Garden Solutions are in the Kitchen
Looking over his bifocals at supper last night, Jules asked, “Are these dandelions in the salad?” Trained in weed identification, he is suspicious of anything I bring in from the herb garden.
My sweetheart is not entirely confident that I was serving a salad of endive and chives with baby oak leaf lettuce. I think he has volunteered to help in the kitchen this summer because he is not sure whether I am making salad dressing or herbicides.
Here is yet one more kitchen concoction Jules eyes with suspicion: spray lilacs, monarda and phlox every week with a baking soda solution to protect against powdery mildew. This works best as prevention and will not eliminate the disease. Thinning overcrowded plants will encourage air circulation, decreasing mildew problems in the first place.
The Cornell University baking soda solution: 3 tsp. baking soda, 2½ tbs. horticultural oil, mixed with 1 gallon of water. This homemade solution is a bargain compared to commercial products and you probably already have it in your kitchen cabinet.
Vinegar is an inexpensive and environmentally safe weedkiller. I use this organic weed control for spot spraying. Use vinegar in gardens, along sidewalks and brick or stone patios. A small watering can filled with vinegar and water can target stray grass or dandelions in sidewalk cracks or the driveway.
Hand spray or carefully direct your vinegar filled watering can over unwanted vegetation. Vinegar works best on young plants but it can control bigger weeds and grass. Bigger weeds require repeated applications. Use any inexpensive grocery store variety of vinegar to kill the weeds. The USDA study is reported at their website http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr
Repeated spraying with diluted kitchen soap (a teaspoon of dish soap in a pint spray bottle of water) has helped control the insects on my tomato plants. Try it on one plant to see if it does more harm than good for your plants. Read University Of Colorado fact sheet number 5.547 at http://www.ext.colostate.edu
