24/04/2025
Organic Pesticides: Natural Solutions for Crop Protection
To ensure the effectiveness and safety of home-made organic pesticides, apply them during cooler times of the day, such as early morning or late afternoon, to prevent crop damage. Here are several natural remedies to control pests in your crops:
1. Garlic Extract
Crush fresh garlic and mix with hot water. Allow the mixture to cool for two hours, then spray it on your crops to manage aphids effectively.
2. Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
Crush 2 kg of Tithonia leaves and soak them in 4 liters of warm water for 2–3 hours (or in cold water for two days). Use this solution to control caterpillars.
3. Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium)
Combine 1 kg of leaves, fruits, and branch stems. Crush them, boil in 4 liters of water for 20 minutes, and let the mixture cool. Spray it to combat scale insects, aphids, and leaf miners (Tuta absoluta).
4. Pawpaw Leaf Extract
Crush 1 kg of fresh green pawpaw leaves and boil in 4 liters of water for 20 minutes. Allow the solution to cool before spraying it on crops to manage scale insects and aphids.
5. Wood Ash
Burn maize combs to produce dry ash. Scatter this ash around the base of plants, especially vegetable seedlings, to deter cutworms in fields prone to cutworm infestations.
6. Hot Pepper Spray
Crush 500 grams of ripe hot pepper fruits and mix with 5 liters of water. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes, strain, and dilute with an additional 5 liters of water. Add 50 ml of mild dish soap (non-detergent) before spraying to control ants (termites), aphids, flies, and caterpillars.
7. Lantana Camara Ash
Collect branches and leaves of Lantana camara and burn them to create ash. Broadcast this ash across affected areas to eliminate ants and worms.
These organic solutions are simple, effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives for managing pests on your crops. Implementing them not only helps protect your plants but also promotes sustainabl