Homemade Insecticide

 What a week it has been down on the allotment! If I had to describe it in one word, it would be wet, squelchy underfoot, and that kind of dampness that clings to you no matter how much you try to brush it off. The sort of week where every step across the plots feels like you’re sinking into a sponge. But allotments don’t run themselves, and as we’ve often said, “if you wait for perfect weather, nothing gets done.” So, rain or shine—or in this case drizzle and muck—we headed up and made the best of things.

Wet Ground, Sluggish Jobs

The ground has been so wet that some jobs just couldn’t be tackled at all. There’s no sense in trying to dig or hoe when the soil is like porridge—it only makes a mess and compacts down. I always say it’s best to work with the ground, not against it. So, some things will have to wait until it dries out a bit more. Still, we weren’t about to waste a whole trip, so we put our time to good use.

Potato Harvest – Teamwork Makes It Lighter Work

The big job for us this week was potatoes. Now, potato digging is one of those jobs that looks easy on paper but quickly becomes a sweat-drenched affair when you’re in the thick of it. Luckily, with three of us—myself, Sam, and Iris—we managed to make short work of it.

I’ll tell you this though, even with the damp ground, it was still hot work. We were all dripping by the end, sweat on our backs as if it was the height of summer instead of a grey wet week. There’s something about bending and lifting spuds by the bucket load that gets you going.

But what a crop we had! Considering how dry the summer turned out to be, the potatoes have done us proud. I half-expected them to be small or disappointing, but no—they’ve bulked up beautifully. A proper reward for the effort earlier in the year, when we planted them in the dry soil and hoped for the best. That’s the magic of gardening, isn’t it? Sometimes nature surprises you in the best possible way.

Sam and Iris carried on with the lifting while I moved on to another important job. I must say, seeing the two of them working together like that always puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of years gone by, when I was the lad helping out, and my father or grandfather would be off spraying or tending something else. Some things don’t change, and I like it that way.

The Battle Against Whitefly – Soap Spray to the Rescue

While the potatoes were being lifted, I turned my attention to the Brussels sprouts and cabbages. Those whiteflies have been relentless this year. You think you’ve got on top of them, and a few days later they’re back in force, covering the undersides of the leaves like confetti. Left unchecked, they make a right mess—stunting growth, weakening plants, and just generally causing frustration.

Now, we’ve never been ones to reach for the chemical bottles. Our way has always been to go simple, traditional, and as safe as possible for the veg, the soil, and us. So, out comes my trusty soap mix. I’ve been using it for years, and it rarely lets me down.

For those who are curious (and I know a fair few of you fellow growers like to compare notes), here’s what I use:

• A 5-litre container, filled with water.

• One tablespoon of plain dish cleaner.

• One tablespoon of white vinegar.

That’s the base mix, and nine times out of ten, it’s enough to keep the whitefly under control. If the infestation looks particularly bad, or the leaves are heavily coated, I’ll sometimes double it—two tablespoons of each instead. I do judge it a bit depending on the plant. The brassicas—cabbages, Brussels, sprouts, and the like—are tough as old boots. They can take a stronger mix without issue. More delicate plants, I go lighter.

The trick with it, I find, is to always mix it fresh before heading up to the allotment. Soap sprays lose their punch if they’ve been sitting around. So, I’ll mix it up in the shed just before we leave, give it a good slosh around, and it’s ready to go.

There’s a certain satisfaction in spraying it on, watching the leaves glisten as the solution coats them. I know full well I’ll be back in a few days to give them another dose, but that’s allotment life—constant battles, constant little victories.

Do You Use Your Own Mix?

I often wonder how many of you fellow growers make your own sprays like this. Over the years I’ve read about all sorts—garlic sprays, chilli sprays, even rhubarb leaf concoctions. Some swear by them, others say they’re not worth the bother. For me, the simple soap-and-vinegar mix has always been reliable. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it doesn’t harm the soil.

I’d be interested to know if any of you reading this use your own mixes. Do you have a recipe that works wonders on pests like whitefly or aphids? Do you stick to one formula, or do you adapt it like I do, depending on how tough the plant is? One of the joys of gardening is swapping tips and tricks like these—little nuggets of wisdom passed on from one allotment to another.

Looking Ahead – Dry Weather Needed

So, that was our wet and weary week on the plots. Not the easiest conditions, but we pressed on and got a couple of big jobs ticked off. The potatoes are all up now, safely stored away, and the brassicas are holding their own against the whitefly with a bit of help from the soap spray.

Next week, if we can get a bit of dry weather, I’d like to get back to hoeing and tidying the beds. The weeds don’t stop just because it’s wet, and the ground needs some care before it compacts too much. But until it dries a little, there’s no point rushing it. The allotment teaches patience better than anything else, doesn’t it?

For now, I’m content with the progress we’ve made. The satisfaction of lifting a good potato crop and keeping the cabbages clean of pests is more than enough to keep spirits high—even when the rain doesn’t stop falling.