Here's a very old Biodynamic formula which will help you to control many diseases on your roses, plants etc.

Obtain horse, cow, sheep, llama, or rabbit manure. Make sure its not more then 6 months old. You will need only about 1-5 lbs. The amount depends on the number of roses, etc. you want treated. One cup of this manure mixture will make 3 gallons of a liquid spray. One gallon of this spray will take care of 10 full grown roses, etc. Add 1 cup rock dust per every lb of manure you get. Add 1 cup natural clay per every lb of manure. Add 1 cup powdered seaweed per every lb manure used. Place this mixture into a large clay pot and mix well. The clay pot should have a cover for it. You can either bury in ground (in a shady area) or place in your basement if you have one. Allow to sit for 1 month. Take 1 cup of this mixture and place into a panty hose. Place into a 5 gallon glass container such as the one mentioned above. You can buy these from your water company. Allow to sit in the sun for at least 1 hour, three hours is best. Remember to use only filtered or solar water.

If you are going to use solarized water, you can add city water to the five gallon container the day before, stirring regularly. Keep what mixture you are not using inside the clay pot. This will be effective for up to 1 month. Make a new batch if longer than that. Spray on the leaves. Works best in early morning or early evening. Spray daily until effective.

You can use molasses to control many diseases on your roses, etc. Here's a good formula to use. To one gallon filtered or solarized water add 1 cup unsulphured molasses. To this add a dash of soap such as Natural Peppermint soap( 1 tablespoon will do as it is a concentrate), any natural soap will do, experiment! Spray on leaves. This formula only works on roses which are already being fed properly and have a good alive compost/soil to rely upon. The molasses provide a special bacteria as well as sugars in a form available to the plants.

Bordeaux Mixture works well against most mildews and fungus such as Powdery Mildew and Rust. You can make your own Bordeaux mixture by add three ounces of copper sulfate (bluestone) to 3 gallons filtered water and dissolve well. Add 5 ounces of hydrated lime and again mix well. Ready to use at 1 part mixture to 1 part additional water. Can be used at full strength for bad infestations.

Using Sun Sprays Ultra Fine Horticultural oil will smother the rust spores and it will reduce them during the growing season. Fine Horticultural Oil can be used year round without burning the plants. If used during the early spring , it will help to control and reduce many fungi.

Biologicals are used to control many varieties of rose attacking caterpillars: BT, MVP, Neem (available from Gardens Alive, etc.). Use Tangelfoot (available from most garden centers) and place a line around the base of the plants. It will keep caterpillars (and snails) from climbing up. DE made into a paste and painted around base of rose will work also.

Using Soap will control spider mites, aphids, ants, thrips and many other rose pests. Use 5 tablespoons of Natural Peppermint soap, or any other natural soap, per gallon filtered water. Safer Insecticidal soap is also excellent to use. Proper pruning is very important and can only be learned from experience.

Baking soda can be used to control most diseases but should be used as a control tool and not a crutch. Don't get into the habit of using baking soda every time there is a problem. In a cup add enough water to fill 3/4 with water. Add 5 tablespoons of baking soda, stir in well, add 5 tablespoons vegetable oil or ultra fine oil or fish oil or coconut oil, add 2 tablespoon Natural Peppermint Soap. see resources. Stir in well to dissolve then add either 2 tablespoons of vinegar or apple cider. Fill cup to full. Stir in well to dissolve, pour either into quart sprayer filled with water (preferably filtered or solarized) or add to hose end sprayer adjust mixture. 

for more information on Bio-Dynamic Farming write to Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc. P.O.Box 550, Kimberton, PA 19442 215-935-7797

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Andy Lopez
The Invisible Gardener

This page was last update on: March 10, 2013