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What Do Worms Eat & Drink? | Is Your Garden Safe?
Worms might be very slimy and sometimes irritable creatures, but they are just as vital to the ecosystem as humans themselves. From being great allies for your soil to being a source of life for your plants, your garden would just not be the blooming beauty it is without them.
But how do these worms survive? What do worms eat and drink? Would they devour my seedling? This article entails in comprehensive detail everything you need or want to know about earthworms and their feeding habits.
What do earthworms eat?
Earthworms feed on many forms of organic material, e.g., garden clippings, vegetable peelings, decaying leaves, coffee grounds, eggshells, and many types of living organisms such as nematodes, protozoa, rotifers, bacteria, and fungi.
An earthworm can consume the equivalent of its own bodyweight on a daily basis.
Primarily, the diet of earthworms mostly consists of decaying plants (grasses, leaves, plant debris), rich in cellulose, but they also enjoy bacteria and fungi. By leaving hay or dead leaves on the ground, you allow them to acquire all the necessary resources and keep their role as soil decomposers.
Vermicomposting makes it possible for earthworms to transform our kitchen waste into quality vermicompost, subsequently producing organic liquid fertilizer.
Vermicomposting consists of placing earthworms in a “vermicomposter” where they feed on the waste brought to them. Their droppings accumulate and constitute vermicompost which blends perfectly with the odorless soil.
Due to their body composition, earthworms are great indoor organisms and are perfectly suited to the needs of city dwellers: they do not emit odors and ensure rapid decomposition.
The earthworm depends on the abundance of decomposing plant and soil matter for its survival.
Worms help the process of breaking down the already deteriorated matter into even smaller pieces, digesting them, and re-depositing them in the soil. While earthworms mainly consume the roots of dead and decaying vegetable plants, they eat live red clover (Trifolium pratense).
In addition to dirt, other earthworm delicacies include manure and dead animals, as well as the dead leaves of trees such as maple (Acer), birch (Betula), and ash (Fraxinus).
How much do earthworms eat?
It depends on how many worms you have. Earthworms can eat their weight each day and can double their population every 3 months. If you start with 1000 earthworms they will consume between 250 and 500 grams of waste per day.
After a few months, you should have 2000 earthworms and you can subsequently double their feeding ratio. Baby earthworms (small earthworms) will not eat much and will take about 3 months to reach adulthood.
How do I improve the appetite of the earthworms?
Earthworm populations are capable of consuming two tons of organic waste per hectare in one year. However, to be possible, organic materials must be present in sufficient quantities and of a certain quality to sustain them.
In soils that contain a lot of carbon and not enough nitrogen, vegetation takes longer to break down, providing less material for the worms to process. Adding manure to the soil improves digestibility, giving the worms a more ravenous appetite.
What is the ideal living condition for earthworms to maintain a ravenous appetite?
Earthworms must be kept within a temperature range of 15 °C and 25 °C and have a humidity between 75 and 85%. The pH should also be between 6.5 and 8.
Also, you might want to tell your neighbors that they don’t like noise, and are photophobic in nature.
Do earthworms excrete after eating?
After eating, the digestive system of the worms is so well-structured that the worms eject the result of their consumption in the form of castings, small twists on the surface of the ground. The good news is, the more castings you have in your garden soil, the better the soil in your garden.
In order not to disturb the earthworms, it is better to avoid turning the soil in depth (forget the old-fashioned “Plows”) or the fork-spade which could sink too deeply to turn the soil and thus disturb the micro-organisms.
Use tools such as the “broad fork” if you want to work the soil in the garden, especially in a vegetable garden.
The worms defecate on or near the surface of the earth. Their feces or racks are rich in nutrients and make the soil more fertile.
When is the best time to feed the earthworm?
Autumn is the best season to bring the organic matter to your soil to enrich it, and therefore to earthworms which break down this organic matter and make it assimilable by plants.
During this season, the favorite food of earthworms is cellulose. Place on the surface of the ground: dead leaves, grass clippings, kitchen peelings, and weeds. If you run out of raw material, then opt for cardboard boxes (preferably brown with no tape, no inscriptions) will do, it’s practically pure cellulose!
Autumn catches earthworms fully active. Take advantage of this to enrich your soil and prepare it for the coming year’s crops. The soil will be easier to handle, loose, airy, and perfect for your seedlings and plants.
What kind of food is harmful to earthworms?
Materials such as plastic, synthetic fabric, metal, cement, snack bags, tetra pak and glass are not ideal feeds for your worms.
Among other things that you should never have to add is: bread and its derivatives, cooking oil, diseased plants, paper with color printing, human or animal feces, meat products, dairy products, and rice.
If you have any questions about what to put or not, this site is the ideal place to leave your questions, I will gladly answer them.
What do earthworms drink?
Nothing. As off as that might sound, not even water is ingested by these little slitherings. But put into proper context, this is not as incredulous as it sounds.
Unlike vertebrae, who need lungs to respire, worms breathe through their skin, which is the same medium they get the water they drink.
However, for worms to inhale oxygen, the skin has to be moist. To moisturize, worms create a mucus coat beneath their skin that aids to retain as much water as they need, all of which is gotten from the surrounding soil.
However, since too much of anything is bad, worms will drown if the ground is too wet. Hence the reason why worms come out of hiding in their numbers onto your driveway after a rainstorm.
On the other hand, if the soil gets extremely dry, these worms will possibly suffocate due to dehydration, if they can’t find moist ground quick enough.
Will worms eat my plant?
Earthworms also called nightcrawlers or rain worms, eat leaves and other plant matter. However, they do not eat the fresh plants and leaves directly, rather they prefer to eat decomposed leaves and plants in the ground.
What kind of worms should I be feeding?
There are around a hundred species of earthworms in the US, distributed according to the area they occupy in the soil.
The piglets (less than 5 cm deep), dark red, live on the surface, in leaf litter or decomposing plant waste (particularly compost, leaf litter, etc.). It is the worms in this category that are used for vermicomposting (Eisenia fetida and Eisenia Andrei).
Endogés (1 to 20 cm deep), pink, whitish, even translucent, live in networks of horizontal galleries in the first 20 cm of the soil and eat dead roots. For example, the cutworm (Nicodrilus caliginosus).
The anecics (10 to 30 cm deep), large, red, gray, or brown, come out of the earth every night to look for the organic matter on which they feed, empty their intestines by making a “cast” (which is rich in nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium – easily assimilated by plants), then descend into their vertical galleries, burying organic residues with them.
Among them, the common earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) is the best known. They thus participate in the bioturbation of the soil by intimately mixing organic and mineral matter and by promoting microbial activity. More stable and better structured, these soils are more fertile and less sensitive to erosion. Thanks to their network of galleries, these tireless ploughmen aerate and drain the soil.
How do worms digest food?
The organic matter that is ingested by these invertebrates is mobilized directly through the pharynx to reach the esophagus and on getting here, passes to a structure called a crop, which is a simple sac that serves as storage.
The process continues to transport the material stored in the crop to a compartment or structure that resembles a simple stomach called a gizzard, where particles are crushed and simpler nutrients are obtained to allow better absorption of them in the intestinal tract.
Like all digestive systems, unprocessed foods that are mixed with mud or swamp are excreted through the anus, which is when they expel the so-called humus, which is a mixture of mud with organic matter.
Can I Water My Plants With Tea? Read This First!
Have you ever been sitting out in your garden enjoying a cup of tea and when your finished there’s some left in the tea pot. You could put it down the drain however that would be a waste of water. You maybe wondered “Can I water my plants with tea?”
Let’s find out…
Can I Water My Plants With Tea?
What benefits are there in watering with drunken tea? If you conduct a chemical analysis of tea, you can find in the composition of the drink minerals and organic matter, as well as tannins, that will acidify your soil. Not all houseplants need such acidification.
We can certainly say that ferns that suffer from the action of carbonate salts in soil or water as well as cacti that love hard water and the tannins it contains, respond well to tea.
The rest of the houseplants, however, react to the watering of the teapot with a lot of disdain or probably disgust. More so, there is no reliable experimental data that would prove the obvious benefit of such a fertilizer.
There is an opinion that regular mulching of the soil with tea residue helps to retain moisture, and if you make tea leaves under flowers indoors and gently store them in a flowerpot, the plants will receive a fertilizer with an extended lifespan.
Disadvantages of Watering Your Plants with Tea
Flavored tea with additives can lead to dramatic consequences for flowers including root rot and imbalance of soil nutrients.
Watering plants with tea leaves that contain sugar provokes the appearance of a fungus mosquito in the pot, black midges, and other pests that are not easily eliminated. These pests will start a toxic relationship with your flower and will require a huge chunk of alimony to severe the marriage.
When using moldy tea, you can introduce bacteria, mold in the soil (apparently) and cause soil contamination.
For cases of domestic greenhouses that prefer acidic soil, such addition can only do more damage than good.
Top Tip: You can determine the acidification of the soil by such signs as a greenish coating on the soil, which gives off an unpleasant smell, rotting of inflorescences and leaves, as well as mold on the petioles of plants.
These arguments will make the supporters of the “grandmother” methods reflect and think deeply. But if you are a cultured person and can’t be dissuaded by what neighborhood folks think, you might as well go ahead with teeing up your flower, pun intended.
How to Use Tea Leaves for Irrigation and Fertilizer?
This option may be acceptable to supporters of organic floriculture, as natural remedies have recently become widespread.
Top Trick: Any tea can be used for watering: black, green, herbal. The main thing is that it does not contain additives and flavors of synthetic origin.
How to Water Plants With Tea Infusion?
Make sure your flowers need soil acidification. Plants like tomatoes, oxalis poinsettia, and east lily thrive in acidic conditions. A simple soil test can be performed with a litmus test.
You do not need to constantly pour this fertilizer under the flowers, several times a month is enough. Avoid watering your plants with tea that has added sugar, acidic or moldy solution. You can use a cool, weak, unsweetened solution at room temperature.
Top Trick: If, in addition to watering, the tea leaves also flow under the flowers, then it is necessary to strictly fix the amount of them, mixing them with the top layer of the soil. This method will help maintain humidity, which will require you to water the plant less often.
Some Other Ways to Use Tea Leaves.
If you are a tea addict like many of us, then you might be “elated” to discover that there are other means to use them.
A large amount of waste after drinking tea can be turned into a drainage layer when planting a flower in a new pot.
To do this, lay the tea leaves on the layer of expanded clay, sprinkle with earth and plant a flower. When it reaches the roots of the lower soil layer, part of the tea leaves already decompose and serve as organic fertilizer.
Instead of a drainage layer, the dried tea leaves are mixed with the flower soil when a plant is transplanted into another pot. This additive is acceptable if the soil is dense, then it acts as a baking powder.
Wrapping Up
So, if you use tea for watering, then you should do it following all the rules, do not use additives and flavorings, or moldy raw materials. This method is best for plants that prefer acidic soil and hard water with tannins.
When adopting this method, try to regularly loosen the soil under the flowers indoors and monitor the condition of the plants. When midges and other insects appear, you need to cultivate the soil and reduce watering.
The Best Gardening Gloves For Brambles
I know what it feels like to prick a finger and scratch an arm while handling brambles, it can be annoying but you don’t have to deal with this anymore. Gardening is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but an ideal pair of gardening gloves can make it an amazing adventure for you and even the kids. Yes, the kids!
There are premium gardening gloves that can help you handle brambles, and rocks without blisters. Plus, you don’t have to get your fingers dirty while working in the garden ever again. Here, you’ll discover the best gardening gloves for brambles and the exact features to look out for when selecting gloves for thorny plants.
If you are looking out for a high-quality, thorn-resistant pair of gloves that’ll provide you with all-round protection, you should carefully read this article.
| Image | Product Name | Our Rating | Price |
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Acdyion Gauntlet Cowhide Leather Gardening Gloves | ||
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CCBETTER Goatskin Leather Rose Pruning Gloves | ||
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Exemplary Gardens Leather Gardening Gloves |
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Gold Leaf Dry Touch Gardening Gloves |
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Gold Leaf Tough Touch Gardening Gloves | ||
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ClipGlove Watertight Medium Duty Gardening Gloves |
Best Gardening Gloves For Brambles Reviewed
1. Acdyion Gauntlet Cowhide Leather Gardening Gloves
Acdyion gardening gloves are long and gauntlet-styled, giving you full protection way up to your elbow. These impressive gloves are made of durable, wear-resistant cowhide leather, making them ideal for brambles heavy gardens, like blueberries and rose bushes. So if you are looking out for gardening gloves for bramble that’ll last long and still give you the premium style you deserve, this is for you!
These gloves come with a soft and comfortable lining that helps to prevent blisters. They are flexible and they’ve got an ergonomically designed thumb so you can grip tools effortlessly. Acdyion garden gloves also afford you the luxury of selecting the color and size you desire, they come in a decent range of sizes and two great colors.
Pros
- Made with top-quality, tough cowhide leather
- Flexible gloves
- Gauntlet-style that offers full protection
- Puncture-resistant gloves that’ll keep you safe from thorns
- Easy-grip due to Ergonomically-designed thumbs
- Available in different sizes, and 2 colors -white and yellow
Cons
- The sizing chart is a bit confusing
- New gloves usually have a strong scent that fades over time
2. CCBETTER Goatskin Leather Rose Pruning Gloves
These gloves are made of 100% premium goatskin that provides you with an amazing garden experience. The CCBETTER long gauntlet-style offers protection against thorns and they come in an ergonomic design that’ll make it a lot easier for you to use garden tools. These gloves have an elasticated wrist that’ll keep the gloves in place and prevent dirt from getting to your hands while you work.
With all of these mentioned, you’ll agree with me that the CCBETTER gloves provide quality and comfort, but they may not be perfect if you’ll be pruning really thick brambles. Sadly, they do not also promise a full water-resistant experience, but they are tough and breathable. These amazing gloves are available in three different colors and several sizes, so you’ll definitely find the one that you love.
Pros
- Great material
- Elasticated wrist feature
- Long gauntlet-style
- Durable and luxurious option
Cons
- They are considered a bit pricey by some gardeners
3. Exemplary Gardens Leather Gardening Gloves
These gauntlet-style gloves made from 100% genuine goatskin leather are set to offer you ultimate protection from unpleasant scratches. They are incredibly flexible, so you’ll get a good grip in the garden. You can handle tough brambles with these puncture-resistant gloves.
They’ve also got special stitching around the thumb that’s great for people with arthritis or hand mobility issues. Their extremely breathable and thick design makes them ideal for both cold and hot weather conditions. They are hypoallergenic, so they’ll help if you’ve got sensitive skin or suffer from allergies. If you are looking out for a pair of gloves that’ll save you from thorny, harmful plants, this should work!
Pros
- Comfortable and thorn-resistant design
- Breathable and hypoallergenic and extremely flexible material
- Money-back guarantee
- Wide range of sizes available
- Padded and reinforced fingers
Cons
- Sizing can be quite large, you may want to purchase a size smaller than your usual
- Extended cuff can be a bit long and rough on the arms
- Certain colors like yellow seem to leave stains on the skin after use
4. Gold Leaf Dry Touch Gardening Gloves
These amazing fleece-lined leather gardening gloves are very comfortable and hard-wearing. You’ll love them for their grip and pliability, they have elasticated wrist, so they’ll hold up firmly and your hands will stay clean throughout the activities. They are also waterproof, they’ll serve you for all-round gardening adventure. These gloves are perfect for both light gardening and heavy-duty gardening.
They offer comfort and style that you’ll love. They are made of softer, extremely pliable cow grain leather that is water-resistant and durable. So if you are looking out for a durable gardening glove you can use in slightly wet conditions, this will be great for you.
Pros
- Gorgeous and durable option
- General-purpose gardening glovesWater-resistant leather gloves
- Fully lined for comfort and warmth
Cons
- Wears out faster than expected
- Yellow dye stains fingers when wet
5. Gold Leaf Tough Touch Gardening Gloves
Gold leaf tough touch gardening gloves provide you with the protection and comfort that you’ll need for tough garden tasks. They’ll keep your hands warm and dry with superior close-fitting throughout your tasks. They are made with top-quality materials that afford you durability.
You’ll find these gloves soft and flexible, gold leaf tough touch gives you the defense you need for even the hardest gardening tasks like pruning or clearing of thorny plants. They are ideal for gardeners looking out for quality, stylish, and elegant gardening gloves.
Pros
- Luxurious and stylish option
- Soft and comfortable
- Gold grain leather being specially treated to offer resistance to water
- Extended cuff for protection
Cons
- A bit more pricey
6. ClipGlove Watertight Medium Duty Gardening Gloves
These gloves are ideal for rainy gardening, they have a double coating with waterproof features, so you won’t have to deal with messy fingers. They may not be the best option for winter tasks, their lining is quite soft.
ClipGlove watertight gloves are ideal for weeding and pruning. They’ll make your gardening experience much safer and convenient.
Pros
- Double coating for wet tasksExcellent grip
- Durable fabric
- Very comfortable gloves
- Ideal for simple everyday garden tasks
Cons
- Not the best for heavy-duty gardening
Buying Guide
Dealing with brambles in the garden is certainly going to require more than just normal cotton gloves, you’ll be needing gloves with amazing features that’ll help you with pruning and other heavy-duty tasks.
What features should I look out for when choosing gloves for brambles?
The size of the glove
As simple as this may seem, you should consider it carefully. There’s nothing more disappointing than getting stuck with the wrong size, they’ll not work effectively at all. You want a glove that’ll enable you to work better in the garden, not restrict your movements.
You also want to consider the fit of the gloves, most have exclusive designs for men and some others for women. If you intend to buy your gloves online, use a sizing guide that’ll help you select a comfortable fit for the size and shape of your hand.
Flexibility
Trust me, flexibility is something you really don’t want to trivialize. You’ll need a glove that’ll help you complete your gardening tasks faster, easier, and without injuries. A stiff glove is not going to help you achieve this. Look out for gloves that’ll help you have a good grip on both big and small branches.
Great wrist closures
The wrist closure is something you want to look out for if you’ll be working on thorny plants. You want a glove that’ll fit well and not slide off or let in debris. Look out for gloves that come with an elastic or velcro closure that’ll maintain a snug fit and keep specks of dirt out of your gloves when you’re digging, weeding, or doing any other tasks.
Padded Fingertips
The fingertips are the most-used part of your gardening gloves, so they tend to wear out faster than other areas of your glove. This is why you’ll need to get gloves with padded fingertips if you’ll be handling thick brambles. They’ll last longer and also provide you with extra protection from scratches.
Double-stitched seams
These days, most tough gloves come in a double-stitched design. But check just to make sure you’ll be getting the best. Since you’ll be dealing with thorny plants, this is a very important feature you need to consider to ensure longevity and extra strength.
What kind of gardening glove is ideal for brambles?
The material of your glove determines how much wear it can take in, so you’ll need to get a glove with a suitable material for brambles. Generally, gloves made with high-quality leathers like cowhide, goatskin, and pigskin are puncture resistant and more durable. In fact, leather gloves are one of the best for brambles.
Nitrile is another good material for brambles, they are rubber-like and water-resistant. But then, they aren’t breathable, so they can be quite uncomfortable for you. Gloves with a gauntlet style are also very effective and ideal when dealing with brambles.
How should you clean your gardening gloves?
Cleaning your garden gloves shouldn’t be a big issue. It’s always better to follow the specific care instructions on the label of your gloves. But generally, the material of your gloves will determine how you clean them. Rubber gloves are the easiest to clean, you can easily wash them with soap and water and then, let them dry.
For leather gardening gloves, you’ll probably need a specialized cleaning soap like saddle soap. Then, you can use a damp cloth to clean the gloves nicely without submerging them in water. Don’t wash leather gloves in a machine, and don’t dry them out in the sun. You’ll end up destroying them.
Conclusion
Whether you want to start pruning or you are trying to clear out old brambles. You’ll definitely find the glove that’ll help you get the job done here. If you want a glove that’s strong and thorn-proof, Acdyion would be the best option for you.
If you are looking out for something comfortable and stylish, you should consider the CCBETTER gloves. If you’ll be working in wet or rainy conditions, gold leaf gardening gloves would be an amazing choice.
Did you find this review helpful? Share with your family and friends. Did the buying guide answer your questions? Let us know in the comments below.
How To Create Organic Pest Control For A Vegetable Garden
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Are you searching for an effective solution that’ll keep those annoying pests away from your precious vegetables? Are you tired of the regular chemical pesticides and you want something more natural for your garden? Organic pest control has proven to be not just cheaper, but safer and better than many other pest control procedures.
Organic sprays can be made with simple products that can be found right in your kitchen, it’s so easy to make and yet very effective. In recent years, many gardeners have embraced a healthier garden experience with organic pest control. I’m sure you want to be part of this!
And I’m willing to help you as well. Right here, you’ll be learning how to create organic pest control sprays for a vegetable garden. I’ve also included 3 powerful tips that’ll keep you a step ahead of these unpleasant pests.
Which Is Better; Organic Vs Other Pest Controls
If you’ve been searching for ways to control pests and reduce health and environmental risks, organic pest control is for you. These days, a lot of gardeners are fast switching to the organic lifestyle to prevent allergies, grow healthier vegetables and protect their younger children and pets.
Generally, organic pest control methods can be more efficient than regular pesticides. In fact, most pest control companies are now using organic methods in their professional services. In the long run, organic pest control will save you a lot more money unlike the quick fix chemical pesticides will give you.
Although both organic pest control methods and regular pesticides are effective at keeping pests away from your garden, they work differently. While chemical pest control methods may seem to work a lot faster, they may be harmful in the long run. On the other hand, organic pesticides work effectively if given the time and efforts required. That’s why you may need to apply them several times to get results.
But here’s the catch, if you’ve eventually decided to ditch buying vegetables sold in the markets and grow them yourself for you and your family. Won’t it be great to grow them naturally? Won’t it be nice to live that healthier life you deserve? Won’t it make more sense to avoid harmful pesticides?
If you’ve finally realized that a safer and healthier life is completely worth your time and effort, then, I’m happy for you! You can decide to get some of these organic pesticides in the market or simply do it yourself. It’s not a hard task, here’s how you can do it faster.
A Step By Step Guide To Creating Organic Pest Control for Your Vegetable Garden
There are several remedies for different pests. So the key is to find out which pests are bothering you and make an organic pesticide that’ll deal with them. Sounds good right!
There are numerous organic pesticides available. But here, I’ll be leaving you with a recipe that has got a lot of ingredients that’ll work for tons of pests.
We’ll be using household ingredients like onions, mint, and cayenne that repel these pests far away from your garden. You’ll be surprised how these disturbing pests can be easily killed by simple and safe ingredients laying around your home.
Organic all-in-one bug spray
Garlic, onion, and peppermint oil are very powerful ingredients that pests hate. You can use them to create an organic pest control that’ll effectively drive away garden pests such as beetles, leafhoppers, and spittlebugs.
What you’ll need
- Water
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- Peppermint essential oil
- 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons of natural liquid soap (Avoid liquid soaps that contain bleach or any harmful chemical)
Procedures
Step 1
Peel your garlic and onion, then puree them with the cayenne and peppermint oil.
Step 2
Now, strain the mixture and allow it to stand for a few hours, some gardeners leave theirs to soak overnight.
Step 3
Simply pour the mixture into a fine container and add in the two tablespoons of soap and 2 cups of water. Then, mix the solution very well.
Step 4
Now, pour this mixture into a spray bottle. Your organic pesticide is ready for use! Spray it on the affected areas 1-2 times a week to keep bugs away. You can even reserve the remaining in the fridge.
Organic oil spray
This oil spray would be great to ward off pests like spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies that’ll give anything to suck the saps of your plant. This amazing mixture would make a perfect homemade oil spray that’ll keep your garden pest-free.
What you’ll need
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Natural liquid soap (Avoid liquid soaps that contain bleach or any harmful chemical)
- Baking soda
Procedures
Step 1
Making an oil spray doesn’t require much, simply mix the ingredients properly. Use a cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. After mixing the ingredients, pour in a glass of water and mix thoroughly.
Step 2
Don’t bother letting the mixture sit for some time, you can instantly pour the mixture into a spray bottle and get to work. You should use this spray once a week to keep the pests away.
What you need to know about organic pest control
Before applying organic sprays in your garden, be sure it’s something you want to do and make sure the damage the pests are causing is really a problem. Just like chemical pesticides, organic pest control would get rid of all bugs, this includes other helpful insects like ladybugs and bees that help out in the garden.
Make sure to try out your organic spray on a small portion of your plant first, it could be just a single leaf. Find out if there are any negative results, if there’s none, you can now fully use it on the entire plant the next day.
As at the time you make your organic spray if you’re not ready to use it, keep it in a dry and cool place.
I usually spray my plants before the sun comes out in the morning. You should do this to prevent burning or damaging your plants. You know, sprays with oil don’t go well with intense heat.
Be careful not to apply too much of these sprays to your vegetables. You don’t want to end up with a slightly different flavor. Only use this for the portion of your plant that is mostly affected.
Tips For Keeping Pests Out Of Your Garden
While garden pests are almost unavoidable, there are a few tips that can help you keep them in check. You want to avoid creating a pleasant environment for them by taking the 3 powerful steps I’ll be discussing with you here.
First, give your plants the best growing condition
Water your plants frequently and do it in the morning. This way, you make your plants less prone to pests. Watering your plants in the morning time keeps them healthier and prevents them from being damp in the evening when pests love to strike.
I’ve found out that these pests mostly attack weak plants, frequent watering will keep your plant from wilting and make them yield more. Plus, take your time to remove dead or diseased leaves, if they are not removed they’ll become an attractive site to pests. Do you know what else could be attractive to these disturbing pests?
Weeds! yes, these unwanted plants can provide a convenient spot for pests in your garden. So you should take weeds off as soon as you see them.
Space your plants
I used to own a small garden in my previous home, and I love to grow my fruits and vegetables organically, so then, I always squeezed a lot of vegetables into a small space. I felt I’ll get a lot of yields that’ll last me for a good time. But guess what? I got just what I attracted, a lot of pests- snails, slugs, and more.
If you’ve been doing this and you’re struggling with pests, then when next you are planting try spacing your plants. It’ll do you more good! Trust me, your vegetables will get more airflow and you will easily notice any pest before it causes much damage.
Use plants!
Several plants can deal with your pest problem for you. Aromatic herbs like citronella, lemongrass, and basil will ward off annoying critters and also attract their predators. If you ask me this is a great strategy, find a good spot in your garden where you can plant these herbs, they’ll save you a lot of stress.
FAQ
What is the best organic pesticide for vegetables?
There’s no perfect pesticide, like I said earlier, what is important is choosing a pesticide that’ll effectively drive out the pests you have. However, neem oil is one powerful organic pesticide that seems to work for many pests.
You may want to try it. It acts against a good number of garden pests by disrupting their life cycle and preventing them from feeding on your vegetables. You can find this active pesticide in garden stores, make sure to follow the instructions on the container and effectively spray the affected areas.
What are organic pesticides?
Organic pesticides are mixtures that are made from natural substances or ingredients. They are mixtures made from simple and natural soaps or ethanol.
Conclusion
I’m sure you are so surprised at how simply all of this is. And I’m so happy I’m able to put you up to speed with organic pest control. If you are taking the pain to grow your vegetables, then you deserve the very best of them.
I wish you a healthier and better garden experience. You can purchase already-made organic sprays if you don’t think you have the time to produce one yourself.
Have you been using organic pest control methods? Share your experience! Did you find this step-by-step guide helpful? Share with your family and friends!
Summer Savings coming in hot! Awesome deals on what you want, need & love.
15 Best Gardening Tools For Dads
Is your dad a keen gardener and tour looking to get him something useful as a gift? If so we have you covered in this best gardening tools for dad guide.
We have put together a collection of 15 different items in a variety of price ranges that would likely be a great addition to your dads gardening tool box.
15 Best Gardening Tools For Dads (Gift Guide)
1. Clydes Garden Planner
This is perfect for an organised gardener. Clydes garden planner allows your dad to keep track of all the different times of year to plant vegetables to make sure he’s keeping on track. It provides Indoor and outdoor seeding dates for 22 commonly planted garden veggies.
It’s perfect to hang up inside or outside his garden shed as it is waterproof and lasts for years. It also comes with a moisture meter so you can check exactly when your plants need watered taking away all the guess work.
2. Digital Hose Timer
A digital hose timer is a perfect gift for your dad. You just attach this little device to your hose, set how long you want it to run for and that’s it. It will turn off automatically when the timer runs out.
Your dad can have a perfectly watered garden without all the hard work!
3. Gardening Belt
If your dad is an avid gardener and doesn’t have a gardening tool belt you need to get him one. This is a handy bit of kit to help him store all the tools he needs when he’s out and about, working in the garden.
4. Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer
An Indoor Outdoor thermometer is a great affordable gift. Your dad will be able to keep track of temperatures inside and out so he knows exactly what way to treat his plants. This one supports three wireless sensors for multiple locations and calculates the weather forecast for the next 8 hours so your dad can keep on top of his garden.
5. Gardening Apron
Similar to the tool belt but it also helps to keep the dirt off your dads clothes! It has multiple compartments of all shapes and sizes for all of his tools. It has adjustable waist straps for all sizes of people and is made of high quality thickened Oxford cloth. It’s a great purchase for any green fingered dad.
6. Heavy Duty Yard Cart
This heavy duty yard cart is a great addition to any gardeners collection of tools. It’s designed to easily transport heavy items around the garden as well as moving dirt and stones. This particular yard cart comes in with a 1200lbs max load meaning your dad wont have any issues transporting stuff around his garden. It also has an amazing quick-release dump feature making unloading quick and easy.
7. Zero Turn Ride On Mower
If you want to go all out this is every man with a large gardens dream machine. It’s a zero turn ride on mower that is sure to get any avid gardener excited. Your dad will have the grass cut in no time with this piece of machinery.
Read More: 20 Most Common Gardening Tools
8. Three Piece Leaf Clean Up Set
This is an amazing three piece kit including a wheel barrow, wavy blade hedge shears and a lawn rake perfect for cleaning up leaves in the Autumn months. It’s also a great starter kit for beginner gardeners including some of the handiest tools a gardener can have in his tool kit.
9. Three Piece D Grip Digging Tool Set
This 3 piece set comes with a compact digging shovel, digging fork and a full size digging shovel. They all come with strong wooden handles making them a durable purchase that will stand the test of time. Every gardener has a use for some of these tools at some point during the year. If your dad doesn’t have these yet he needs them!
10. Leaf Scoop
One of the most annoying parts of raking leaves is picking them up. This Leaf scoop from Gardease makes picking up leaves fast and easy. It also helps to protect your dads hands from sharp debris when picking up the leaves.
11. Garden Kneeler Seat
A Garden kneeler seat is a must have for gardeners who are down on their hands and knees all the time. Your dad isn’t getting any younger. This seat will help him protect his knees and allow him to work on his plants in comfort.
12. Stand Up Weed Remover Tool
We all know how annoying it is to get down on your hands and knees and pull weeds. This handy tool allows you to easily pull them standing up helping to save your dads hands and knees from injury.
13. Leaf Blower
A leaf blower is a great addition to any dads tool shed. It makes clearing up leaves and grass clippings a breeze with this handy tool. This is a battery operated leaf blower meaning you just have to charge and go making it easy for any dad to use.
14. Container Gardening For Beginners
If your dad is just getting into gardening this is a great beginners guide to container gardening. It will teach him about all the basics of starting to grow Vegetables, fruits, herbs and edible flowers. He will be able to grow a thriving garden in containers after reading this.
15. Garden Tool Sharpener
A tool sharpener is a great addition to any garden. It’s important to keep all your tools such as shears, mower blades etc sharp. This tool helps to keep them in tip top condition.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this article has helped you find the best gardening tool for your dad. You can be sure he’ll be excited no matter what gift on this list he receives.