Thoughtful homemade insecticides and fertilizers with accessible ingredients Control and nourish pests floorsas explained by the specialist Gabriel del Huerto, Agronomist, in a practical lecture.
These solutions, which can be prepared with everyday items such as white soap, garlic, hot peppers, fruit bones and peels, offer economical and natural alternatives for garden and garden care.
One of the most effective methods of pest control is the preparation of an insecticide based on white bar soapdilute in water until a paste forms. The engineer explained that it is enough to dissolve a tablespoon of this mixture in a liter of water every five days and spray the affected plants. This preparation is particularly suitable against sucking insects such as aphids, mealybugs and thrips because the soap acts on chitin, a fatty substance that forms the exoskeleton of these insects. “Soap dissolves the chitin and therefore kills it,” Gabriel explained during the demonstration.
To enhance the effect of the insecticide, you can add Garlic. The procedure consists of mixing five cloves of garlic in half a liter of water, letting the mixture sit for twelve to twenty-four hours, straining it and adding the resulting liquid to the soap solution. Garlic provides a repellent smell and keeps insects such as bed bugs, grasshoppers and moor bugs away. The expert emphasized that this preparation does not harm plants or other animals, but warned that its use in places where cats are present could be annoying for them.
A third variant includes hot pepper or cayenne pepper. You can use five very hot fresh chilies or two tablespoons of dehydrated ground chilies in a pint of water and then add these to the soapy garlic mixture. Capsaicin, the chemical responsible for itching, acts as a cleansing agent: “When the insect eats, it doesn’t like it and goes somewhere else to eat,” he noted. This option is particularly effective for controlling caterpillars and other cutting insects. The professional recommended repeating the application every five days and renewing the treatment after rains, as water can remove the product from the leaves.
Homemade fertilizer made from green leaves macerated in water is a natural source of nitrogen that is essential for plant growth
Regarding fertilizers, he identified three essential nutrients for plants: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. To provide nitrogen, he suggested filling a 5-gallon bucket with green leaves (grass, clippings, or weeds), covering them with water, and allowing the mixture to macerate for 48 hours. The resulting liquid, once strained, can be used for watering every fifteen days and provides a significant nitrogen contribution. It is also possible to dissolve a handful of compost in a liter of water and use this solution for watering, especially in pots with limited space.
Phosphorus can be obtained from charred bones. Del Huerto recommended using roasted bones, burning them on the grill or fireplace until they turn white, then grinding them into a fine powder. “With four tablespoons of this you already have phosphorus for the entire season,” he said, emphasizing the power of this fertilizer. The powder is incorporated directly into the soil, preferably at the time of planting.
For potassium, the homemade option is to dehydrate Fruit or vegetable peels B. Banana, potato, eggplant or carrot, either in the oven for an hour or in the sun for two weeks and then grind them. This powder can be stored for one to two years and applied to the soil or dissolved in water for irrigation. “The peels concentrate a lot of potassium, which stays there in the tissue. When you dehydrate it, the water disappears and the potassium stays free there,” he explained.
These alternatives make it possible to meet the basic needs of plants and combat pests in a natural way, using the resources available at home and avoiding the use of industrial products.
Photos and video: Dana Oblitas (IWoKFilms)
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