I came across this when looking for natural bug repellent recipes. There are many variations of the recipe, but basically it's garden herbs, garlic, and pepper infused into apple cider vinegar over several weeks. There is a colorful story that goes with the recipe: a group of four thieves were looting bubonic plague victims, and gave up the recipe in exchange for being hanged instead of burnt at the stake.
Besides its use as an insect repellent, it can be taken by the spoonful (with honey) to help with colds and sprayed on countertops as an antibacterial. It sounds great and I can't wait to try it! Has anyone else used this?
One of the many internet recipes:
2 tbsp chopped fresh lavender flowers
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
2 tbsp chopped fresh anise hyssop
4 cloves garlic, (peeled and crushed)
1 quart white wine or apple cider vinegar, (preferably raw)
You can use dried herbs also of course.
Four Thieves Vinegar
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MachineGhost
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Re: Four Thieves Vinegar
Sounds like it may be the midevil origins of the Anti-Plaque Formula or its upgraded version, the Super Tonic.
http://cleanse-nourish-heal.org/newslet ... ecipe.html
https://www.herbdoc.com/super-tonic.html
As far as pest control goes, I've tried vinegar, neem, cayenne, garlic, formulas etc. and they really don't work very well (if at all?) to get rid of the pests. So I looked for something organic and settled on spinosad which is a natural bacteria first found in soil in an abandoned sugar cane mill in the Caribbean. It doesn't work against aphids and their ant farmers, so I may try out soapy water or ladybugs.
Also this chart is incredibly helpful and I wish I had found it in the beginning to save on the research stress:
https://groworganic.com/media/pdfs/Pest ... t-2015.pdf
http://cleanse-nourish-heal.org/newslet ... ecipe.html
https://www.herbdoc.com/super-tonic.html
As far as pest control goes, I've tried vinegar, neem, cayenne, garlic, formulas etc. and they really don't work very well (if at all?) to get rid of the pests. So I looked for something organic and settled on spinosad which is a natural bacteria first found in soil in an abandoned sugar cane mill in the Caribbean. It doesn't work against aphids and their ant farmers, so I may try out soapy water or ladybugs.
Also this chart is incredibly helpful and I wish I had found it in the beginning to save on the research stress:
https://groworganic.com/media/pdfs/Pest ... t-2015.pdf
Re: Four Thieves Vinegar
Yes, the story dates back to the medieval bubonic plague epidemics. I've not had much luck with herbal mosquito repellents either, but I'm willing to try this one.
Great chart! Although, it doesn't include my favorite remedies for houseplant pests.
Fungus gnats: Go to a pet store and buy aquarium sand. Cover the soil in the pot with the sand. In a few days, the gnats will be gone.
Aphids: Go to the corner smoke shop and buy some chewing tobacco. Take a generous pinch and soak it in hot water for an hour, until the water turns dark. Spray this on the plant once a day for a week, being sure to get the underside of the leaves. I did this in the bathtub and then hosed off afterwards. Be careful using this if you have pets or babies who might chew on the plant leaves. I also wouldn't use it on anything edible.
Obviously the aphid solution is only worthwhile if you seriously want to keep the plant. Although, I found that virtually all purchased houseplants are infested with something, so your only alternative to something like this is to grow from seed or take cuttings from a known non-infested plant. Or, don't bother with houseplants.
Great chart! Although, it doesn't include my favorite remedies for houseplant pests.
Fungus gnats: Go to a pet store and buy aquarium sand. Cover the soil in the pot with the sand. In a few days, the gnats will be gone.
Aphids: Go to the corner smoke shop and buy some chewing tobacco. Take a generous pinch and soak it in hot water for an hour, until the water turns dark. Spray this on the plant once a day for a week, being sure to get the underside of the leaves. I did this in the bathtub and then hosed off afterwards. Be careful using this if you have pets or babies who might chew on the plant leaves. I also wouldn't use it on anything edible.
Obviously the aphid solution is only worthwhile if you seriously want to keep the plant. Although, I found that virtually all purchased houseplants are infested with something, so your only alternative to something like this is to grow from seed or take cuttings from a known non-infested plant. Or, don't bother with houseplants.
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MachineGhost
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Re: Four Thieves Vinegar
Forgot to add that the spinosad in that chart is the Monterey Garden Insect Spray. It's not as comprehenshive as others, but its not technically a pesticide. I don't want to use pesticides and kill the soil microbiota I'm working hard to cultivate.
I've had problems with aphids and cabbage loopers so far. I also tried some wasps last year before resorting to the spinosad: http://www.planetnatural.com/product/tr ... mma-wasps/
Whoops, I thought your OP was about natural pesticides not mosquito repellants! I'll have to study this nicotine thing.
I've had problems with aphids and cabbage loopers so far. I also tried some wasps last year before resorting to the spinosad: http://www.planetnatural.com/product/tr ... mma-wasps/
Whoops, I thought your OP was about natural pesticides not mosquito repellants! I'll have to study this nicotine thing.
"All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called 'Facts'. They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain." -- Thomas Hobbes
Disclaimer: I am not a broker, dealer, investment advisor, physician, theologian or prophet. I should not be considered as legally permitted to render such advice!
Disclaimer: I am not a broker, dealer, investment advisor, physician, theologian or prophet. I should not be considered as legally permitted to render such advice!
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MachineGhost
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Re: Four Thieves Vinegar
Crikey!!!
https://web.archive.org/web/20131016092 ... s_no7.htmlPure nicotine is not allowed in Organic Agriculture. Nicotine found in tobacco tea is also forbidden in some organic standards.However, tobacco tea is permitted under other organic standards because it is a plant extract produced on-farm and the concentration of nicotine in tobacco tea is typically low, meaning only minute quantities of nicotine are actually applied. In addition, this nicotine breaks down very rapidly in the environment. The use of tobacco tea or other home-brewed pesticides allows the farmer to be less dependent on manufacturers and traders of pesticides, which is particularly important in third world countries. Moreover, the toxicity of tobacco tea is considerably lower than the one of nicotine sulphate (the product that is commercialized). Nicotine sulfate is manufactured by combining nicotine from natural tobacco waste with sulfur, resulting in a very toxic and dangerous substance. Homemade tobacco teas do not result in this same toxic substance. While the acute toxicity of nicotine (present in tobacco tea) is still quite high and hence hazardous for the person that comes into direct contact with the spray, the residual period, on the contrary, is short. This means that the farmer has to protect himself well when using the product, but that the product is not hazardous for the consumer. Nevertheless, many organic regulations forbid the use of certain natural pesticides (on-farm produced plant extracts) when their toxicity is controversial. Hence, pure nicotine, as well as nicotine naturally present in tobacco tea, is forbidden by organic regulations of major organic markets, including those of the US, the EU, and Japan.
"All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called 'Facts'. They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain." -- Thomas Hobbes
Disclaimer: I am not a broker, dealer, investment advisor, physician, theologian or prophet. I should not be considered as legally permitted to render such advice!
Disclaimer: I am not a broker, dealer, investment advisor, physician, theologian or prophet. I should not be considered as legally permitted to render such advice!
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Mountaineer
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Re: Four Thieves Vinegar
I had a friend in my college chemical engineering class that worked in a chemical lab (his father owned the factory which used extracts of tobacco in some insecticide they were producing) and by mistake, my friend got one small drop of concentrated nicotine on his skin (circa 1965). He almost died. Nasty stuff.MachineGhost wrote:Crikey!!!
https://web.archive.org/web/20131016092 ... s_no7.htmlPure nicotine is not allowed in Organic Agriculture. Nicotine found in tobacco tea is also forbidden in some organic standards.However, tobacco tea is permitted under other organic standards because it is a plant extract produced on-farm and the concentration of nicotine in tobacco tea is typically low, meaning only minute quantities of nicotine are actually applied. In addition, this nicotine breaks down very rapidly in the environment. The use of tobacco tea or other home-brewed pesticides allows the farmer to be less dependent on manufacturers and traders of pesticides, which is particularly important in third world countries. Moreover, the toxicity of tobacco tea is considerably lower than the one of nicotine sulphate (the product that is commercialized). Nicotine sulfate is manufactured by combining nicotine from natural tobacco waste with sulfur, resulting in a very toxic and dangerous substance. Homemade tobacco teas do not result in this same toxic substance. While the acute toxicity of nicotine (present in tobacco tea) is still quite high and hence hazardous for the person that comes into direct contact with the spray, the residual period, on the contrary, is short. This means that the farmer has to protect himself well when using the product, but that the product is not hazardous for the consumer. Nevertheless, many organic regulations forbid the use of certain natural pesticides (on-farm produced plant extracts) when their toxicity is controversial. Hence, pure nicotine, as well as nicotine naturally present in tobacco tea, is forbidden by organic regulations of major organic markets, including those of the US, the EU, and Japan.
... Mountaineer