Cheap, organic pest control

Badger · February 4, 2021, 3:32am

I was helping a friend attempt to conquer his pest issues the last few days, and it came to my attention that I should share some knowledge about my method. After all, we could all save some bucks right now, right?

Last year I found myself battling the borg, outside. Hard to avoid, right? I tried all kinds of stuff, but eventually settled into using safers soap towards the end of the season. It seems just as effective as anything else, but was pleasant to spray. It smelled nice, and didn’t stink like alot of the other stuff.

Here’s the label

A buddy turned me on to jadam wetting agent @Tinytuttle. It’s just potassium Hydroxide, canola oil, and water. I wonder if that’s the same as potassium salts of fatty acids?

I cleaned everything thoroughly, and readied my 0 ppm water (you want distilled or close) . Use appropriate ppe such as rubber gloves, goggles, apron (of course safety first?). I mixed the water and the potassium Hydroxide in an old steel pot, and capped. Be careful, it gets super hot (missed my photo op🤦).

I then mixed in the canola oil. Mix it with my mud mixer on a drill, and let it sit for a day. It sets up like butter.

Two days later, start adding the rest of the water, and moving it over into my bucket. It’s a bit mucky for awhile.

The last load of water it says to mix by hand. Nope, not badger. Mixing by hand is for the birds. Badgers do not have feathers

Let it all melt in together for a day, and boom.
Kinda looks like that other stuff too. You can see it’s nice and clear in that wooden spoon.

Best part is that I made 3.5 gallons for like 10 bucks. Have you seen how expensive pest control is by the gallon? Geez. My buddy was working his butt off to pay the grow store! You can also add an array of essential oils that repel and or help kill insects. Cool thing is that mites cant become resistant to being suffocated. This stuff doesn’t have a shelf life either.

I hope you will make and share this with your friends and neighbors. Jadam wants it out there to help give us some ecologically friendly and affordable methods to deal with pests.

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 4:36am

This is 3.5 gallons of concentrate I might add! and when you use 2-4 oz per gallon this is where the savings are seen!

What’s that like 180 gallons of full strength spray for 10$ (to make ya haller)

Great step by step directions! Probably won’t need to make that for another 10 YEARS!

Badger · February 4, 2021, 4:40am

Thanks for catching that bro. I’m tired.

At 2 ounces to a gallon, I should be able to mix 224 gallons. You can double that strength for heavier infestations.

TerpSneeze · February 4, 2021, 4:58am

I would like to mess around with this and ground organic amendments for topdressing. I have been playing around with a further simplified water-only soil mix for my dad in the lab at-home but noticing that the organic recharge blends both homemade and over the counter are ALL hydrophobic… Was thinking about diluted Castile soap as this is readily available, making slurries but they stink and are hard to get all the goods out… I have been wanting to do some digging surrounding organic wetting agents and up pops this thread.

Cheers @Badger for sharing this, it was totally off my radar

allotment · February 4, 2021, 5:25am

Thanks for sharing. Maybe I missed the obvious, but … how much water, KOH and canola oil are we talking?

Also, is the end product caustic or is that “neutralized” by the oil? Any precautions necessary when handling it?

How is the end product used? How is it stored?

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 10:34am

Ya I was trying to figure that one in my head while high and it wasn’t working out to well for me! Initially on the fly I was thinking over 200 + but the partial numbers was giving me issues guess the combo of calculator and Krishna kush weren’t playing nice together! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Lol

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 10:43am

Ya Castile soap , yucca, aloe all have re-wetting capabilities IIRCC I’m sure there’s more, I spray it in the soil surface from time to time to assist This intially it’s caustic but I believe it neutralizes with the reaction .

vernal · February 4, 2021, 10:45am

It’s just oilsoap. Higher pH but you don’t need that much KOH to saponify the oil, and mixed with water, and that concentrate mixed with water, it’s probably fairly mild end result.

Just be cautious especially with your eyes around the KOH and wear gloves/goggles wen mixing. After it’s mixed it’s just like any soap.

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 10:45am

Right on Bro! Sharing is caring!

monkeyman · February 4, 2021, 11:29am

nice one - I found this recipe online:

How to Make JWA:

Items Needed:

Heat-Resistant Container with Air-Tight Lid
Kitchen Scale
Immersion Blender or Drill With Mixing Attachment
Bowls for Weighing Out Inputs
Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
Canola Oil
Filtered Water

Instructions:

This recipe will make approximately 3.5 gallons of JADAM Wetting Agent.

Measure out 400 grams of potassium hydroxide in a bowl and measure out 312.5 grams of filtered water.
Place the water in the heat-resistant-container. Then, pour the potassium hydroxide in and immediately cover with a lid, as this is a caustic chemical reaction taking place that can be dangerous and will produce temps up to 220 degrees. Swirl the container around to fully dissolve the potassium hydroxide.
Measure out 76 fl. oz. of canola oil in a bowl. Pour the canola oil into the heat-resistant container with the potassium hydroxide solution.
Using the blending tool, mix the solution until a thin mayonnaise consistency is formed.
Place the lid on the container and allow it to sit for 3 days or until it becomes hard like butter. If it does not harden up, re-mix the solution with the blending tool.
Add 84.5 fl. oz. of filtered water to the container and mix gently with the blending tool. Make sure all clumps are off the bottom and side of the container.
Add an additional 253.6 fl. oz. of filtered water to the container. Stir manually.
Place lid on the container and allow it to melt slowly for 24 hours and it will be complete. Store in a tightly sealed container. It has no expiration date

this make it sound like you have to use it up right away when in fact it has “no expiration date”

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 11:34am

Thanks for posting @monkeyman ! If anyone is interested in like a 5 quart quantity I have it in my 2019 thread about post 100 IIRCC

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 11:38am

I’ll add that even when on the final dilution make sure RO/distilled water is used throughout the entire process makes the bug killer more effective !

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 12:35pm

allotment · February 4, 2021, 12:40pm

Actually I own my goggles and thick gloves because I used KOH to make a reagent to detect CBD, that’s why I was asking about it.

Badger · February 4, 2021, 12:44pm

Sorry, I was going to post the recipe but I forgot. I mainly wanted to convey the point that this was easy to make first. Numbers can kinda muddy things up sometimes.

I’m just gonna store mine in a sealed bucket at room temp.

allotment · February 4, 2021, 12:45pm

All good, I was just wondering if it’s me not finding the numbers before coffee.

Tinytuttle · February 4, 2021, 12:46pm

Or use one of the gallons of distilled water Containers you just bought to make This awesome stuff!

Mine might be currently in a rinsed our milk jug! Lol

Badger · February 4, 2021, 12:46pm

I’m extremely glad I could help!

Badger · February 4, 2021, 12:47pm

Thanks for popping in buddy. I don’t see you much lately. I’ve been looking forward to giving you a hard time since the last time

vernal · February 4, 2021, 1:00pm

I always got time to plug goggle safety.

Am I great about it personally…no…but do as I say, not as I do haha.

I also chose not to wear gloves last time around a lye solution and now my hands still feel like paper.