Page 67 - Mariners Cricket Club (Singapore) - Souvenir Magazine 2020

Hence, we need to look at organic, more natural solutions to tackle those nasty, unrelenting pests.

The secret to fight these unsightly, destructive creatures is in our kitchen.
Here in this article. Let us tackle them one critter at a time.

Aphids: aphids are the most destructive insect pests on plants. They suck out all the nutrition from the
plants and the leaves turn yellow and eventually the plant gets weak and dies.

How to get rid of them naturally.

Cold water, give the plants a cold water spray , they aphids get dislodged,

Soap water spray mix 1 tablespoon of pure liquid soap (eg castile) without degreasers, or
detergent. Mix it with 1 liter water and spray it on the plant, repeat this process 2 to 3 times a
week.

Essential oils: peppermint ,cloves, rosemary , thyme , boil any of these with 1 liter water, boil till
the water reduces to half, let the herb or the spice steep in this reduced water for 2 days ,fi lter this
water and spray om the affected parts of the plant repeatedly 2ce a week.

Benefi cial plants: garlic and chives can be planted in every pot along with your other plants,
these keep aphids away and you can have an ample supply of green garlic for your daal tadka .
or green garlic chutneys.
Mealy bugs: mealy bugs are small, white, scale like pests ,females can be seen on the plants and
theirs eggs hatch within 10 days.

To get rid of them organically, make
a homemade solution of garlic and
onion water :
Combine 1 garlic bulb, 1 small onion,
and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or red
chilli padi) in a blender and process into a
paste. Mix into 1 liter of water and steep
for 1 hour. Strain through a cheesecloth
and add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
(optional) Mix well. The mixture can be
stored for up to 1 week.

Mariners’ Cricket Club (Singapore) 67