[inishindie]

Homeopathic Gardening
I'm in the kitchen attempting to open a jar of curry paste. The lid is stuck tight and try as I might it just won't come off. Tapping the lid with a knife could work as could giving the jar to a stronger member of the family to open (that's all of them). As no one else is around I pretend I am an oak tree with big roots harnessing the earth's energy. Sounds a bit daft but it worked. Homeopathy is another thing that sounds a bit daft, but it seems to get results in eradicating pests and diseases in the garden.

Homeopathy and plants
Homeopathy works by adding tiny amounts of plant extracts into a solution to the body, (or plant in this case) to help eliminate problems that chemicals are generally used for. For example Calendula is used for damage during repotting , and Calcium phosphoricum can be used for root rot. For an idea just how watered down these solutions are, there are generally only 20 drops of the homeopathic liquid in a litre of water. It doesn't end there. This litre is then added to 19 litres of tap water and stirred. Some scientists say that the amounts used are so minimal that it's only the memory of the solution present in the water.

One of the leading lights in this field is experienced Dutch homeopath Vaikunthanath Das Kaviraj. Kaviraj stumbled by accident upon the homeopathic treatment of plants (called Agrohomeopathy) when he was asked to treat a rust problem in apple trees. The apples had dark red rings on the skin and needed more watering than normal. The symptoms of redness with thirst fitted the remedy Belladonna, which he duly administered. To everyone's surprise, the rust problem disappeared. What's more, the apples the following year tasted noticeably better. For Kaviraj, this was a turning point. In the next twelve years, he undertook intensive research in this area, employing homeopathy for all kinds of plant diseases. He has published a book on the subject that focuses on the homeopathic treatment of plants in cases of malnourishment, parasitic and fungal attack, bacterial and viral disease, damage, and weed infestation.

Here are a couple of examples how homeopathic remedies could help.
Powdery Mildew
For powdery mildew use Silicea or Sulphur as a remedy. Both are good remedies to cure fungal diseases. However, they should not be used simultaneously.
Ants
Ants do not like the smell of Marigolds. Mentha piperita and Calendula are both remedies that can be used to deter ants. Also Tagetus.
Blossom End Rot
Tomatoes love Basil, in the kitchen as well as in the garden. Ocymum basilicum is the remedy to use. Silicea is also a remedy to use, but that is more useful to soak the seeds before planting them.

Suppress the weeds
As well as preventing and curing plant problems homeopathy also helps to keep weeds down. VDK has this to say about the issue. "In homoeopathy we have nothing that kills. However, we do have a remedy that will suppress weeds for a considerable time. It also inhibits the seeds from germinating. It is called Juglans Nigra. In order to use this, it must be applied thinly to existing weeds, which will then stop growing any further. Three days later, plant the crop. It will be safe to plant other plants 72 hours after application. The weeds will remain suppressed for up to 7 months." He tells us.

Quick Return
There are other natural ways of treating plants. You might be familiar with Dr Bach's Rescue Remedy for a sick house plant, then there's Maye Bruce's 'the herbs are enough' policy of healing. She developed her own 'Quick Return' (QR) method based on homoeopathic dilutions of herbs and honey. Maye was originally associated with the method of Biodynamic agriculture but branched out on her own to get away from using animal parts such as the horns.

Find out more
You can check out Vaikunthanath Das Kaviraj's book on Amazon ( http://tinyurl.com/homeopathygarden ) and also track down remedies that are easy to buy online too (or from the local health store) You never know you might find some very effective treatments for long standing problems in the garden that conventional chemicals don't work on.

[Sive]

A really interesting post, inishindie, thank you for that. I use homoeopathy for friends and family....and pets. Haven't used it on plants yet !
Can I pass on a tip about unscrewing lids on jars ? If it's a new jar ( which it seems to be in the photo ) use an old-fashioned bottle opener ( the metal hook sort ) on the lid, gently prise upwards till you hear the vacuum being released......that's all....after that a baby could twist the lid, it's so easy.
Try it !

[medieval knievel]

[inishindie]

Good tip about the jar

The theory is that the more diluted the homeopathic remedy, the more powerful it is ....

[medieval knievel]

the thing about that claim though is that all water should work as a homeopathic remedy for all preparations, as it would have had the substances dissolved in it before?

you might have gathered that i'm a sceptic.

[MartinByrne49]

Inishindie, Fair play that's good post. I'm a Homeopath and this is an area i am looking to move into in the foreseeable. If any one is interested i can try to answer some questions you may have about pest control or plant disease. I'm actually bringing VD Kaviraj over in April to the Botanic Gardens for a two day workshop.

The remedies work by stimulating the plant's immunity to help them fight off pests and disease themselves and therefore reduce the need for ongoing intervention and chemicals. I have to say i was a bit skeptical myself before i tried them. The slug and snail remedy Helix Tosta 6x(6x is the potency) will change anyones mind. The remedies are non toxic and do not kill the slugs and snails, they simply move on elsewhere and eat something else.

[Sive]

Only just noticed this post, Martin. Would Nelson's stock Helix Tosta ? It's not a remedy I have ever heard of. I presume it is only used as a slug deterrent ?

[MartinByrne49]

Hi again Sive!
Helix Tosta is made from toasted snail shell - a predator snail that feasts on garden snails. Yes Nelsons will have it and it is only used as a slug deterrent as far as i am aware. I haven't come across it being used in humans yet!

Put a pill in a litre bottle of water and give it a good shake then put it in a clean watering can and fill it up. Pour the water around the roots of the plant as the roots are the mouth of the plant. Don't repeat unless you have to as over use will attract snails (the opposite effect). Make sure to flush out your watering can with boiling water after use as this will neutralise any remaining remedy. Hope that's of some help. Let me know how you get on. I'd be interested to find out how others fare with it.
Martin

[Sive]

Thanks for that Martin....I've made a note of all your instructions and we'll definitely try it in the vegetable garden.
Will it work on slugs too ?.....we don't have many snails, but plenty of slugs.

[MartinByrne49]

Sive yes it will definitely work on slugs too. Good luck with it.

[Sive]

Thanks Martin...husband will be in Dublin next week, he can pop into Nelson's ( hope it's still there ) to get Helix Tosta. Really looking forward to trying it out now.

[medieval knievel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0

[MartinByrne49]

That's a good sketch!