Safe Insect & Mildew Control on Plants

Garlic Sprays

1. For a couple of days, soak about 3 heads garlic grated with a tablespoon cayenne and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Sieve. Water it down to maybe 1/6with water and spray on. Spray every day for a couple of weeks

2. Make a garlic spray by soaking garlic cloves in water and adding a little dishwash liquid.

Bowden's Garlic Wash Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Bulbs Garlic
2 Pints Water
Instructions:
Crush 2 bulbs of garlic
Steam or boil in 2 pints of water for 3 to 4 minutes until blanched
Strain mixture and make back up to 2 pints
Leave to cool
When ready to use, mix one tablespoon in five litres of water and sprinkle on to leaves in late afternoon (in dry weather). Re-apply every two weeks. The mixture dries on the leaves making them unappealing to slugs and snails!
The mixture will apparently dry on the leaves making them rather unappealing to slugs and snails!

General Garden Spray Concentrate for Bugs - from Kings Seeds Blog
Quantity made;  approx 3 litres
10 large cloves of garlic
5 hot chilli peppers, dried or fresh
1 cup cold water and 2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon liquid soap or dishwashing liquid
10 drops of cinnamon leaf or eucalyptus essential oil
In a blender, puree chillies, garlic & cold water.
Transfer to a glass bowl or jug.
Pour boiling water over the top and leave overnight (or minimum of 5 hours).
Next day, strain the liquid through cheese cloth or a tea towel.  The result required is a liquid that doesn't block your spray nozzle, hence the cloth strainer.
Pour into a jar or plastic container that has a lid (plastic lid is best) that can be used to store your mix.
Add soap and essential oils, shake to mix.  It is now ready to use.
To use: Add 1 tablespoon of concentrate to 500ml of water in a spray bottle.
Spray in the evening as sun can cause spray to burn the foliage.
Spray stalks and under leaves.
Spray every 3 days.
Storage:  In a dark cupboard for 4-5 months.

Other Sprays

White Oil
An organic, home made spray to control sucking pests, White Oil is a Horticultural Oil and is used for controlling sucking and chewing insects like aphids, scale, mealy bug and citrus leaf miner. It's not a poison, but suffocates the pests - so they can't develop a resistance. It needs to be sprayed on both sides of leaves and stems to work properly.
Recipe
* One cup dishwashing detergent
* Two cups sunflower oil
Add to a clearly labelled jar or other container, close the lid tightly and shake until it becomes white - and presto! Concentrated White Oil.
When ready to use, dilute one tablespoon of the concentrate to one litre of water. Add to a clearly-labelled spray bottle, shake and off you go!
NOTE - please do not apply when the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius or over as it may burn your plants.

Powdery Mildew
This is often a problem on Plantain, especially Broad Leaf. Believe it or not, baking soda and milk are two of the finest weapons in the fight against powdery mildew.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that is particularly prevalent in summer and autumn when the weather is warm and dry (or in very mild winters). Plants in conservatories and greenhouses, however, can be infected all year round.

• Infected plants are covered in a greyish-white mould, typically on upper leaf surfaces and young shoots.

• Powdery mildews affect a number of plants: many vegetables (beans, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, etc), fruit crop (such as apples, grapes and quinces), sweet peas, violas/pansies, dahlias, roses, hydrangeas and African violets, to name a few.

• There are many species of powdery mildew and most are host specific. For example, the one on roses will not affect cucumbers, or the one on peas will not affect grapes.

• You may have seen those pretty black and yellow ladybirds around, particularly if you've got powdery mildew. These ladybirds are the only species in NZ that are not predatory — they don't feed on aphids. What they do feed on is fungi. But if you think these beetles will help control powdery mildew, think again. They actually carry spores of the disease under their wings from plant to plant.
  Control
  The important thing to remember here is that powdery mildew does not like wet conditions — it's at its worst when the weather's dry. The fact that it doesn't like water on leaves when it's developing means there are a number of methods of controlling it that do not involve fungicide chemicals. Anything that has a detergent type of action, or surfactants, things that will wet the leaves, are very effective at reducing the severity of powdery mildew. That's why you hear people talking about using old dishwater. Anything with a detergent in it will actually suppress powdery mildew development.

• Baking soda
  One particular method that works well, particularly for rose mildew, is baking soda. Mix up a solution of baking soda and water and spray onto the infected plant. About half a teaspoon of baking soda to one litre of water. Too much baking soda will burn the leaves.

• Milk spray
  Or you could head for the refrigerator and try a milk spray! A weekly spray of skim milk (1 part milk, 9 parts water — the low-fat content means there is less chance of odour) will reduce the severity of powdery mildew by up to 90%. You see, milk is believed to be a natural germicide; it contains a certain amount of salts and amino acids which powdery mildew is sensitive to, and also acts as a foliar fertiliser, boosting the plant's immune system. A word of warning, though. If the milk concentration is above 30% (that is, 3 parts milk), a very different fungus (albeit harmless) may begin to grow on your plants.

Weed Killer
Here are two weed killer recipes to try.  The effectiveness is dependent on how hardy the foliage is.  Killing the weed at the roots may necessitate cutting the foliage off to just above the ground so that the weed killer can reach the roots quicker.  Make and use these as needed as they will not store well.  The cost is so much cheaper than the commercial weed killers and your soil is not compromised.  It is also a better solution when you have pets or children.

Weed Killer #1
Mix together & spray;
2 litres vinegar
1/2 cup salt
(Although this may kill the weeds, the salt is not great for your soil)

Weed Killer #2
Mix together & spray;
1 kilo Soda Ash
120 ml dishwashing liquid
3 litres warm water

These sprays are best sprayed on a hot day so that the sun can help to dry off the weeds.  Leave for several days and you will see the weeds brown off.  If it rains, you should top up with a respray.

If you can't find Soda Ash, use the 'Washing Soda' crystals that all supermarkets stock in the fabric conditioner area.  You can use boiling water to dissolve the crystals or pop them in the kitchen whizz to create a powder.  The dishwashing liquid is to help the spray adhere to the weed foliage.

DME

WW does not encourage or condone the use of DME on or around rabbits as it is a potent lung irritant if inhaled in addition to having the potential to cause GI tract irritation and damage if fed. If using it on your plants ensure it is completely washed off before feeding.

Neem Oil
Neem spray can be absorbed into a plant’s system which is one of the reasons why it can be so effective. It has the potential to be toxic.
Neem Oil - An article from a Permaculture blog.
Acute toxicity study of the oil from Azadirachta indica seed (neem oil) - PubMed
Neem oil - General Information sheet from the National Pesticide Information Centre