Insecticide soap for your garden

If you are a gardener, you probably will recognize this picture:

Aphids. I went to the garden to cut some fresh dill yesterday and found them everywhere. It's like they arrived overnight and got comfortable in our yard. 

Luckily I know what to do and it took me just half an hour to get rid of them. I made insecticide soap from vegetable oil, laundry detergent and water, sprayed the plants and I found aphids dead in the late afternoon.

I am going to continue growing the dill I sprayed and use it for the seeds for the next season. I still have some flower beds with herbs which were not infected by the insects. These plants we will be able to use for food.

I'd like to share the recipe of insecticide soap with you. It works great on plants and you can make it any time from your household items. It is also inexpensive compare to the store-bought insecticides and can be organic, depending on what ingredients you are using.

You will need:

1 cup vegetable oil

1 table spoon full of liquid laundry detergent (not concentrated, not citrus based)

Water as needed

1 pint jar, mixing bowl, spray bottle

Mix the first 2 ingredients and pour into in a jar. Now, mix 1 to 2 tea spoons of this mix with 1 cup of tap water. Pour it into a spray bottle.

Use your insecticide in the early morning on a dry non-windy day. Shake the content of your bottle and spray the plants preferably under the leaves of the infected plants. I always get so enthusiastic and I spray the entire plant.  

I have used this recipe for over decade now on my roses and tomato plants (now herbs, too!) and it always works for me.

How to grow an African Violet

One of the best gifts for the Mother's Day is a potted plant. Of course, if your mother likes houseplants.

My mother likes African violets and grew them in her apartment as long as I can remember. I guess I caught that green thumb bug from her since for the last 10 years I have been propagating them.

I'd like to share how to propagate them but lets start with care.

Start with just one plant. Purchase the one you really like in bloom. When you bring it home, place it near the sunny window sill, they hate direct sun light. Mine are blooming all year round on the north window sill protected by the blinds.

Rule 1: bright and even light condition.

Rule 2: regular watering with room temperature water.

Regular watering is very important. I am doing this 1 time a week, lets say, every Monday. Do not over water! Pour the water on the soil and avoid to wet the leaves. Let the soil soak all the water completely and in about 15 minutes turn your pot slightly over the sink to get rid of extra water from the saucer.

Rule 3: fertilize.

African violets love fertilizer. You can either purchase a liquid one and add it in a water every time you water the plant or you can purchase a stick fertilizer. Follow the instruction on a package and your plant will bloom.

Rule 4: choose the right pot.

In my opinion, the best are simple plastic pots with a saucer which allows you to collect the extra water. They are not as pretty as the glazed ceramic ones but African violets do great in them! You can always put a plastic pot to a ceramic one to make it look better. I would decorate a top with a pretty decorative peat moss.

Rule 5: the right temperature, humidity and ventilation

Other important issues are the right air temperature, ventilation and humidity. It's easy with temperature: if it is comfortable for you, it will be comfortable for your African violet. Avoid the sudden changes in temperature and try to keep it in a range of 70 to 78'F.

Ventilation is very important. The plant does not like drafts but loves indirect air circulation. So do not let air blow directly on them and do not place 2 pots with 2 African violets too close together. This will prevent diseases. 

They love when the air is humid. The best level is 70 to 80% humidity but they will thrive at slightly lower levels also.

Keep your plant healthy and happy and it will return your care with non stop blooming all year around!