Use Beer in Organic Gardens

Whether there is old, flat beer taking up space in the fridge or perhaps a dozen half-empties after a party, beer is a form of gold to organic gardeners. From taking care of plants to exterminating pests, beer is a useful gardening tool.

Natural Slugs and Snails Pest Control in the Garden

Slugs and snails are attracted to beer, and will drown themselves in it if given the chance.

Dig a few shallow holes around the perimeter of the garden. Place shallow bowls in these freshly dug holes and fill with beer. Slugs and snails will stop for a drink on their way to demolish the garden, climb into the bowl of beer and never climb back out. It is best to check these slug and snail traps every day to see if they need to be dumped and replenished with more beer.

Mouse Pest Control

Gardeners who live in the country or have compost piles will have field mice around. Mice present the biggest problem when they are able to nibble their way through the walls of houses and enter people's homes. Beer is a useful tool in controlling mice populations. A mouse beer trap can be set up outside or inside.

Beer kills mice in much the same way that it does away with slugs and snails. In order to drown mice in beer, pour beer into a bucket at least one third of the way full. Leave this bucket on the ground wherever there are signs of mice infestation. Lean a board such as a 2 x 4 against the bucket. The mice will smell the beer, climb the board and jump in. They can't climb back out and will drown.

Natural Fertilizer

Beer helps keep
these tomatoes
healthy!

Beer is full of sugars and nutrients that grass and plants absorb and use. Pouring beer on bare patches of lawn will cause the grass to grow, and pouring beer on patches of dead grass will bring the patch back to health.

For the garden, pour beer into a spray bottle and spray lightly on the soil. When sprayed lightly on the leaves, beer seems to have some anti-fungal properties. Use organic beer, such as Wolaver's brand organic beer, as organic fertilizer for an organic vegetable garden.

Composting with Beer

Students at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin put together a study to determine whether beer was useful in compost piles. At the completion of their carefully controlled study, they concluded that beer is useful as a compost accelerant in the warmer months.

Therefore, pouring beer into the compost pile helps the compost break down more quickly than compost piles without beer. Even for teetotalers, beer is useful in the garden.

Soap Insecticide to Keep Organic Tomato Gardens Healthy

Soapy water, herbs and spices make a green pest control recipe that has beneficial effects for tomato plants.

Tomatoes are a relatively easy crop and a great crop for beginning gardeners. That being said, many uninvited guests will find and destroy a tomato garden left unprotected. Aphids, caterpillars, mites and beetles are only some of the enemies that must be kept at bay.

Spray Soapy Water on Tomato Plants

Home made soapy water spray should be on every organic gardener's list of tools. Start with a natural, organic, liquid castile soap. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint is an excellent choice, but any biodegradable liquid soap will work well. The soap must be biodegradable so that it will break down easily in the soil and not hurt the roots of the tomato plants.

Mix only 2 tablespoons of the castile soap into a quart of water in a bucket. Increase the efficacy of the mixture by adding roots, herbs, or spices.

Roots and Spices to Repel Insects

Make a tea with any of the following herbs, roots, or spices. Their pest-repellent characteristics add benefits to the soap spray. Choose from among:

• Hot peppers
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Horseradish root.

Chop up the plant material and place the it in a mason jar. Cover with boiling water and allow to steep overnight. Use this tea as part of the quart of water in the soap recipe. For example, if you made a pint of tea, add a pint of water and two tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap.

Any tea that you do not use within a week should be frozen, however. Otherwise, it may spoil.

The strong smells and hot spice will repel tomato pests. The soap in the recipe smothers and dehydrates insects that dare to come close to the tomato plants.

Soap vs. Detergent

Soap and detergent are two different things. Soap is a naturally occurring salt caused by a chemical reaction between fats and oils and sodium hydroxide. Pure soap is biodegradable.

Detergents are made with petroleum based oils and will kill your tomato plants. Do not use detergent in this recipe!

Store-Bought Pest Control Sprays

There are natural pesticide sprays on the market, however, a thorough reading of the ingredients indicates that they are easy and cheap to make at home. One brand lists the main ingredient as "potassium salts of naturally occurring fatty acids." That means soap. As long as the soap is organic and biodegradable, it will do the same job. Choose soap for this project wisely, however, because soaps full of chemical perfumes or preservatives will kill tomato plants.

Using Soapy Water in the Organic Garden

Spray this soapy water recipe on tomato plants daily. This recipe is gentle and non-toxic; therefore, it may be safely used right up until harvest time.

The University of California's Pest Management Program website has a plethora of information about tomato pests, fungi and diseases.

To maintain a healthy, organic vegetable garden with a bountiful tomato harvest, use soapy spray, beer, and companion planting techniques. Enjoy organic tomatoes grown without poisons and chemicals this season and every season.