 4 litres of water. Apply two applications, 10 days apart.

3.NICOTINE SPRAY
has been deregistered for commercial use as it is a very potent poison. Homemade sprays should be prepared with extreme care.
Ingredients:
1(one) 2oz packet of tobacco or 2 packets of cigarettes
5 litres of water
Preparation:
Simmer the tobacco in 5 litres of water for 30 – 60 minutes. Strain the liquid to remove shreds of tobacco.
Mix 1 part nicotine spray to 4 parts water. For greater effectiveness add white oil at the rate of 60 mls to 5 litres of spray.
DO NOT spray Tomato, Capsicum or Potato plants.
PLEASE NOTE food crops require at least 3 days withholding period before eating.

4.CONDYS CRYSTALS (potassium permanganate)

This is a very useful insecticide and fungicide. Used in controlling aphids and slugs and also useful in controlling powdery mildew.

Ingredients:
30 grams condys crystals
9 litres of water
30 mls white oil

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together and spray plants once every 10 days when pests are active.
Do not mix with soap.


5.BORAX

This can be used to control ants and cockroaches.

Ingredients:
BORAX
Sugar or Honey

Preparation:
Mix equal parts of borax and sugar or borax and honey. Place lids at the bottom of cupboards.

Borax acts as a stomach poison.
KEEP CLEAR FROM HOUSEHOLD PETS AND CHILDREN.

6.TOMATO LEAF JUICE
Useful in controlling aphids and caterpillars on many plants.
Ingredients:
500 grams tomato leaves
5 litres water
30 grams soap

Preparation:
Boil tomato leaves in 5 litres of water. Strain mixture and dissolve 30 grams of soap in the mix. Mixture can be made to suit your desired strength.
Recommended dosage is one part tomato spray to 4 parts water.
DO NOT spray Tomato, Capsicum and Potato plants.

7.SYRUP
Useful in protecting plants from grasshoppers and locusts. These insects do not like sticky surfaces.

Ingredients:
2 cups of Syrup or Treacle
4 litres of water

Preparation:
Mix syrup or treacle with 4 litres of water. Spray on plants to be protected when pests are in season.

8.FISH FERTILISER as a deterrent to insects

30 mls – 4.5 litres of water
30 mls white oil

Apply the spray every 7 days. It is also beneficial foliage fertilizer.

9.SEAWEED FERTILISER as a deterrent to insects
30 mls – 4.5 litres of water
30 mls white oil

Apply the spray every 7 days. It is also beneficial foliage fertilizer.

10.SUPREME 800 as a deterrent to insects
30 mls – 4.5 litres of water
30 mls white oil

Apply the spray every 7 days. It is also beneficial foliage fertilizer.

11.LETTUCE deters most insects
1 head of lettuce boiled for 20 minutes. Use 1 part – 4 parts water.

12.CABBAGE deters most insects
1 head of lettuce boiled for 20 minutes. Use 1 part – 4 parts water.

13.SUGAR repels nematodes
Apply to surface of the soil. Two handfuls per square yard.

14.GARLIC SOLUTION used to control Thrips and aphids

Soak ½ cup of crushed garlic in ½ cup of vegetable oil for 1 week.
Add a little liquid soap and dilute 1 part mixture to 10 parts water.

Great info, thanks. My neighbour's apple tree is being invaded by? The leaves are crinkling up and no apples this year. Can't see any bug activity, so maybe it has a diff problem.

Look on the underside of the tree's leaves for little white spots that are actually bugs. The symptoms sound very much like a bug with a name something like Wee Melang. I came here looking for a non-poisonous (to me) recipe for controlling these on food and herb crops.

try andrograhis paniculata or bamboo oil

Thanks for your fast reply! Could you please tell me where I can get either of these?