Posts Tagged ‘organic gardening’

How to Prepare Natural Insecticide

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

If you want to get rid of pests in your garden or home, you can always get an insecticide at your local store. It may be a harsh chemical that you don’t want in your home, though. You might prefer to use natural insecticide. If you do, you can prepare your own.

If you get some boric acid powder, you can mix up all kinds of natural insecticide. For ants, you can put together a tablespoon of boric acid, a teaspoon of sugar, and some water. Put it on a cotton ball and set it out where ants go. Getting rid of ants will also decrease the possibility of having aphids.

For roaches, it’s simple. Just set out the powder where the roaches run. Boric acid can be mixed with a non-toxic version of anti-freeze called propylene glycol to kill termites. A natural insecticide can be made that is safe for use around children and pets just by using boric acid and household ingredients. You can mix the acid with water in a 10% solution for use on surfaces.

You can make a natural insecticide for use on small pests that you get on plants. You can make a garlic spray. Take a good amount of garlic and chop it up finely. Add paraffin oil and soak it for a full day.

Next, dissolve some soap in water and slowly add that. After you stir it up, strain it in cheese cloth. Only store it in a container that is made of glass. Your natural insecticide is ready to use.

For aphids, you can make a natural insecticide that is a stinging nettle spray. Just take some nettles and soak them in water for about three weeks. After this is finished fermenting, dilute it with water. It is ready to spray.

There are several methods for killing the Colorado potato beetle. You can make a natural insecticide tea by soaking cedar chips. Then make it into a spray to apply to leaves.

Another foliage spray used as a natural insecticide against this destructive pest is tansy spray. Dry out the tansy and grind it up. You can do this with a mortar and pestle if you have one. Then, mix it with water to make the spray.

For cutworms, you can make another natural insecticide spray by using pineapple weed and water mixed together as a natural insecticide. Or, you can use sagebrush extract with water. If you just want to immobilize them, you can mix molasses with bran and sawdust. Put this on plants in the evening.

Tomato horn worms destroy tomatoes and other crops. For a natural insecticide, you can lightly cover the area around the plants with cornmeal they will try to eat it. Their digestive systems can’t handle it and they will pop.

A spray can be made as a natural insecticide for many small soft-bodied bugs. You use a spoonful of canola oil and a few drops of liquid soap. This gets rid of mealy bugs, aphids, and mites.

There are many other kinds of natural insecticide that can be used to get rid of pests. You can’t concoct them all in your own kitchen, either. However, when you can, it makes using natural insecticide that much easier.

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The Pros and Cons of Eating Organic Foods

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Have you heard that organic foods are healthy to eat and good for the environment? If you have, you may be interested in making the switch to organic foods. With that being said, you may still be a little bit uncertain about doing so. For many individuals, a change in eating habits is a big deal. In fact, a change in eating habits can also be considered a lifestyle change. To help ensure that you are making the right decision, you may first want to examine the pros and cons of eating organic foods.

Perhaps, the greatest pro or plus side to eating organically is the health benefits. Organic food differ from many of the other foods that are available for sale today because they are not made with chemicals and other additives, some of which may be harmful to our bodies. Organic food is one hundred percent, completely natural. You are also given guarantees, as most organic foods must be certified and pass rigorous tests.

Another pro or plus side to eating organically is that organic food is ideal for individuals of all ages. This is great if you are looking to have your whole family eat organic, not just yourself. It is also important know that organic foods aren’t just fruits and vegetables. There are snacks, drinks, and deserts that are all considered organic. Most organic foods, including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and snacks are designed for individuals of all ages. With that being said, there are also many companies that specialize in selling organic foods for babies and toddlers. One of those companies is Earth’s Best Organic.

Another pro or plus side to making the switch to organic foods is that you can do your part to help the environment, as well as organic farmers. Unfortunately, farms seem to be a dying bread in the United States. Many farmers, even those who have been farming for years are finding it too costly to continue. Although most will simply just close down their operations, others decide to make the switch to organic foods. This not only helps to keep farmers afloat and in business, but it can also help the environment, by eliminating the number of pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals that are used.

Although there are a number of pros or plus sides to buying and eating organic foods, it is also important to touch on the downsides of doing so as well. One of the biggest cons or downsides associated with eating organic is the cost of doing so. Visiting one of your local supermarkets and walking through an organic food section will give you an idea as to the costs. When compared to other foods, organic does cost more money. While that cost is more than worth it to many, some are turned off by it. With that being said, it is important to know that there are a number of ways that you can save money on organic foods. These ways involve searching for store sales on organic foods or by using organic food coupons.

There are also many individuals who are unhappy with the selection of organic foods that they are able to gain access to locally. For the largest selection of organic foods locally, examine specialty organic food stores, as they specialize solely in the selling of natural foods. The internet can also be examined, as there a number of product manufacturers who sell their organic foods online, as well as organic food stores that sell a number of different brands.

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