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Birch Tar in the Garden: Advantages, Disadvantages, and 6 Pests It Can Cope With
24.04.2024 15:10
A safe, natural remedy in the form of birch tar has been used in gardening for centuries.
Its use is still relevant today, because it is difficult to find a more effective remedy for fighting insects.
Tar and its benefits in gardening
The safe composition of tar, despite its specific composition, has many advantages for the garden, says Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
Among them, the following should be especially noted:
- It does not have the property of causing addiction in pests, and therefore it can be used for years;
- has a long-lasting effect, so it does not need to be renewed frequently;
- universal use in insect control with a wide spectrum of action;
- on one plant it can be applied in several ways at the same time;
- the substance does not kill, but repels, which is humane towards moles, mice and other mammals;
- complete safety for human health and pets;
- does not require skills to create, as it is sold in a hardware or garden store.
Tar and the pests it resists
This substance works due to its smell. It allows defeating both above-ground pests and those that are underground:
- ants. If a gardener is faced with a situation where his trees have become a haven for ants, he needs to take a rag, soak it in birch tar and tie it around the trunk like a trapping belt. If they have formed an anthill, then a tablespoon of tar needs to be poured onto its top;
- Colorado potato beetle. To combat the pest in a potato field, dissolve a couple of spoons of tar in a bucket of water, add laundry soap to the solution and spray the plantings, and also water the spaces between the rows;
- viral and bacterial infections. To protect the harvest from the possibility of infection, it is necessary to treat the bushes and trees during the period of the first green leaves blossoming. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a solution of water, tar and soap;
- codling moth. The danger of this pest is that the larvae overwinter in the bark, waking up in the spring and actively developing. Therefore, after the snow melts, you need to prepare a solution of tar, soap and water, treating the trunks of fruit trees with it. They will die of hunger without the ability to get out;
- moles, marmots and mice. You can drive away harmful animals in a humane way using tar. To do this, you need to soak pieces of fabric in tar and plug their locations. You can also drive stakes throughout the area, at a distance of up to 4 m from each other, pre-soaked in tar. They can be taken out periodically and the impregnation renewed;
• cabbage white butterfly. The cabbage white butterfly can destroy the entire vegetable harvest. Tar as a folk remedy will also come in handy here.
To do this, you can take sawdust, soak it in water with the addition of tar and spread it in the place where the cabbage grows. You can also place pegs soaked in organic fragrant raw materials around the perimeter of the planting.
Disadvantages of the product
Tar is not poisonous, but it also has its drawbacks. First of all, it does not kill, but repels pests. And if with moles it is humane, then with codling moth it is not. Pests can cross the territory and settle in another zone.
In addition, the unpleasant smell can spoil the outdoor recreation. Another disadvantage is the change in the taste of the fruit if the substance accidentally gets on them.
At the same time, tar and water do not mix well, quickly separating. You need to work quickly and remember about accuracy. Not many gardeners succeed in this.
Tar is universal, safe and useful. But it has features and disadvantages that you need to know about when using it in the garden.
Earlier, the expert told which two crops should not be planted next to strawberries.
