natural/organic pesticide for sweet basil?

philm00x · Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:46 pm

I just planted two new sweet basil plants yesterday, and already something's gone n chewed up half a leaf. granted, it's only half of one single leaf, but I know there will be more casualties in the future. what kind of things can I use at home as a natural/organic pesticide that wont make it toxic for my wife and I to cook with any basil leaves we pick off?

philm00x · Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:25 pm

it's definitely not grasshoppers since there aren't any in my area. I did see some very very tiny bugs on the underside of a couple leaves, but they didn't seem like something that would do so much damage, though I can't be certain. I'll look into insecticidal soap tomorrow after work. thanks!

philm00x · Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:05 am

so I've figured out the culprit. caterpillars. they're coming at night and eat my poor basil up. I found little bits of caterpillar poop on a few leaves still attached but half eaten, and about a half a branch full of leaves on the ground. oh, I shall win this war!

thanrose · Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:33 am

Cook up a pot of garlic and hot pepper, onions work, too. Strain, put in spray bottle and get the undersides of the leaves, leaf axils, as well as tops. You can grate some very mild castille or ivory soap into the pot for additional sticking power. Reapply after any rain or irrigation.

Insecticidal soap is good, too.

philm00x · Sat Oct 02, 2010 5:21 pm

I bought an organic pesticide and applied it last week. my basil is surviving and thriving! no new leaves chewed off! picked some today, and it smells amaaaaazing.