I don’t use chemicals in my gardens. There are ways to garden pesticide-free. I have 5 tips for all natural gardening.
How To Check Your Soil’s pH Levels
Make Your Own Homemade Fertilizer
No worries! There are some other easy ways to fertilize your garden naturally. For one thing, instead of a huge compost pile, you can simply save some of the stuff from your kitchen you’d normally throw away.
Coffee Grounds – adds nitrogen to the soil and is ideal for acid-loving plants like tomatoes.
Banana Peels – decompose quickly, replenishing potassium and other minerals to the soil
Egg Shells – can add calcium carbonate and help avoid blossom rot in peppers and tomatoes
Just mix a few tablespoons of molasses with a gallon of water and then water your plants with it.
Use Orange Peels To Eliminate Pests
Orange peels can be placed around plants or attached directly to the stem to ward off and eliminate some pests.
That’s because orange peels contain a natural chemical known as d-Limonene, which can kill off ants and aphids. The chemical destroys the waxy substance around the bugs, causing them to suffocate.
Use Baking Soda to Stop Mildew and Fungus Growth
Use baking soda to make a non-toxic fungicide. Just mix 4 teaspoons into a gallon of water and spray it on your plants.
You can also use baking soda to prevent mildew growth on plants like cucumbers and squash.
This is especially useful during times of high humidity. For preventing mildew, mix a tablespoon of baking soda in water and apply to the vegetation.
Using natural remedies for your garden, you won’t have to worry about your pets getting poisoned.
And you can pat yourself on the back that you aren’t adding to the pollution problem via water run-off.
Mountain Mama says
Great tips, Brenda – I'm always looking for more ways to garden naturally!
Art and Sand says
I tend to just garden without thinking, but I want to try your tips.
Shannon J. says
We use compost and egg shells in our garden. Both work really well. I'd like to try the baking soda tip. Thanks for sharing.
Nancy Blue Moon says
Thanks for these great tips Brenda!
Botanic Bleu says
Brenda,
I'm pinning this post to my Pinterest board, Jardin Chateaux, for future reference. One of the reasons we bought our small plot in the country to build our house was so we could keep a natural yard. Living in the suburbs forces home owners to conform to manicured grass lawns that require lots of work and often need lots of chemicals to keep them looking that way. In our last house in the suburb I was growing daylilies in the little spot between my drive, my neighbor's yard and the curb. My neighbor's father mowed his son's yard and mowed down my 'weeds' for me at the same time. Fortunately, I no longer have to worry about pleasing the neighbors.
Judith
Kirby Carespodi says
We don't use chemicals, as our son has a lot of chemical sensitivities. I had never heard of orange peel! I'm definitely going to try it around my veggie garden!
Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
Great tips ! I still remember one of yours from a year or two ago…to use pinecones in the soil of potted plants which I did since two blocks down the libray's adjacent lot had huge pine trees 🙂
Donna says
Excellent tips!
Mary Jones says
My Hostia always get eaten on the leaves. How often would you have to replace the orange peels?
Daniela says
My dear Brenda,
thank you for sharing all these useful advices of yours, so very precious to me !
Hope your week is off to a great start, I wish you much love for your days to come,
sending love to you
Dany
Rattlebridge Farm says
Wonderful tips, Brenda. Organic is the way to go; I've got a compost box, and I plan to set out marigolds.
Sarah says
Great suggestions. Thank you, Brenda.