How to fumigate plants with natural products

Today we can find many synthetic products intended for the elimination of plant pests. These products are very effective. However, they are also dangerous, often both for the plant, for the people and animals that live in the house and for the environment in general. Keep in mind that most synthetic products are so effective because contain toxic products. Its function is to eliminate a plague and, for this, it is necessary that they act as a poison for said plague.

However, this also causes them to have secondary effects that, although they may not be seen a priori, are there and significantly affect the ecosystem. On the one hand, it must be taken into account that these are synthetic and toxic products that, although they are formulated for plants, this does not mean that they are harmless to them and their environment. In general, used correctly, that is, following the manufacturer’s instructions, it should not pose a risk to the plant. However, high use could lead to damage or even death of the plant. For this reason, they pose more risks than natural products which, although they are not always harmless, do not have the same level of risk, that is to say that natural products to fumigate plants are safer.

Secondly, these are toxic products and, therefore, they are identified with icons or symbols that warn that they must be “kept out of the reach of children”. Naturally, an adult person is not going to consume these types of products by accident. However, in homes where there are children and pets, it is a real risk that must be considered. On the contrary, the use of natural products eliminates this unnecessary risk.

Finally, it must also be considered that the use of synthetic pesticide products entails damage to the pest and to other types of organisms that, in many cases, are positive for the plant. Synthetic products, precisely due to their power, eliminate practically any organism that comes into contact with the plant. This includes, for example, pollinating insects such as bees, which are beneficial and necessary for many plant species. This is the case of neonicotinoids, here we tell you what neonicotinoids are and their effect on bees and the environment.

In addition, these synthetic products take a long time to break down, so they end up in other ecosystems washed away, where their effects continue to be disastrous for many forms of life.

When using a natural product to fumigate a plantwhether it is fumigating in the garden, the orchard or inside the house, the first thing to be clear about is what type of pest we want to eliminate from the plants: bacteria, viruses, fungi or insects.

In this sense, a plant disease caused by a bacterium will not be the same as one caused by a fungus, a virus or an insect, they will not be the same problems and symptoms and the same treatment will be followed. Likewise, it will also be necessary to take into account the place of the plant where it is located, since a pest located in the leaves will not be the same as in the roots, for example.

In this way, once we have well located and identified the type of pest we are facing, we will adapt the natural product specifically to the needs of each situation.

Keep in mind that the amount of natural products that we can use to fumigate a plant against a pest is vast. In fact, you can even find natural products such as fungicides or natural insecticides prepared and sold in garden stores. In this case, they are natural products but they are presented in a traditional commercial format, but whose components are natural, that is, they do not use any artificially created synthetic ingredient.

On the contrary, if what we want is to use natural and homemade products, the best place to start looking will be the kitchen, where the use of different plants and formulas will be of great help when creating a solution for fumigate plants against different pests.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the most effective plants when it comes to constituting a natural pesticide. It acts against bacteria, fungi and insects. To do this, all you have to do is crush a couple of cloves of garlic and let them macerate for 48 hours in water. After this time, you can fumigate the affected areas of the plant.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another kitchen product that has pesticide effects. In this case, it is a particularly powerful fungicide. To apply it, it is best to dissolve the cinnamon in water, let it macerate for at least 24 hours and apply it to the areas affected by fungi on the plant.

potassium soap

This natural soap is one of the most effective ways to get rid of pests such as whiteflies, aphids, red spiders or mealybugs, among other insects that are harmful to the plant. Simply dissolve a little of this soap in water and apply with a fumigator on the affected areas.

Horse tail

This herb, which is usually used in infusion to combat fluid retention, is also a powerful fungicide. To apply it, simply spray the infusion on the plant affected by fungi.

Sulfur

Sulfur is a natural compound that acts as a fungicide and acaricide. Its application must be done with care, since it is a natural compound, but also very powerful. It is usually marketed already formulated in the form of a natural fungicide, so it will be a good way to ensure that we do not exceed the recommended dose.

propolis

This substance produced by bees is one of the most powerful fungicides found in nature. In fact, bees use it to keep fungus at bay in their own hives. To apply it, a part will be dissolved in water and applied with a fumigator on the affected part of the plant.

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