Sunday, July 28, 2013

Using Baking Soda in Your Garden



1. Make a Spray to Treat and Prevent Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a problem for many plants, including lilacs, monarda, and zinnias. Squashes and cucumbers are particularly susceptible to it in my neck of the woods. Here is a simple, all-natural spray you can make to treat and prevent powdery mildew:


Ingredients:

1 gallon of water
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid

Directions:
Mix the ingredients together and add them to a spray bottle. Spray your plants weekly, preferably on overcast days to prevent it from burning the foliage

2. Sprinkle Baking Soda on Cabbages (and other Brassicas) to Thwart Caterpillars

If those small green cabbage worms have been making Swiss cheese of your cabbage, broccoli, and kale plants, try this trick: Make a 50/50 combination of flour and baking soda, and dust it all over whichever plants the cabbage worms are eating. They'll eat the combo while munching the leaves, and die within a day or so. Repeat as necessary.

3. Sweep Baking Soda into Sidewalk Cracks to Discourage Weeds

Simply pour or sweep a thick layer of baking soda into sidewalk and patio cracks. The baking soda will kill any small weeds that are already there, and prevent new ones from sprouting.

4. Kill Crabgrass

Crabgrass can be really annoying, and if you're noticing it in your lawn, garden beds, or sidewalk cracks, you can use baking soda to get rid of it. Simply wet it down, then pour a thick dusting of baking soda on it. The crabgrass will start dying back in two to three days. One word of caution: try to be careful where you're applying the baking soda, because you could harm your lawn grass if you get too much of the baking soda on it.

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