Gauteng Smallholder October 2016 | Page 33

HOME REMEDIES Other natural aphicide sprays L ast month we published a remedy for ridding your plants of aphids. Here are a couple more. K Make an onion and garlic spray: Roughly cut a full pod (including the skins) of garlic and four onions. Place in a container. Some suggest From page 30 adding a tablespoon of crushed, dried or fresh chilli or chilli seeds, or one teaspoon of chilli powder. Pour three litres of boiling water over the material, close the container and allow it to stand for one day. Strain and keep the fluid. Add two tablespoons cooking oil and two teaspoons liquid soap, and mix well. Mix one cup of this mixture with five cups of water. Spray weekly, making a fresh batch every week. K Another remedy specifically for aphids is citrus tea. Chop the peels of three oranges or of two lemons and ROOTING water and allow to cool. Place warm water. Let them soak for this mixture in an airtight at least 72 hours and then dip container until ready to use, storing it away from light. This your cuttings in the tea and mixture can keep up to two plant. You can keep the mixture in the fridge for three weeks. to four days. When you're ready to begin But not everybody has access using honey to root cuttings, you will need to prepare your to fresh willow branches. Honey is a lot easier to find. It cuttings and potting medium. Your cuttings can be 15 – 30 is preferable to use pure, or cms in length and cut on about raw, honey but regular storebought honey can be used at a a 45-degree angle. push. Stir a tablespoon of Now simply dip each cutting honey into two cups of boiling Continued on page 32 31 www.sasmallholder.co.za cover with hot water. Leave overnight, take out the peels, microwave the liquid for five seconds and store in the fridge. When required, add a teaspoon to a litre of water, one teaspoon of dishwashing soap and one teaspoon of white spirit vinegar.