Organic Garden Spray Recipes

Coffee Snail Killer

Espresso Coffee is a great slug and snail killer. Add to 10 parts water, one part espresso coffee. Instant coffee is too low on caffeine and this is what kills the snails and slugs - they have a heart-attack''. Spray this solution over the surface of leaves and over the surface of the soil. The snails absorb the coffee through their skin and the caffeine in it kills them. But reapply after heavy rain because the spray washes away. This has been tried and works well. You also don't have to worry about the birds that eat the snails - no harm to them. No nasty chemicals for small children or animals either.

Homemade Horticultural Oil spray recipe

Mix 1 cup of vegetable cooking oil , 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent in a blender. Whiz up until mixed. Then use 1/3 cup to 5 litres of water and spray. Don't spray on hot days or in the middle of the day as it can burn the leaves. Keep unused oil in a clearly labelled container for use later - just shake to remix. Works well on citrus, apple and pear trees, cherries and other trees that get scale.

Bicarbonate of Soda Fungicide

Mix about 1 rounded tablespoon) of Bicarb into 4 litres of water. Spray lightly on foliage of plants afflicted with black spot, powdery mildew, brown patch and other fungal diseases.

Compost Tea - feed your plants with weeds!

Use a plastic container that has a lid, such as a bucket. Fill half the bucket with weeds and finish filling with water. Let the mix sit for 10-14 days in a warm spot. Strain to remove weed seeds (old panty-hose will do the trick), dilute 1 cup in 2 litres of water (too weak tea consistency), and either spray on the foliage, or pour around the plants you want to feed. The remaining messy weed pulp put in your compost bin.

2020