Gray soap , also known as potassium soap, can be bought in the form of cubes or liquid. Contrary to popular white sodium soaps, it does not contain artificial colors or fragrances and does not cause allergies. For this reason, it is recommended for allergy sufferers and people with sensitive skin. Butit is also worth using them in gardening , where it can be, among others. a great preparation for pests. Here are the7 recommended uses for gray soapthat make gardening a lot easier!"
Gray soap in gardening
Recipes for the use of gray soap in gardeningare passed down from generation to generation by traditional gardeners and environmentalists. I remember how my grandfather repeatedlydissolved the bars of gray soap in water, and then sprayed and washed the tools
The usefulness of gray soap in protecting plants against pests and diseases was also scientifically confirmed."
And so it was established thatthe insecticidal properties of the gray soap solutionresult from the presence of fatty acids, which are toxic to many harmful insects, andthe fungicidal effect of gray soapis the penetration of fatty acids into the fungal spores and mycelium. The results of these studies have led to the development of many effectiverecipes for using the properties of gray soap in gardening
Before we go over the ways to use gray soap in gardening, be sure to read a few rules that will helpavoid mistakes and disappointments after using gray soap
Remember!
- Never spray with a solution of gray soap on flowering plants (you can damage the flowers) or on newly planted plants.
- Before spraying the entire crop with gray soap, test individual plants or their parts. Although it happens very rarely, it is worth making sure that gray soap does not harm your plants.
- Gray soap is toxic to pests but also beneficial to insects. Therefore, spray gray soap only in the event of a large pest infestation and always outside the bee's flight time.
Here are the 7 most useful uses of gray soap in the garden:
1. Washing and disinfecting garden tools
Gray soap is great for cleaning garden tools.Use a solution of gray soap to clean tools for cutting, digging and weeding , as well as pots, frames and garden greenhouses. We can do it without fear of harming the plants.
2. Gray soap as a preparation improving the effectiveness of spraying
If we prepare various ecological liquid manure, extracts and decoctions based on herbs and weeds, we can improve the efficiency of spraying with these preparations,adding gray soap to them in the amount of 10g per liter of waterThe addition of soap affects better adhesion of a given preparation to plant tissues and extends the time of its action.
3. Root cleaning soap of transplanted plants
If we have noticed mold or pests in the ground in the cultivation of potted flowers, it is worth to transplant the plantsto rinse or soak their roots in a solution of gray soapFor this purpose, dissolve 20-30 g of gray soap in a liter of water and in such a solution we soak the roots of the plants for 15-20 minutes.We plant them to fresh soil and clean pots.
4. Gray soap foam for pest removal and plant washing
We canremove aphids and other pests from potted plants and garden plants by brushing them with gray soap foamFor this purpose, gray soap is dissolved in water and foam is beaten. Add soap in such an amount to create as much foam as possible, and then applyfoam to the plants with a brushThis way you can fight small insects, such as aphids, but also caterpillars that are more difficult to remove. Plants can also be washed with a sponge soaked in a foamed solution of gray soap.
5. Gray soap spraying on aphids and spider mites
Gray soap is dissolved in water at a concentration of 1-3% , i.e. 10-30 g of gray soap per liter of water. If we have a 10-liter bucket, we simply throw a 200g cube of gray soap into it. However, let's check the weight of the bar, because currently there are various gray soaps on sale, also 100 or 150g.In order for the soap to dissolve faster, it is worth rubbing it on a grater and dissolving it in slightly warmed water. After preparing thesolution, we can spray it on plants attacked by aphids and spider mitesThe best is a strong stream, putting the tip of the sprayer nozzle as close to the plant as possible.
Good to know!
When preparing spraying on plants, it is best to dissolve gray soap in soft water, e.g. rainwater. If we only have hard water, it can be softened by adding a few drops of spirit or denatured alcohol.
6. Spirit and soap bath for difficult pests "
It is worth preparing such a bath toget rid of pests that are difficult to remove from plants , such as: bowls, scales, mealybugs or blackberry cotton. This preparation will also remove aphids much more effectively than the soap solution alone.
We prepare the mixture by dissolving 200g of gray soap in 10 liters of hot water (you can heat a smaller amount of water, dissolve the soap, and then add it to the rest of the water). Add 300ml of pure spirit to the soapy waterWith the solution prepared this way, of course, after cooling down, spray the plants.
7. Soap emulsion with garlic
The effect of spraying with a gray soap solution against pests can be enhanced by adding garlic. As it is commonly knowngarlic has a strong insect repellent and fungicidal effectSo spraying with a soap emulsion with garlic will be more effective than spraying with a gray soap solution alone. Although, unfortunately, the preparation of the preparation is time-consuming.
To prepare such an emulsion,finely chop about 15 grams of garlic(it can be together with the husks). We put it in a jar and pour 5 tablespoons of any cooking oil (e.g. rapeseed oil). Thenset aside for 2-3 days .
After this timeprepare a gray soap solution in the proportion of 10g of soap per liter of water and pour it over the garlicIt is best to pour it into the jar, then turn it on and shake it well to mix everything thoroughly.Then we filter the mixture through thick gauze to get rid of garlic particles and strain.
With such an emulsionwe can fight all the above-mentioned pests and scare away snails .
If we don't have enough time to prepare a soap emulsion with garlic on our own, it is worth looking for commercially availableready-to-use liquid garden soap with garlicSuch soap can solve many gardener's problems and definitely saves our time. You don't need to dissolve it - just mix it with water and it has garlic already added. You can find them, for example, in the shop of our guide. I highly recommend!
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More proven recipes!
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You will find in itlots of recipes for organic fertilizers and spraying , prepared on the basis of simple substances available in every home, as well as weeds and herbs.
- Sometimes it is enough to add some baking soda, vinegar or gray soap to the water to prepare a perfect spray against pests in less than a minuteon plants;
- If you have garlic or onion in your kitchen,you can spray against plant diseases in a few moments ;
- By using unwanted weeds you can gethuge amounts of fertilizer for free .
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