Gardening is a joy for many, a hobby that requires patience and work, but ultimately provides great rewards. Watching your seedling grow into a blossoming plant, uprooting your first garden vegetable, or picking your first fruits nestled in the branches are such simple yet gratifying pleasures. Without people using the land to table approach throughout the centuries, civilization would not have flourished. So why have people become less self-sufficient - convenience.
Today, we are so spoilt with the abundance of fruit and vegetables available from all over the world at any time of year - but at what cost? Unless you buy organic (which isn't always available) you have no idea what has been sprayed and doused onto your seemingly healthy fruits and vegetables. We live in a climate that is a haven for creepy-crawlies, so it is no wonder that local farmers must use pesticides to have any sort of profitable income, and for cost reasons they use chemical-based products.
If you decide to grow your own produce, you don't have to resort to harsh toxic methods to keep your plants safe. There are many variants of natural products that you can use and make yourself at home which are safe for humans and pets, and non-toxic for the environment.
GARLIC SPRAY - Most insects can't stand this potent bulb which is so loved by humans! Simply blend or crush 5 cloves. Add half a cup of water and five drops of dishwashing soap. Pour mixture into a glass jar and leave to stand in the sun for 2 days. Strain the mixture into a spray bottle to remove the bits and dilute the concentrate with 2 ½ cups of water. Spray your plants liberally once a week. (Don't spray too close to harvest time as the garlic may affect the flavour of your crops)
NEEM OIL - This natural oil only affects chewing and sucking insects and not the beneficial pollinating ones. To make one litre of neem plant spray you need 1tsp of pure, cold-pressed neem oil, 1/3 tsp of detergent, and 1 litre of warm water. Pour all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake.
EPSOM SALT - Many gardeners are fans of this easily available, inexpensive product. Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral with many uses around the home and garden. By simply sprinkling dry Epsom salt around the base of plants or alongside the row when you plant your seedlings, it deters slugs and beetles. There is also an added benefit that the plants will get a boost of magnesium and sulfur.
WHITE OIL SPRAY - By using 2 simple products that everyone has in their cupboard, you can create an effective pesticide that coats the insects such as aphids and mites. Mix one cup of vegetable oil with ¼ cup dishwashing soap, mix the ingredients in a jar until the mixture turns white (hence the name). This becomes the concentrate which needs to be diluted before you use it - about 1 tablespoon mixed with 1 litre of water.
5CITRUS OIL AND CAYENNE PEPPER INSECTICIDE - No, this isn't a recipe for a fancy new cocktail in town. In fact, these two simple ingredients work very together to combat pesky ants. Just mix 10 drops of citrus essential oil with 1 tsp of cayenne pepper and one cup of warm water. Shake well and spray.