Moringa Plant growth spray

Recently a new benefit of Moringa was suggested: the leaves seem to contain a substance that stimulates
plant growth and increases crop production. Several years ago, Mr. Nikolaus Foidl came across a reference to a study by a Mr. Singh of India. It said that an extract from Moringa leaves seemed to stimulate the
growth of plants.

Mr. Foidl and his colleagues tested the process with various crops and refined the protocol. They have
successfully applied the formula to large-scale farming.

Formula:
Extract juice from green matter
Dilute with 36 parts water
Spray 25ml on each plant

Plant growth sprayFoidl, et al. found that the spray produced the following effects on crops:
 • Accelerates growth of young plants
 • Plants are firmer, more resistant to pests and disease
 • Longer life-span
 • Heavier roots, stems and leaves
 • Produce more fruit
 • Larger fruit
 • Increase in yield 20-35%

Subjects for Research 
The following research studies could be of immediate use to people in developing countries:
 • Agronomy of intensive planting and harvesting of Moringa leaves and green stems,
 in both dry and irrigated parts of the country
 • Impact on cattle’s weight gain and milk production
 • Analysis of milk produced
 • Affect of spray on various crops

Formula:
Extract juice from green matter
Dilute with 36 parts water
Spray 25ml on each plant

http://www.tfljournal.org/files/Moringa%20for%20fodder%20&%20spray%20(screen).pdf

organic methods for making bug-busting pesticides for your home garden.

The following list will offer some of our favorite, all-natural, inexpensive, organic methods for making bug-busting pesticides for your home garden.

1. Neem

Ancient Indians highly revered neem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant for warding off pests. In fact, neem juice is the most powerful natural pesticide on the planet, holding over 50 natural insecticides. This extremely bitter tree leaf can be made in a spray form, or can be bought from a number of reputable companies.

To make your own neem oil spray, simply add 1/2 an ounce of high quality organic neem oil and ½ teaspoon of a mild organic liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint) to two quarts of warm water. Stir slowly. Add to a spray bottle and use immediately.

2. Salt Spray

For treating plants infested with spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of Himalayan Crystal Salt into one gallon of warm water and spray on infected areas.

3. Mineral oil

Mix 10-30 ml of high-grade oil with one liter of water. Stir and add to spray bottle. This organic pesticide works well for dehydrating insects and their eggs.

4. Citrus Oil and/or Cayenne Pepper Mix

This is another great organic pesticide that works well on ants. Simply, mix 10 drops of citrus essential oil with one teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 cup of warm water. Shake well and spray in the affected areas.

5. Soap, Orange Citrus Oil & Water

To make this natural pesticide, simply mix 3 tablespoons of liquid Organic Castile soap with 1 ounce of Orange oil to one gallon of water. Shake well. This is an especially effective treatment against slugs and can be sprayed directly on ants and roaches.

6. Eucalyptus oil

A great natural pesticide for flies, bees and wasps. Simply sprinkle a few drops of eucalyptus oil where the insects are found. They will all be gone before you know it.

7. Onion and Garlic Spray

Mince one organic clove of garlic and one medium sized organic onion. Add to a quart of water. Wait one hour and then add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and one tablespoon of liquid soap to the mix. This organic spray will hold its potency for one week if stored in the refrigerator.

8. Chrysanthemum Flower Tea

These flowers hold a powerful plant chemical component called pyrethrum. This substance invades the nervous system of insects rendering them immobile. You can make your own spray by boiling 100 grams of dried flowers into 1 liter of water. Boil dried flowers in water for twenty minutes. Strain, cool and place in a spray bottle. Can be stored for up to two months. You can also add some organic neem oil to enhance the effectiveness.

9. Tobacco Spray

Just as tobacco is not good for humans, tobacco spray was once a commonly used pesticide for killing pests, caterpillars and aphids. To make, simply take one cup of organic tobacco (preferably a brand that is organic and all-natural) and mix it in one gallon of water. Allow the mixture to set overnight. After 24-hours, the mix should have a light brown color. If it is very dark, add more water. This mix can be used on most plants, with the exception of those in the solanaceous family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.)

10. Chile pepper / Diatomaceous Earth

Grind two handfuls of dry chiles into a fine powder and mix with 1 cup of Diatomaceous earth. Add to 2 liters of water and let set overnight. Shake well before applying.

If you have some easy recipes for making your own organic pesticides, we would love to hear them.

11. Moringa leaf extract Spray

Formula:

Extract juice from green matter

Dilute with 36 parts water

Spray 25ml on each plant

The spray produced the following effects on crops:

• Accelerates growth of young plants

 • Plants are firmer, more resistant to pests and disease

 • Longer life-span

 • Heavier roots, stems and leaves

 • Produce more fruit

 • Larger fruit

 • Increase in yield 20-35%

12. Jivamrita

Formula:

Jivamrita is a growth enhancer which is used for almost all crops like paddy, vegetables and flowers.

It is made by adding 10 kg of desi cow dung and 10 litres of urine dissolved in 200 litres of water. To this two kg of jaggery (or four litres of sugarcane juice) and pulse flour each (any pulse) is added and stirred well.

The solution is kept under a shade for a week to ferment well and then allowed to mix with the running irrigation water. For the fruit borer pest farmers have been trained to use agniastra or neemastra.

13. Agniastra

Agniastra is made by soaking one kg of crushed tobacco leaves in 10 litres of desi cow urine.

To this, 500 grams of chilli and garlic pulp (ground into a paste) each and 5kg of crushed neem leaves are added. This is diluted in 100 litres of water and sprayed.

14. Neemastra

Neemastra is made by mixing five litres of cow urine, two 2kg of dung and five kgs of crushed neem leaves in 100 litres of water and allowed to ferment for 24 hours. Later after filtering it is diluted in water and sprayed on brinjal to control the pests.

15. Fish Harmone

About 10 kg fish waste is mixed in 10 litres of sour buttermilk and allowed to ferment for 10 to 15 days in a plastic barrel and stirred periodically. It is then filtered and sprayed through a sprayer.

16. Neem, nochi and eureka Leaf Extract

Neem, pongam, nochi and eureka leaves are gathered, crushed and mixed with 10 litres of cow’s urine and sour buttermilk and allowed to ferment for 10- 20 days and then sprayed over the crops as bio pesticide.

Other Tips:

Use honey as Rooting Hormone for Plant Cuttings

Use Milk and water to spray and kill Mildew and fungal disease in any plants.

For combating pests , a diluted mixture of turmeric, aloe vera and chilli are sprayed.

Taking a leaf from the book of ancient, time-tested practices

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Effective solution: The formulations can be easily prepared and no big investment is required

M.J. PRABU

Input cost has greatly decreased and yield has increased considerably

Well before modern science had invented crop growing strategies and pest control measures, Indian farmers were growing crops successfully and at the same time were able to control crop infestations using traditional methods which were handed down to successive generations by word of mouth.

Though the traditional methods may vary from place to place, their efficiency in terms of pest control has been proven and accepted by those who use them.

For example in Kozhikottu pothai, a small village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, several farmers are using one or more of the traditional formulations for managing pest menace to their crops.

Effective remedies

“These preparations can serve as a quick remedy to temporarily stop the increasing incidence of crop pests and also help farmers to phase out their dependence on chemical pesticides, which in turn will prevent them from sinking into debts,” said Mr. S. Aravindan, Social scientist, Vivekananda Kendra-Natural Resources Development Project, Kanyakumari.

Easy availability

The main reason for their popularity among farmers is that the items necessary for making them are easily available, not much investment is required to prepare them and lastly they have been found effective, he explained.

For example, farmers use a pest repellant made from papaya leaves. It is made by soaking about one kg of papaya leaves in water (the entire leaves should be submerged) overnight. The leaves are then ground and mixed in a litre of water and sprayed over the crops.

Pungamia extract (Pungam in Tamil) can be made by four different methods. The first is by soaking one kg of Pungamia overnight in water. It is then ground and mixed in about 5 litres of water and sprayed.

The second is by grinding about 50 gms of Pungamia seedsand soaking them in a bucket of water overnight. About one litre of water is added to it later and used.

In the third method, take about 100 gm of Pungamia oil cake and soak it in water for some time and then add about 1 litre water to it and then spray.

In the last method about 1 kg of Pungamia oil cake and neem oil cake each are mixed. Half a litre of aloevera juice and 3 litres of cow-urine are added to it. The mixture is soaked in 15 litres of water overnight. About 6 litres of this mixture is filtered and diluted in 60 litres of water and sprayed.

Tulsi leaves are also commonly used by the farmers to protect their crops from pest and infestations.

About 100 gm of Tulsi leaves are soaked in water overnight. Next day, about 2 litres of water is added to it and the concoction sprayed. Similarly, about 1 kg of turmeric tubers are soaked in about 10 litres of cow’s urine overnight. Next day the turmeric tubers are ground and mixed with 30 litres of water and sprayed.

Similarly neem extract is made by three different methods. In the first method about 6 kg of neem leaves are soaked overnight in water.

The next day the leaves are ground and added to about 60 litres of water and sprayed. In the second method about 3 kg of neem seeds is soaked in water overnight.

It is ground into a paste the next day and mixed in about 60 litres of water and sprayed over the crops.

In the third method, about 6 kg of neem oil cake is ground well and soaked overnight and mixed in 60 litres of water and then used as a spray.

Another common leaf based extract made by the farmers is moodru ilai karaisal (three leaf formulation) It is made by soaking about 3 kg each of Calotropis (Yerukku in Tamil), Neem (Vembu in Tamil)and Vitex (Nochi in Tamil) in about 3 litres of cow’s urine diluted in 2 litres water overnight. Next day this solution is filtered and diluted in about 60 litres of water and sprayed.

Usually the leaf extracts are filtered with a clean cotton cloth and about 4 gm Khadhi soap’ solution are added per litre of the solution and then sprayed.

Traditional knowledge

“Though these formulations have been proven to be effective by the farmers who use them, it should be remembered that all these formulations are not scientifically validated. Their use is mainly based on traditional knowledge which is prevalent in that particular area or region and can vary from place to place and pest to pest."

All the above leaf based extracts have been found effective in controlling stem borer, aswini, leaf roller, cotton bollworms, ear head bugs and thrips, according to Mr. Aravindan.

For more information readers can contact Mr. S. Aravindan, Social scientist, Vivekananda Kendra-Natural Resources Development Project, VK-Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari - 629 702, Tamil Nadu, India, email. ngc_vknardep@sancharnet.in and vknardep@gmail.com, mobile: 9443748714, phone: 04652 246296 and 04652 -247126.