Bug spray

[gardenartus 10,579]

I am making a bug spray, when I buy Promix, might as well buy dunk its and pesticides lol.

 

I'll let you know how it works here is my recipe

 

I boiled water first

 

6 cups boiled water

1 Tbls citric acid

1 Tbls castile soap

1 Tbls veg oil

30 drops Thyme

25 drops of each

clove

Red pepper

peppermint

rose geranium

rosemary

15 drops geranium

15 drops citronella

 

Put in a spray bottle and spraying tops and bottoms of leaves, gonna re spray every two days. Have to shake real well every few sprays. Lining all soil with cinnamon on top.

[gardenartus 10,579]

Well one thing about it, sure smells a lot better then the habanero solution lol, actually has a pleasant smell to it. All Done, now we shall see if it kills these little aphids.

[Justcozz 6,385]

Ms G, put a marigold plant or two in the room. The aphids will leave and a few colorful flowers don't hurt either.

[gardenartus 10,579]

I want to put a few other plants in there, when I grow up lol, no I really want to add a few in there, like marigolds, citronella, lavender, rosemary, a few others I also use in the kitchen to make things. I Just never seem to get to all I want to do.

[baqualin 3,794]

Sounds like you may have an ant problem?

[gardenartus 10,579]

I call everything bugs or aphids ha! Think it is white flies. Promix at this one place seems to either have gnats or white flies half the time. This isn't bad, just noticed when taking pics.

[Justcozz 6,385]

I call everything bugs or aphids ha! Think it is white flies. Promix at this one place seems to either have gnats or white flies half the time. This isn't bad, just noticed when taking pics.

 

That has me thinking. What is the best way to treat the soil for pests prior to using it. So far I've been lucky, but who knows what surprises I may get in my next bag?

[baqualin 3,794]

I call everything bugs or aphids ha! Think it is white flies. Promix at this one place seems to either have gnats or white flies half the time. This isn't bad, just noticed when taking pics.

Mosquito Bits and diatomaceous earth. I mix a 1/2 cup diatomaceous earth per 2 gallons of mix (8 liters), then after potting the plants sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Mosquito Bits on top of mix and water in. I do this every time I pot and re pot, I haven't seen gnats or thrips in so long I almost forgot what they looked like, simple and very effective. Now for White Fly's that's totally different, they lay eggs on the leaf and not in the soil, so if that's what you have your spray will work fine, maybe add a little Neem to your spray, this will kill the eggs and larvae, sticky traps for the adults. First make sure what the bug is, only way you can treat successfully.

 

Best,

Baq

[baqualin 3,794]

I call everything bugs or aphids ha! Think it is white flies. Promix at this one place seems to either have gnats or white flies half the time. This isn't bad, just noticed when taking pics.

 

That has me thinking. What is the best way to treat the soil for pests prior to using it. So far I've been lucky, but who knows what surprises I may get in my next bag?

Here's what I reccomended to our Garden Lady, Mosquito Bits and diatomaceous earth. I mix a 1/2 cup diatomaceous earth per 2 gallons of mix (8 liters), then after potting the plants sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Mosquito Bits on top of mix and water in. I do this every time I pot and re pot, I haven't seen gnats or thrips in so long I almost forgot what they looked like, simple and very effective. Works for anything that reproduces in soil. If your doing Hydro you can put the bits in a stocking and hang in the reservoir. I also dust the roots with DE when repotting and the whole room if I have mite problems, helps get them under control and helps to keep them from spreading to other plants, it's not a fun thing for them to crawl across.

Baq

[gardenartus 10,579]

Yep, sticky strips It makes no sense that things that hatch and survive on leaves come with Pro mix, that is crazy, but it happens, makes no sense to me at all. That mix has a bit of oil and a bit of Castile soap in it. Usually it is gnats. I think they need to change were they store.

 

That is what I want to do, start using a preventative, in the soil would be great. I used DE for a bit, Sand I did not like so much, cinnamon isn't too bad. I get rid of it, then forget when I buy new soil I need to treat before things pop up in the room, laziness on my part at times. Might need to go back to DE.

[baqualin 3,794]

Yep, sticky strips It makes no sense that things that hatch and survive on leaves come with Pro mix, that is crazy, but it happens, makes no sense to me at all. That mix has a bit of oil and a bit of Castile soap in it. Usually it is gnats. I think they need to change were they store.

 

That is what I want to do, start using a preventative, in the soil would be great. I used DE for a bit, Sand I did not like so much, cinnamon isn't too bad. I get rid of it, then forget when I buy new soil I need to treat before things pop up in the room, laziness on my part at times. Might need to go back to DE.

Don't forget about the Mosquito bits, it's a biological pesticide, so it's still keeps you organic and for gnats there's nothing better and believe me I tried everything.

Baq

[tacman7 262]

I'm outdoor only.

 

Winter was nice, no bugs at all!

 

Summer coming and I'm getting ready.

 

Have to try the diatomaceous earth, I have the bits.

 

I also do dipel dust when they're teenagers.

 

We can have bud worms like crazy some years, that takes care of them.

 

Also Wheezes remedy, dryer sheets on top of the pots.

 

Now it's just a matter of the grasshoppers!

 

You have to learn how grab them instantly while they think they're camouflaged

 

and squish them between your fingers in one fluid move.

 

If they hop they disappear.

 

They are eatable.

[gardenartus 10,579]

Think I'll skip eating em lol I like this idea of dryer sheets

 

Knocked it back, I was being cautious with the oil concentration, believe it needs to be stronger, going to cut the water to half. Spraying again today.

[Weederstand 406]

I had a problem with thripse, but there history, for now...

Yellow and blue sticky strips for the adults and the babys/larva(?) killed with a garlic extract.

I drained the soil with it and it worked fine for me.

[ledfoot 783]

I'm finally giving up on hydroponics because there is a chlorine resistant mold in my water supply. Think I'll use Fox Farms Ocean Forest in fabric pots. Anyone mixing in neem cake? Quality control issues with this brand, I guess: https://www.amazon.com/Neem-Cake-Fertilizer-100-Organic/dp/B00GUC0N1I#customerReviews

[tacman7 262]

I've mixed it in some but mainly put it on top.

[Justcozz 6,385]

I'm finally giving up on hydroponics because there is a chlorine resistant mold in my water supply. Think I'll use Fox Farms Ocean Forest in fabric pots. Anyone mixing in neem cake? Quality control issues with this brand, I guess: https://www.amazon.com/Neem-Cake-Fertilizer-100-Organic/dp/B00GUC0N1I#customerReviews

 

Have you tried a heavy dose of hydrogen peroxide? I don't know if you are running a bubbler, but the mold may be in the air lines.

[ledfoot 783]

I don't want to derail ga's thread but yeah, I've tried everything except leftover radiation from the Hanford reservation.

The mold is even growing on the flapper valve in my toilet, with city water. I'd need to go RO for water (with a res.)

[gardenartus 10,579]

Yea you need RO, heck half this state has to run on it, our water supply is crappy here. Sounds like you might have too high humidity as well.

[Justcozz 6,385]

Don't mean to hijack, but does anyone know what this damn thing is. 3rd one I've found over the past week. Doesn't appear to be doing any damage, at least not that I can tell.

 

[gardenartus 10,579]

Is that one of those nasty stink bugs, they are rampant here in Michigan the past two years. Brown marmorated stink bug, Asian.

[Justcozz 6,385]

Is that one of those nasty stink bugs, they are rampant here in Michigan the past two years. Brown marmorated stink bug, Asian.

 

No it's not a stink bug. I've done searches and can't seem to find it. I think it might be some kind of moth, but haven't been able to identify what it is. We have them out here pretty bad, but they never entered the grow room before.

[baqualin 3,794]

Hard to tell from picture, but if a stink bug (yes they're rampant everywhere) they will ruin tomatoes.

Baq

[Sacred Plant Warrior 1,013]

@Justcozz

 

"No it's not a stink bug. I've done searches and can't seem to find it. I think it might be some kind of moth, but haven't been able to identify what it is. We have them out here pretty bad, but they never entered the grow room before."

 

 

you can take a good photo of one. then put it on your computer so you can put into google image search. yes image finding secret now you know lol.

 

i use DE in mixing up medium. yet i never used too and only did it as prevent defense. i had not had issues with the pro mix bx i was getting at the time. I have/will use sprayed onto a plant too. i won't use it anymore as a top dressing or soil drench though.

just brought some epsoma organic potting mix for the 1st. time. will add some DE prior to use.

 

@gardenartus let us know how that spray works out and exactly what it works on please and thanks. i was looking at the ingredients and was thinking i would do less total ingredients wise and add only if not effective. i figure that way i'm not paying for something i don't need. i need my few coins lol

[Justcozz 6,385]

@SPW, a good pic, that's the problem. No such thing as a good pic under the hps. I haven't seen the little bastards with the regular lights on yet.