DIY: Eco friendly pesticide and weed killer recipes
/Avoid both single use plastic and nasty chemicals when you make your own garden treatments for weeds and pests.
We’ve taken these recipes and advice from green living hero Nancy Birtwhistle and her Clean & Green book.
Recipe for an eco-friendly pesticide for Greenfly, Whitefly and Aphids:
Only apply in the evenings, when the weather is dry and still. Use at the first sign of unwanted visitors and repeat as necessary. For use on fruits, veges, garden and house plants.
You’ll need:
500ml water
1 tsp eco-friendly washing up liquid (our sesi washing up is perfect!)
2 tsp grapeseed oil (look for glass or tin bottles rather than plastic)
2-3 drops clove bud oil
funnel
bottle with spray attachment (look to see if you have any spare old ones in the house before buying new!)
Directions:
Using a funnel, add the water, washing up liquid and oils into the spray bottle. Shake well and it is ready to use!
You can also check out Nancy’s other recipes that use either rhubarb or nettle leaves.
Recipe for powdery mildew on roses and edible plants:
Use at first signs of an attack, spray well in the evening when weather is still. Repeat weekly as necessary.
You’ll need:
1 tsp bicarb
3 drops eco-friendly washing up liquid
350ml water (100ml warm, 250ml cold)
500ml bottle with spray attachment
Directions:
Place the bicarb into the spray bottle, add the warm water and shake to dissolve. Add the washing up liquid and the rest of the water, shake to mix and it’s ready to use!
A natural deterrent for slugs and snails:
Use at the first sign of slug or snail damage, applying when dry or after a shower.
You’ll need:
eggshells
salt
Directions:
Whenever you use an egg get into the habit of rinsing the shell under the tap, removing the slimy membrane and leaving it to dry. Once you have a collection of 6 or so shells simply crush them to a fine crumb. Stir through half a teaspoon of salt and then sprinkle along your row of veggies and plants. Don’t go too close to the plants as too much salt is poisonous.
Weed control for patios, paths and pavers:
You’ll need:
salt
kettle of boiling water
Directions:
Choose a time when the weather is forecast dry. Pour a thin stream of boiling water over your weeds and immediately follow up with a sprinkle of salt. After 4-5 days the weeds will have shrivelled and died back with no toxic chemicals being used. When considering how much salt to use, consider the size of the plant and how big its root is - a larger weed will need a good teaspoon of salt. Remember salt will kill your precious plants too so only for use in controlled environments and not your flower beds or veg plots.
We hope these recipes help you in the garden and allow you to avoid shop bought versions that will come in plastic bottles and often contain harmful chemicals.
Further reading:
Gardeners World 10 Organic Gardening tips