Lots of people think the most expensive fertilizer, or the most chemical-filled pesticides will make their garden look bright and healthy. However, that’s not always the case. Most of the time, simple organic solutions are the best (and cheapest) ways to take care of your plants. Here are two great ideas to keep your garden healthy without breaking the bank!
Liquid Soap
We all have liquid dish or hand soap, so this remedy should be a quick and easy fix! Just mix one tablespoon of soap into one gallon of water. Mix the solution together, put it in a spray bottle, and spray all your plants, making sure to get their undersides as well. This will help repel insects and pests.
Garlic
Take one garlic bulb and blend it together with two cups of water. Then take that concoction and mix it with one gallon of water. This will help keep insects away from your yard because of the smell. You can also mix it with the liquid soap solution to make an even better insecticide!
Vegetable Oil
Like the other solutions, just mix two teaspoons of oil with a gallon of water and that should do the trick. You can also mix in one teaspoon of soap to give it an extra kick as well!
Epsom Salt
If you have pepper plants then this is a solution that you’ll want to make! Mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt with warm water and let it dissolve. Then use the mixture to spray on your pepper plants when they start budding. This will help the plants hold the fruits instead of losing them!
Vinegar
Don’t waste your money with expensive weed killers; just buy vinegar! Take pure vinegar, put it in a spray bottle, and use it to kill any weeds that may be popping up! Just make sure not to get it on any of your actual plants or it will kill them too!
Hair
This may sound a little weird, but putting strands of your hair in the garden is actually a really great idea. Just take it straight from the hairbrush and place it among the plants. It wards off animals like raccoons and cats because of the human smell. Also, when it decomposes the hair’s nutrients are great for the soil.
Seaweed
Make this concentration by mixing one ounce of seaweed into one gallon of water. After you have that solution, just mix three tablespoons of it with one gallon of water whenever you want to spray your plants. It works great as a foliar spray or as a root soak, so choose which is best.
Baking Soda
If you have a fungus problem, then look no further! This baking soda solution works great to deal with most types of mildew or fungus. Add three tablespoons of baking soda into one gallon of water (adding one teaspoon of soap if you want) and spray it on your plants.
Slug Bait
Slugs and snails are notorious for taking over and destroying gardens. A simple solution is just a small saucer of beer. The slugs and snails will be attracted to the smell and then when they crawl up to drink, they’ll drown in the liquid!
Eggshell Fertilizer
Eggshells have about 101 uses in gardening, including numerous remedies. If your soil is having a calcium deficiency, then look to eggshells for your solution. You can either blend some up with water and make a spray or put them right in the soil. They’ll decompose and give your plants vital nutrients.
Molasses
Take five gallons of water and mix in one cup of molasses. Let it sit for a day and then feel free to use it on your plants. This is a great fertilizer that helps your plants stay strong and healthy.
Banana Peels
Take banana peels and place them at the bottom of any recent holes you have dug for your plants. Simply put the plant in afterwards and nature will do the rest. The peels will decompose and release potassium into the soil—a nutrient all plants love. Rotten bananas are also said to repel aphids.
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