The hobby of planting and collecting ornamental plants has become very popular lately. Moreover, during a pandemic, planting can be used as a positive activity while at home. However, one problem that arises is the pests that attack these ornamental plants.
But, you don’t need to worry because there are simple ways to get rid of pests in ornamental plants. Are you curious about how? Check out the details below.
Cigarette butt
The first simple way to get rid of pests is to use cigarette butts. You can use cigarette butts as a natural pesticide. The ability of cigarette butts to eradicate these pests is derived from the nicotine content in them. Yes, this nicotine can reduce the pest’s appetite by disrupting its central nervous system. Another advantage of this cigarette butt is that it breaks down easily in nature, making it more environmentally friendly.
How to make it is fairly easy, all you have to do is provide about 1 ounce of cigarette butts, 1 teaspoon of soap and about 7 liters of water. After all the ingredients have been collected, clean the cigarette butts then soak them in water for about 7 days. This aims to remove the substances that are in the cigarette butt.
If it’s been 7 days, filter the soaking water then add a dab of soap to it. Stir together then put into a spray bottle. Finally, natural pesticides from cigarette butts are ready to use. You can spray it on plants to avoid pests such as grasshoppers, fleas and caterpillars.
Baking soda
Furthermore, there is a simple way to use baking soda to eradicate pests that exist in ornamental plants. How to make it very easy, you just have to mix baking soda with soap and then spray it on ornamental plants. This mixture of ingredients is able to overcome pests such as black fungus, fleas, insects and several other pests.
In addition, this mixture can also be used to repel ants by mixing baking soda with bordo. The good thing is, this natural pesticide can keep the soil pH in balance. As is well known, a balanced pH will be better to prevent various pests from attacking ornamental plants.
Garlic
Have you ever thought about using garlic to kill pests? Yes, garlic can also be used as an ingredient for pest control in ornamental plants. The way to make it is quite easy, you just need to puree 4 or 5 garlic then put it in 1 liter of water. After that, add 4 to 5 drops of herbal soap.
Continue to sieve the mixture so that the pulp is separated. After that, store the liquid in a glass bottle with a tight lid. To apply it to plants, you just dilute the liquid using 2 ½ cups of water.
Spray the plants you want to disinfect. This mixture can kill various pests such as snails, white butterflies, ants, aphids, termites and beetles.
Papaya leaf
Not to forget, you can also use papaya leaves as an insecticide for ornamental plants. The presence of alkaloids, glycosides and papain enzymes in it can control pests such as caterpillars, aphids and termites. The way to make it is fairly easy, all you have to do is prepare about 1 kilogram of papaya leaves then blender with a mixture of water until the texture turns like mush.
If so, pour the mixture into the container then add 1 liter of water. Stir until evenly distributed and let stand for 2 nights. If it’s been 2 nights, then continue with filtering and put it in a spray bottle. As a result, pesticides from papaya leaves are ready to use.
Lime betel
Now, the last one is whiting which you can use to eradicate ornamental plants in a very easy way. Prepare 100 grams of whiting and 1 liter of water then mix the two.
Stir until evenly distributed then put in a spray bottle for immediate application to ornamental plants. The presence of phenol and cavocol substances in whiting can kill sucking pests such as mites. For that, you really have to try this one ingredient.