Here are a few handy tips to save your plants from insects and pests.
Our spinach plants were suddenly getting yellow and drying off. Many of the green ones had holes in them, as if being eaten by some bug.
We found out that most probably its a Leaf Miner attack! Leaf miner is a fly like insect which drops its eggs on plant leaves. From these eggs come larvae which feed on our plants. Plants like spinach are very prone to such insects.
We did not want to buy harmful pesticides from market which even though many claim to be organic, harmless, result guaranteeing, etc.
So these are the steps we took to save our spinach plants:
1. Pinch off all the infected leaves. Even if there seems to be little white specs on the leaves, they need to be removed.
In the initial stage, if you see just the white specs, you can brush them off with hands and let the leaf stay
However if you realize this late, its best to abandon all infected leaves.
2. Do not drop pinched off leaves close to the ground as it may still contain larvae and they might breed in your soil. Trash them.
3. Use a natural insecticide. I found garlic spray very effective.
Steps to make Garlic spray:
- Add about 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic (or about 2 bulbs) to 1 cup hot water and let it stay over night.
- Next day, strain the liquid.
- You can add additional components like crushed pepper, liquid dishwasher soap, vegetable oil to the liquid and spray to your garden.
You can use this as a natural insecticide for many plants in your garden.
Make sure you store the remaining spray in your refrigerator as it tends to go bad like any other food item.
This seems to be working for me. My plants are coming back to life after losing many of their leaves. Though the progress is slow, there are no more dried or infected leaves in my plant.
Do share if you have more natural insect/pest control remedy.
Happy Gardenig!
Our spinach plants were suddenly getting yellow and drying off. Many of the green ones had holes in them, as if being eaten by some bug.
We found out that most probably its a Leaf Miner attack! Leaf miner is a fly like insect which drops its eggs on plant leaves. From these eggs come larvae which feed on our plants. Plants like spinach are very prone to such insects.
We did not want to buy harmful pesticides from market which even though many claim to be organic, harmless, result guaranteeing, etc.
So these are the steps we took to save our spinach plants:
1. Pinch off all the infected leaves. Even if there seems to be little white specs on the leaves, they need to be removed.
In the initial stage, if you see just the white specs, you can brush them off with hands and let the leaf stay
However if you realize this late, its best to abandon all infected leaves.
2. Do not drop pinched off leaves close to the ground as it may still contain larvae and they might breed in your soil. Trash them.
3. Use a natural insecticide. I found garlic spray very effective.
Steps to make Garlic spray:
- Add about 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic (or about 2 bulbs) to 1 cup hot water and let it stay over night.
- Next day, strain the liquid.
- You can add additional components like crushed pepper, liquid dishwasher soap, vegetable oil to the liquid and spray to your garden.
You can use this as a natural insecticide for many plants in your garden.
Make sure you store the remaining spray in your refrigerator as it tends to go bad like any other food item.
This seems to be working for me. My plants are coming back to life after losing many of their leaves. Though the progress is slow, there are no more dried or infected leaves in my plant.
Do share if you have more natural insect/pest control remedy.
Happy Gardenig!
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