Thinking about giving those pesky bugs a one-way ticket out of your garden? DIY pesticides are the rockstars of the gardening world! Making your own bug-busting brew not only saves you some money but it is a safe option for children, pets and the environment.
Crafting your bug-busting potions saves your wallet while allowing you be the master of your garden domain.
Common food items for homemade pesticides
The founder of A-Myl-Fresh farming in KZN, Chatsworth, Pamella Goldstone suggests using boiled chillies and onion water to spray marigolds when dealing with pests.
She emphasises the benefits of organic remedies, stating that they don’t harm or burn crops or plants, unlike certain commercial pesticides which can damage the crops, alter the natural colour, and sometimes hinder growth.
“Chop onions and chillies into chunks, put them in a pot with water, and let it boil for 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool down and pour it into the spray bottle.”
Pamella Goldstone
Meanwhile, Tebogo Ntseoane a farmer from Kwaggafontein in Mpumalanga, finds a mixture of Sunlight Liquid with Epsom salt or bicarbonate of soda effective when dealing with bugs or insects on his plants.
“I believe homemade remedies made from food are less poisonous or not poisonous at all, making it easy for those with less farming knowledge to use them,” he says.
Finding something that works
Pulane Mlangeni, a farmer from Phuthaditjhaba in the Free State, explains her experience with new species of pests that conventional pesticides couldn’t deter.
Initially encouraged by the department of agriculture to use a mixture of garlic and chillies for health reasons, she turned to commercial pesticides when pests persisted.
She says, “Bugs make farming expensive because when you’re fighting them, you end up buying commercial pesticides.”
READ NEXT: How to give your garden pests the boot
Limpopo farmer Mokgomotsi Morodi, who has a background in agribusiness management, advocates for homemade pesticides as more environmentally friendly than chemical alternatives.
Making your own pesticides saves money and time compared to searching for the best commercial options, which may not be easily adoptable due to various constraints, he says.
“Homemade pesticides are as effective as chemical pesticides. The only difference is that homemade pesticides lose their effectiveness in a short period.”
Mokgomotsi Morodi
Common ingredients for homemade pesticides include dishwashing liquid, crushed onion, garlic, vinegar, chillies, bicarbonate of soda, etc., according to Morodi. He advises testing these mixtures on a small scale before applying them to the entire plant.
Problems with commercial pesticides include the risk of harming health and not always working well, which could make pest issues worse. Morodi also mentions that using other mixtures might harm plants and contaminate water.
Try companion planting
According to DripWorks, companion planting is an ancient and effective technique for controlling pests in your garden.
The concept is simple: some plants have natural pest-repelling properties, while others attract beneficial insects that prey on pests.
In essence, companion planting creates a balanced ecosystem that reduces pest damage while maintaining biodiversity. This approach can be very effective in deterring harmful insects from damaging your vegetables or flowers.
Food For Mzansi states companion planting, also known as allelopathy, happens when one organism produces helpful biochemicals for another. Examples of companion plants, according to Food For Mzansi, are maize and legumes which have a very good relationship in that they’re able to replenish nutrients in the soil; and they can create a circular system, which makes sure that there is pest control in place.
ALSO READ: The safe way to beat pests and protect your loved ones
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