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Make your own spring plant foodYou can make your own liquid plant feed for free using a range of materials including grass clippings, stinging nettles, various manures and comfrey. This not only saves money but it is environmentally friendly too. Although the resulting feed cannot be targeted to produce particular types of growth like the specifically formulated manufactured liquid feeds and fertilisers, they will promote plant growth and increase flowering and crop yields. They are ideal for giving a boost to hungry crops such as tomatoes and to pep-up flowering displays of summer bedding in containers and borders during mid-summer. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to make your own feed – a couple of large buckets and a sieve would be sufficient for small amounts. You could invest in a bucket with a tight fitting lid. I made comfrey juice last year in an open drum and you could smell the rotting leaves a mile away! For small amounts of feed an old brewing bucket is ideal, but for larger volumes use a water butt. Always wear waterproof gloves when handling manures and concentrates, as the liquid can be a bit hard on your skin.
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  written by Angelfire, July 16, 2010 Coriander Spray Boil equal parts of coriander and water for ten minutes. Strain and bottle. This is suitable for spider mites and aphids. Elder Leaf Spray Simmer 500 grams of Elder leaves in 3.5 litres of water for 30 minutes. Replace water lost as steam. Strain and bottle. This is a general pesticide suitable for aphids, caterpillars, thrips and black spot. Feverview Spray (tea) Pour boiling water over fresh or dried feverfew flowers and steep until fragrant. This can be used on a wide range of insect pests. it is said to be good for migraines - drink one cup every morning as prevention. Garlic Spray (1) Soak four garlic cloves for several days in one litre of cold water and then blend. This will kill ants, caterpillars and cabbage worms. A stronger brew can be made by using hot water and adding several red peppers, ground up, and adding two tablespoons of pure soap to help the spray stick. Use spray when solution has cooled . Garlic Spray (2) Chop 85 g garlic. Don’t bother to peel it. Soak it in 2 tablespoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Add 600 ml water to which 7 g of soap has been dissolved (or as soapy a solution you can make). Strain and store in glass not metal, away from the light. Dilute with ten times the amount of water to begin with; then make it stronger if it isn’t effective. The smell isn’t as bad as you would expect and it doesn’t linger when sprayed. Garlic spray can be used as a general insecticide in a wide range of situations, but its effect is variable, very effective sometimes not at all at others. Possibly harsh, arid conditions make it less effective. Remember, it is not a contact poison and must be eaten to be effective. General Insect Spray Crush three unpeeled heads of garlic and 90 ml (3 fl oz) liquid paraffin. Place in a bowl, cover and leave to stand for 24 hours. Melt 15 ml (1 tbsp) grated , oil-based soap in 500 ml (17 fl oz) hot water. Blend the garlic mixture with the soap mixture. When cooled, strain into a glass jar or bottle and seal. Keep it in the refrigerator. To use, dilute about 20 ml (4 tsp) of this solution in 2 litres (4 pints) of cold water. Spray fortnightly. Marigold Spray Cover Marigold flowers (not the English calendula flowers) with boiling, soapy water and leave overnight. Strain and this can be used for Aphids. Milk Spray Dissolve 500 grams of dried milk in 4 litres of water and spray directly onto the leaves showing signs of virus diseases. Nicotine Spray Soak cigarette or cigar ends in water for a week at the rate of 30 ends to 4 litres of water. Remove the filter ends first. This spray will kill scale insects and mealy bug. Onion Spray Chop up one large unpeeled onion. Place in a blender with one litre of water and blend on a slow speed, to a milky consistency. This is useful for use on aphids and red spider mites. Pepper Sprinkle Any kind of pepper sprinkled on wet leaves will protect them from caterpillars. Pure Soap Spray Dissolve 225 grams of pure laundry soap in 9 litres of water. This will kill most pests on your plants. Allow it to dry on plants and then hose it down the next day with clean water. Red Pepper, Garlic and Onion Spray Chop an unpeeled onion and a head of garlic. Simmer the onion and garlic with 15 ml (1 tbsp) cayenne pepper in about 1.5 litres (2 pints) water for 20 minutes. Cool the mixture, pour into a jar, seal, stand for six weeks and strain into bottles. To use, mix 15 ml (1 tbsp) of this mixture with 750 ml (1 pints) water. Add a little soap solution. Use as a general pest spray as well as for caterpillars. Note: Do not allow this to come into contact with eyes or skin. Rhubarb Spray Simmer one kilo of rhubarb leaves in a covered pot for 30 minutes. Do not use an aluminium pot. When cool, mix with a little pure soap, enough to keep a permanent lather. The use of rainwater will increase the effectiveness as some salts present in mains water can reduce the strength of the oxalic acid content. Wood Ash Sprinkled around plants, it is a deterrent to many pests, including slugs and snails. It contains elements that irritate and insects are reluctant to cross the barrier. Ensure you do not leave gaps. Wormwood Spray Simmer 225 (8 oz) wormwood leaves in 2 litres ( 3 pints) water for half an hour. Stir, strain and leave to cool. Dissolve 5 ml (1 tsp) soap flakes in 500 ml ( 17 fl oz) hot water. Combine this with the wormwood water and spray plants frequently at the height of the caterpillar season. A strong wormwood tea, cooled and poured on the tracks of slugs and snails will deter them. White Cedar Spray Place white cedar leaves in a bucket. Cover with boiling water. Put the lid on the bucket. Steep until cold. If the liquid isn’t pale brown, you need more leaves. Don’t inhale the steam and don’t store it. Keep away from children. This will kill most pests.
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Chilli and Wormwood Spray Blend one cup of chillies and one cup of wormwood with one cup of water. Then, add five cups of water and bring to the boil. Allow this to stand for one hour. Strain and bottle.
This can be sprayed on plants and garden beds to repel possums, rabbits, snails and slugs. It also kills aphids, bean fly and white fly.
Note: Do not allow to come into contact with eyes or skin.
Comfrey Foliar Food
Before Comfrey flowers, cut the leaves and pack them into an old bucket or something similar with holes in the bottom. Place a plate or a tin lid on top and weigh it down with half a brick.
Put a plastic plant pot in an old basin and stand the bucket on the pot. After three weeks, there should be a quantity of brown fluid in the basin. Strain this and then bottle it.
Spray plants in the proportion of 15 ml (1 tbsp) comfrey liquid to 1 litre (1 pints) water and a few drops of liquid detergent. Put the remaining contents of the bucket on the compost heap.
Home made sprays may be stored safely for up to one month, providing they are in sterile, glass, screwtop containers.
Glass bottles or jars may be sterilised by placing them in cold water and bringing them to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Allow the bottle or jar to cool in the water before using.
Correct labeling is essential. Include the date of making and the ingredients on the container and keep them in a safe place out of the reach of children and animals.