Tuesday, June 17, 2014
For those of us that want to grow naturally so that we can provide the freshest foods for our family and control the critters that eat our garden without all the harsh chemicals.... I found this wonderful article about deterring garden bugs with things that you already have in your home. I personally have used cheap washing powder and or liquid dish soap in an empty sprayer and misted my plants but, only either in the evening before the sun went down so that it does not burn the leaves. I have tried it in the morning and did not have the best success and had to wait a couple of days to pinch off all the leaves. But, here a few new tips and suggestions that help......
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
different suggestions for rooting hormones....
ReplyDeleteSix Ideas for Rooting Hormone
Spit on them! Use your own saliva, which is said to be a natural root enhancer. I’m not sure how it works exactly because mouths are notoriously dirty, but go ahead and give it a try. There isn’t any advance preparation needed. Some die-hards suggested that you just give the cuttings a lick, however that’s not practical if you have hundreds of cuttings to make or if that plant is poisonous. I say – get your son to spit in a cup and use that. He’ll love a reason to do it and you will get your cuttings rooted.
Use Apple Cider Vinegar – AVC has over 30 trace elements that are beneficial to plant growth. Go lightly though, because vinegar is also a good weed killer.Mix 3 teaspoons of Apple cider vinegar into 1 gallon of water and dip your cutting in it before planting in rooting medium.
Open the kitchen cabinet and grab some cinnamon – Cinnamon kills fungus and bacteria and will help to keep those cuttings free of disease while rooting. You can double the fun and dip your cutting in saliva or willow tea and then cinnamon, they go hand in hand. Cinnamon will minimize off damping off in your seed flats as well.
Honey is also naturally anti-bacterial and will benefit your new cuttings. To make a honey rooting hormone, take a few very simple steps:
a.) boil 2 cups of water
b.) add 1 Tablespoon of honey
c.) let the mixture cool and place it in a covered container (like a canning jar)Store your honey rooting hormone away from the light. It will last about 2 weeks. To use: dip cuttings in the solution then pot up as usual.
Aspirin crushed into powder and dissolved in water is also said to be an effective rooting hormone. While this might not be technically “natural” is is something you probably have around the house that could be used in a pinch.
Make willow tea – directions can be found at my previous post – DIY Willow Water, a Natural Rooting Hormone. Willows are their most potent in the spring when the trees begin to leaf out. Use only the stems from new growth.
....and can i add....i have never used the "spitting" method....
we need to repost this to blog posting :) Like we said still new this but, this is awesome advice....
ReplyDelete