Insect repellants and tonics

COMFREY TONIC
Comfrey significantly is high in potash and other essential for plant nutrition, which makes it ideal for feeding your plants. Put comfrey leaves and water into a water tight container with a brick on top to weigh the leaves down and allow the mixture to stand for 4 weeks. The result is a ready to use evil smelling brew that can be diluted and watered onto plants. I add 1/8 to 1/4 of the comfrey tonic to a watering can and fill the rest with water to use the comfrey spray, dilute 1 tablespoon with 2 pints of water. Add a drop of dish soap as a spreader sticker.

MOLES
Bury a glass bottle upright in the soil near their run. Leave about an inch of the neck above ground the weird whistling vibration disturbs the moles. You can also stick inexpensive pinwheels into the soil near tunnels and mounds. Moles with their delicate skulls are extremely sensitive to vibrations.

HERB TONIC FOR HEALTHY PLANTS
1 1/2 teaspoon dried plantain herb
1/2 teaspoon dried horsetail herb
1/2 teaspoon dried nettle
1/2 teaspoon dried yarrow
1 clove garlic
1 kelp tablet (about 150 micrograms) crushed
6 cups boiling water
Combine all ingredients, pour on the water, and let steep, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain and use to water herbs. Or make a sun tea, letting the herbs steep all day. This tonic provides nutrients that herbs needs, and helps keeps pests away. ~ from "The Good Herb" by Judith Benn Hurley

Apply a surface application of an all around garden fertilizer in late fall to help plants survive the winter. Add another in early spring while plants are dormant and once more about six weeks into the growing season.

Controlling pests that enjoy devouring the hard-earned fruits of our labor is as important to a healthy garden as water, fertilizer, and weed control. Always remember that any chemical pesticide is by definition toxic to something, and may have direct or even an indirect effect on other living things, not just on what you are wanting to treat. You can easily mix your own simple and effective sprays. Following are probably the most popular among those who like to keep chemicals out of the garden.

Garlic Spray Insecticide
One whole garlic bulb
Two cups water
Combine in blender the entire garlic bulb and two cups water, and blend on high speed until garlic is finely pureed. Put in storage container and set aside for a day. Strain out pulp, and then mix liquid with one gallon water in sprayer. Spray tops and bottoms of leaves thoroughly. Apply about once a week, and after a rain.

Fungicide Spray Treats Powdery Mildew & other fungus
One gallon water
Three tablespoons baking soda
One teaspoon dishwashing liquid
One tablespoon bleach
Warning! NO more than this amount Mix all ingredients in sprayer and spray all areas on the plant that look affected. It's best to remove all leaves and other parts of the plant that are the worst affected. Apply sparingly to unaffected areas, and keep in mind that too much bleach can harm the plant. Try to avoid getting it on healthy leaves.

Hot Pepper Spray
Helps repel rabbits, deer, and other nibblers
6 - 10 Hot Peppers
2 cups water
1 quart water
Combine peppers and two cups water in blender and blend on high speed for 1 - 2 minutes. Pour in storage container with lid and put aside for a day. Strain through cheesecloth, and add this liquid to one quart of water in sprayer. Spray plants liberally every week and after a rain.
source:

 

i've made the garlic spray up in the past and sprayed all my plants with it, it seemd to get rid of the greenfly i had.
I like to keep things natural in the garden so thanks for your post.

and ideas on insect repellent to wear on yourself? i've been bitten badly by doing the garden and it's starting to wear a bit thin now.
dont fancy rubbing myself in garlic, although you never know i might enjoy it

 

I too have been bitten in the garden this weekend and i used arnica on mine as my bite was awfull ihad two puncture wounds and it rose into a bubble..I allways use arnica on my bites i keep a tube in the fridge..They say lavender works but i was wearing lavender when i got bitten so that is that theory out of the window..My dog wears tea tree oil and that deters fleas and other insects biting him..
arnica isnt cheap but it will last you for a couple of years if you keep it in the fridge..i use it for nettle stings as well it soon makes the rash go down..another thing to try is making this ointment up and keeping a supply in the fridge..

Herbal Salve
1 part St. John's Wort
1 part Calendula
1 part Comfrey leaf
1 part Plantain
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E

Great all purpose salve. Use for insect bites, itching, wounds, burns and on fungal infections.

To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot.

Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs.

Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about 5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler.

After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cloth.

Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a sherb and set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax.

If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label.

Note - If 1 part equals 1/3 cup then you will need 12 - 14 ounces of oil and about 1 ounce of beeswax.

you could also try spraying your self with a few drops of eucalyptus oil mixed with water as insects dont like eucalyptus oil..

[ 18. June 2007, 05:57 AM: Message edited by: wyldeflower ]

 

Herbal Remedies for Insect Bites


ALOE GEL Relieves inflammation.


CALENDULA Cream is used as a natural insect repellent which also soothes skin irritation.

CITRONELLA OIL Is a natural repellent that can be put on light bulbs or used in candles to repel bugs.

COMFREY Cream promotes tissue healing.


TEA TREE OIL Is an antiseptic which helps prevent infection

 

Some brilliant tips there, thankyou!

One thing to be wary of with comfrey cream, never use it on a fresh deep wound. Its so good at healing your skin it can and will heal the surface before the underneath has had chance. This traps puss under the surface.