A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 garlic/onion spray for insects

I got an old fashioned recipe passed down from a native american/ scots 'grandma' who kept a 15 acre garden down south. ( customer's)
Cook down a head of garlic and 1/2 large onion until it liquifies add 1 cup water, cool well and spray on any veggie to discourage birds and bugs. Has anyone ever tried this and how did it work?

I have heard of that treatment......

Try adding cheyenne pepper to the spray.. Heard that works?


Let us know if you try it>.

jerry baker uses all that stuff.

dodge

I mixed up some Habanero pepper juice, a tiny bit of dishsoap and water. I hope those nasty bugs are busy looking for some water to drink!!!!

Amigatec,

Ha ha
Hope so too...........I Habanero hot stuff?

dodge

I finally discovered what fierce invaders were making lace of my plants.
It's a round bug about the size of a large pea, golden brown, and buzzes around the patio light.
They seem fearless and land right on me. Ick.
I've been stomping on them and slapping them dead with a shoe, and guess what, no new holes in any plant !
These bugs were here last summer too, and seem to appear when the weather gets summery.
I wonder what insect it is.
But now I know what was making the holes and good riddance !

Deb,

I am wondering if it is potato bug........Roundish size of pea an orangish..SOme pick them off an put them in a jar to suffercate.

Dodge

Sounds more like japanese beetles. I've only seen a few so far and only on my Rosa rugosa blossoms. They love them!

I'm hoping the drought we had eariler this year killed off most of the grubs.

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/japanese-beetle/jbmap.gif

Go there and see where the beetles have taken over .Right now it is saying.

Hope it helps..
dodge

I used ' bag a bug ' last year for Japanese beetles and it really was effective, haven't seen any yet this year but my bug bag is out there. disgusting though......
Garlic update, I made up the mixture but couldn't get a spray with anything I have here so I wiped the leaves of a couple of plants with it. Think I will try the cayenne in water for the rest, I only have 4 plants, but they are big and healthy looking ,except for the holey leaves. something is really going to town on them, but leaving the rest of the plants alone a ( for now) go figure

let me know if it works ..

dodge

I was thinking about using a spray like this, but (as usual) came up with a question first. Will hot stuff like this keep bees and stuff from pollinating?

cookinmom

Good question......Now bees operate on the flower only......
Dont spray the flowers ......Just the leaves.. It must not do harm, because cukes and tomatoes continue after spraying.....

It it is flowering, perhaps you can hold a jar or something over the blossom......If you dont go hog wild.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HInt here..........
Echinacea
Echinacea purpurea
by Evelyn Leigh, HRF Editorial Director
Echinacea, the purple coneflower, is the best known and researched herb for stimulating the immune system. Thousands of Europeans and Americans use echinacea preparations against colds and flu, minor infections, and a host of other major and minor ailments. This native American herb has an impressive record of laboratory and clinical research. Thousands of doctors currently use echinacea for treating infectious diseases.


dodge

Thanks Dodge! I think I'll whip up a batch of something hot today. I have a Jerry Baker book with a bunch of that kind of thing in it. My eggplant was getting eaten up pretty bad by small green grasshoppers, but I think I finally smushed the last one!
I have seen a few bugholes on my tomatoes though, and want to nip that in the bud!

cookinma

let me know what works..

My sister worships J baker..

dodge

For what its worth I have been using the copper , reluctantly, after thinking about the toxicity thing, but having said that, I have to say NO MORE HOLES. except in the Brussels sprouts.
I am too frugal not to use it up, that stuff is not cheap, and my elderly, ( and I am almost 70) friend a lifelong gardener insists that it is a 'natural' product, he is pretty much an organic gardener, and doesn't even use miracle grow