3 Homemade Vegetable Garden Remedies

No gardener is immune to the agony of watching their garden getting eaten away by insects that seem invisible, rodents that steal in the night and the plant disease that appears out of nowhere.

We have all been there. Whether the holes in the cabbage plants seem to get larger by the second, or squash bugs infiltrate the zucchini plants by the thousands, these unforeseen circumstances can arise at anytime for any gardener.

While weather, that force of nature you have no control over, can play a factor in a lot of the plant diseases you may face, you can take some steps in helping put more of that control back into your hands, as well as rule over the harmful insects that will arise.

Here are three homemade recipes you can put together yourself to help you with your efforts.

Compost/Manure Tea
This is a great recipe to use. You simply fill a burlap sack with a gallon of compost or well seasoned manure and drop it into a bucket containing 4 gallons of water. Cover the bucket and let it sit for 72 hours. Once complete, remove the burlap sack, pour the mixture into a watering can or a sprayer, and use on your vegetation. This works great as a fertilizer for your plants and when sprayed on foliage, it helps prevent many types of diseases.

Baking Soda Spray
If you are looking for an easy to make spray that helps prevent and manage various plant diseases such as powdery mildew, then try this one. Simply mix one and a half tablespoons of baking soda, a tablespoon of vegetable oil and one and a half gallons of warm water in large container. Mix thoroughly. Make sure the mixture is well blended prior to pouring it into a sprayer. Use this right away while the water is warm.

Garlic/Pepper Spray
At a local garden center here where I live, they sell a commercially made organic pepper spray. These types of sprays work great for keeping a lot of insects and rodents off your vegetation. There are but two downfalls. First, it has to be applied after every time your plants are watered, regardless of whether you are doing the watering or mother nature. Second, because you will use a lot of it, sprays purchased at the store can get expensive over time. So instead make your own.

Using a blender, food processor etc., mix together eight cloves of garlic, one and a half tablespoons of cayenne pepper (or another very hot pepper variety), and three and a half cups of hot water. Mix these ingredients thoroughly and allow the mixture to steep for seventy-two hours. Strain the mix as you pour it into your sprayer, then use on your plants you are trying to protect.

Before you go out and purchase expensive commercial grade products, give your hand a try at these remedies and solutions for the issues you are facing in your garden.

Falling into Autumn

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With beets, spinach, turnips and other crops done, it’s time to think about what’s next. Indeed, one of the joys of gardening is understanding the seasonal evolution. Many of us can’t wait to get in the garden in the spring – admittedly, long winters in Western New York make me long for the soil.

The most productive garden has a progression. For example, those areas where I’ve harvested can be replanted with fall crops, but only after being kind to the soil. For an 8-foot row, I work in about 15-pounds of rotted cow manure and the same of compost. Other areas need to sit tight
until spring.

Its good to work on the premise that adding organic matter is the answer to most soil concerns.
Cornell Cooperative Extension volunteers offer soil testing at farm markets on a regular basis.

Usually analysis is free. Take full advantage. Gardening is a continual experiment. Some things go well, others not so much. Try some companion planting. For example, a fast crop like spinach, once established, will tolerate broccoli nearby. As the spinach finishes, the broccoli will begin to take over. As late summer stays cool and turns to fall, that broccoli will yield. And if they don’t grow forth and prosper as we evolve into fall, that’s OK. Learn from it. This is an experiment, four more packages of seeds will be in the mail next month.

It’s also time to plant the new garlic crop. I rotate garlic to different areas of the garden, depending on the year, but it is the easiest and most rewarding crop in the garden. Start with hard neck garlic cloves, preferably from your area. Look for a variety like Rocombole, Polish White, German Red or Russian at a farm stand. Avoid the stuff from the grocery store. Work in good helpings of manure and compost and plant one clove at a time, 6-8 inches apart, anytime between now and early November.

You will see beautiful plants in early spring and it may be the easiest thing you have ever grown.


Joe Genco is a contributing writer and financial advisor. You can contact him at joegenco@gmail.com.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Seeds of the Month Club:

How to Grow Garlic in your Home Vegetable Garden

Garlic is a great addition to any dinner table, sauces, stews or a number of other tasty dishes in the kitchen. The smell of garlic cooking in a nice sautéed dish makes a meal that much better.

Even better than that is being able to grow it your back yard. Think it's tough to do? You'll be surprised. It is easier than you think.

Here is how you can successfully add and grow garlic in your home vegetable garden.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5433358_grow-garlic-home-vegetable-garden.html