Well, the tiny beasties have found my flowers and vegetables, so here is what I googled and found for a way to get rid of them! Sounds a little dangerous - I will have to remember to label the concoction so that my sweet hubby doesn't accidentally use it as hot sauce to pour on his food! Just posting here so I can find it later - with ease - I do know how to bookmark, but then again, I REALLY know how to bookmark so it REALLY will be less work to just check back here! Click on the heading to go to the webpage because there is a LOT more stuff on it - REALLY, really good stuff. Really - hmmmmmm, must be stuck this morning, really...lol...
pest control solutions
Garlic fire spray is the stuff of legend. There are many recipes, but they consist of some or all of the following: garlic, chilli peppers, soap, vegetable oil, kerosene and water. Don't leave home without a concoction of this. Depending on its strength it will slay dragons and ants (must have dragons if we mention legends)!
The brew I use at the moment is very effective and goes like this:
* 2-3 garlic bulbs (about 6-10 cloves per bulb)
* 6 large or 12 smaller hot chilli peppers (any variety will do, or if unavailable try 1-2 tablespoon hot chilli powder)
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 3 squirts of liquid detergent (approximately 1 dessertspoonful)
* 7 cups water. (Use about 2-3 cups in the blender, and top up with the rest later)
Put the whole lot into a blender and vitamize well, then strain through muslin, a coffee filter or similar. Pour what you need into a spray bottle for use and keep the rest in jars with lids on in a cupboard or on a shelf somewhere, well labeled.
Experiment with it if necessary and check for results or any damage to young plants. If it fixes the problem and your plants are happy, you've got the perfect mix, but if there's still a few biggie pests, albeit struggling, then lower the water dilution rate or change the ingredient quantities slightly.
Lovely garlicky, pongy stuff, but the smell dissipates quickly once it's been sprayed around. This garlic fire mixture needs to be re-sprayed frequently, such as after rain and dew. It's best to spray every few days until there's no sign of pests, then about every week to 10 days for any eggs or larvae that may have hatched out.
Uses for this natural garden pest control are unlimited. Because it has oil and dishwashing liquid in it, it sticks to plants as well as suffocating pests such as scale and mealy bug. It will kill ants, aphids, caterpillars, grubs, bugs and just about anything small. SO BE VERY SELECTIVE — MIND THE LADYBUGS, LACEWINGS, BEES AND OTHER BENEFICIAL FRIENDS.
Spraying this mixture around the edge of your garden will deter pets. Rabbits, gophers, woodchucks and other garden gate crashers will also be discouraged.
Here's another version, if you don't have a blender (really!). Put a whole garlic bulb through a garlic press and let it sit in a glass jar with several ounces of mineral or salad oil. Mix a few spoonfuls with dishwashing liquid, hot pepper sauce and water in a spray bottle.
