Pest Management Doesn't Have to Mean Chemicals

The warmer weather has brought out the critters.

I walked into the hoop house and noticed on the flowering kale and nicotina something was snacking. I called my mentor, did a quick search, and went to the Dirt Doctor’s site.

Step 1 : Dawn soap and water - this will kill the aphids

Step 2: Pepper Garlic Tea - 2 bulbs of garlic and 2 hot peppers (hotter the better) in a blender 1/2 to 2/3 full of water. Strain the solids out and add enough water to the garlic-pepper juice to make 1 gallon of concentrate. Use 1/4 cup of this concentrate per gallon of spray. (full recipe and other options available on the dirt doctor website linked above)

I am spraying down the hoop house crops with the pepper garlic tea which is a preventive for your plants. It is safe - you would have to use a lot of it to hurt small beneficial organisms and it’s effective for both edible and cut flowers.

As for my farmden, you can always snack without the fear of chemicals - but if you don’t wash it first it my be a little garlic spicy! :)

~ Blair