Know of any organic systematic bug killer?

I want to bring in my plants but want to make sure there are no creatures hiding in the dirt. The only recipe I can find that sounds safe is for tobacco juice. I don't smoke and really don't want to collect cigarette buts. I can't seem to find anything safe that I won't have to wear a mask and keep children and pets away for weeks!!!

I don't know of any organic systemics--if you really want to stay away from the nasty chemicals, I would give the plants a good hosing off before you bring them in, then keep a really careful eye on them for the first few weeks and use a milder non-systemic organic product if any bugs surface.

Thanks ecrane. I do hose them off, gets rid of ants and such, but in the past it seems I always find something creepy coming out.

I've made tobacco tea out of chewing tobacco -- just put some in a cheesecloth bag and drop it in a bucket of water. Harvesting other people's butts is a little disgusting.

How can tobacco be organic when they use SO many pesticides and herbicides to grow it?

My best weed killer is cigarette butts soaked in water.

OOHH never thought about chewing tobacco!!

Darius I kinda of thought the same thing about the nicotine not being organic. I think it seemed a little bit safer than the pesticides that say don't inhale, don't use around kids and animals etc...

Darius is right, it's not organic, even soaked ciggys aren't very safe, the chemicals can be absorbed by your skin and it's not great idea to inhale or ingest it either!

There is one truely organic method ......... the natural defense system of a healthy plant. OK a little too pat but it's the truth, healthy plants can shrug off quite serious attacks with little loss to them, in fact it sometimes helps strengthen them even more.

If it were me, Like Ecrane said, I'd bring them in and keep a close eye on them, you might even like to repot them if root eating grubs are present in your area or water in some nemetodes or similar in each pot. If not, then you should spot anything else on the plants themselves and be able to act accordingly if and when it happens.

This message was edited Oct 18, 2006 8:40 PM

You can drench the soil of potted plants with the following mixture to get rid of bugs:

1 gallon water
2 ounces orange oil
(mixed well)

For tender plants, or just better results, add an ounce of compost tea or liquid seaweed as a buffer.

Thank you organic1