Ask Kaviraj — Issue 7

Kaviraj is our resident expert on using homeopathy for plants, soils and pests. From Hippy to Homeopath: the Story of Vaikunthanath das Kaviraj.

Contents

  • Fruit flies
  • Mosquitoes
  • Carpet beetles
  • Black flies
  • Grasshoppers
  • Vege garden problems
  • Nematodes
  • Avocado fruit and flower drop
  • Brown rot in fruit trees
  • Dying mangrove trees
  • Ask Kaviraj your questions
  • Looking for more information?

A hungry looking grasshopperQuestions and Answers

Q1. Fruit flies: Can you use homeopathy to stop fruit fly decimating crops?
Karen.

Hi Karen. In orchards, the best remedy is Coccinella. It is best watered on the roots, but can also be sprayed on to the leaves. When spraying, make sure the underside of the leaves get a dose too because the fruit fly like to hide there.

Q2. Mosquitoes: Hi Kaviraj, Can you tell me if there is a homeopathic that will prevent mosquitoes (sandflies, midges, etc) biting me? My husband and son seem to be immune to them but I attract any that are within a 100m radius!
Thank you, Vicki.

Hi Vicky, there are several remedies that come to mind. It depends on whether you want a repellent or to get rid of them altogether. As a repellent at night, cut a lemon in half and place the halves on either side of the pillow. Rub some of the juice on your arms. It’s also best to avoid eating sweets as it makes your blood sweet too, which attracts them.
 Ledum palustre is a remedy for the ill effects of insect bites.

 

Q3. Carpet Beetles: Hi Kaviraj, Can you please tell me if there is a Homeopathic remedy to kill the carpet beetle which is eating my woollen carpet. And if there is, what potency and how to administer it and how often?  If there isn’t a homeopathic remedy that can solve the problem of the carpet beetle, can you please suggest what else I can do? Many thanks, Miranda

Hi Miranda, I’m not sure about this one so we will have to experiment. Normally, beetles are considered “animal poison” in living entities. The carpet is not alive but I still think that you could get rid of this beetle with the remedy Thuja occidentalis. Please let me know how it goes.

Q4. Black Flies in Hen House: Hello Kaviraj. Could you please advise how to get rid of the tiny black flies, some have irridescent blue on them, from the chook pen, I have cleaned the pen out several times, I have made sure any remaining poo has been covered, I have wormed and de loused the chickens but nothing seems to work.  Thank you, Brooke

Hi there Brooke. Catch about 30-50 of these flies and process them in the same way I have explained with other pests (grind them up with lactose etc) and spray the pens and the chooks. This should do the job but be safe for your hens.

Q5. Grasshoppers: Hi Kaviraj, I was just wondering if there is a remedy to deter small grasshoppers from my cherry tomato plants? Thanks, Sarah.

Hi Sarah, Small grasshoppers can be deterred in several ways. Ocimum basilicum comes to mind but Thuja occidentalis is the best remedy in such cases.

Q6. Multiple Vege Garden Problems: Hi Kaviraj, I have a been at this present address for 3 years. I have a small vegie garden. I have continual problems growing pumpkin, zucchini,etc The vines begin well and sometimes bear fruit but the vine then gets bad mildew and dies. Root crops such as carrots are stunted – good leafy stem but the carrot is very short and often has several forks. Potatoes – good leaf crop but very little underground. I also have a fig tree (planted 1.5 years ago) – good growth but the fruit falls of before maturing. Tomatoes – again good leaf crop but fruit is often small and the vine begins to whither from the ground turning yellow (pale.) The research I have done seems to indicate I have nematodes in the soil. I plan to treat the garden with Silica 6X – is there a better alternative? Are these symtoms related?Would be interested to know. Many thanks, Ray.

Hi Ray, First check the pH of the soil and find out if it is suited for pumpkins. Next, if it is, soak your pumpkin seeds overnight in a litre of water to which 20 drops of Silicea 6X or 6C have been added. (First give the bottle of Silicea ten succussions on a book – ie, hit the base of the bottle on the book 10 times to vigorously agitate it). Your pumpkin seeds can then be planted. Carrots need Allium cepa (6C or 6X) and then they will grow properly. Don’t forget that carrots are a biennial crop. The roots grow only grow large in the second year. For those potatoes, give them a remedy called Phaseolus (6C or 6X). It is prepared from a bean which likes and helps the potatoes to grow. Against nematodes, you can use Calendula or Tagetes (6C or 6X). Just water one of them into the roots. The tomatoes may have clubroot, caused by nematodes. Check one plant and if this is the case and apply the remedy, as described above.

Q7. Avocado Flower and Fruit Drop: We have a Haas Avocado in very sheltered position, near coastal area. It is producing fruit every second year but flowering every year. Last year we got over 90 fruit but this year it had a lot of flowers but did not set the fruit. At the moment it has around 15 very small fruit. It dropped a lot of the flowers and fruit. Is there a remedy that would help set the fruit. We are in North East Tasmania and I realise that Avocado sometimes fruits bi-annually, but thought as it flowers profusely there might be something lacking in the alternaten years that we could rectify. I am unable to take a photo but the leaves sometimes go brown around the outer edges and I think it may be wind burn or maybe salt that causes that. Hope you may be able to help. kind regards
Marie

Hi Marie, Since your avocado tree has a sheltered position, flowering and fruit-setting should happen each year. Often, avocados do not bear fruit unless they are beside another avocado tree. It is also said that 3 trees are better. To help with fruit-setting it is wise to provide a dose of Phosphorus, because the plant needs more of this during flowering and fruit-setting. Just make sure it is not the P chemical fertiliser but homeopathic Phosphorus in either 6X or 6C potency – water it into the roots. It should also make the browning of the leaves a thing of the past. The fig tree can be boosted by watering a dose of Phosphorus (6C or 6X) into it’s roots.


Q8. Brown Rot in Fruit Trees: Hi Kaviraj,I have recently taken over a neglected farm with many fruit trees. Last summer we lost a lot of fruit to brown rot (Monilinia fructicola), partly a result of the unusually wet preceding winter, partly from lack of pruning over many years and a large reservoir of spores contained in fruit mummies and twig cankers. This winter we are putting a lot of effort into pruning to remove as much of the spore reservoir as possible but don’t want to prune the trees too hard in their weakened state. I would like to know if there are specific homeopathic remedies we can use on the trees and surrounding soil to remove the rot and strengthen the trees. Thanks, Wendy.

Hi Wendy,Brown rot, being generally a wettish rot, will react well to either Silicea or Carbo vegetabilis. As the trees are also likely to be suffering from loss of vital fluids, the latter remedy will also give them some much needed strength so the pruning can be more rigorous that you may think. Success! Kaviraj.

 

Q9. Dying Mangrove Trees: To Kaviraj, I have 6 beautiful mangrove trees that are over 9 metres tall. They form a line in my backyard along my fence. They attracts lots of birds, give our backyard a nice shaded area for my children to play in and protect against strong winds etc. For the past 11 years they have been very healthy with green and multicoloured leaves and red flowers. Now, in the past 3 months, they have become dry. The leaves are crispy, have lost all colour and greenery, and have become a faded yellow colour. I cannot prove that they have been poisoned but all are simultaneously dying and no other plants are effected in my backyard. There are a few branches on four of the trees that still have some greenery. I was thinking Arsenicum album what do you think? Regards, Liesl.
 
Hi Liesl, If you think they are being poisoned, find out if the neighbour has used any weedkiller in his yard. Arsenicum you can try – you might be lucky, but I cannot guarantee anything with this. If you can find out the cause and contact me – you then stand a better chance. Kind regards, Kaviraj.

Instructions for Agrohomeopathy Remedy Use and Storage

Just add one 6X or 6C potency pill to each 200 ml of water, shake vigorously, and then spray on the leaves of your plant or water into its roots. If using the remedy for pests, spray where the pests normally gather.

Store pills and liquid away from light, moisture, and high temperatures (normal household temperatures are fine). Close range mobile phone and microwave oven emissions have been shown to affect homeopathic remedies. Keep your pills and liquid away from these appliances.

1 x vial of 100 pills from the Homeopathy Plus Shop makes 20 litres of remedy.

Note about Kaviraj

Vaikunthanath Kaviraj passed away in March 2013 but left an enormous legacy of how to safely manage plant pests and diseases with homeopathy.
Onwards and upwards, Kaviraj – the world is a better place for you being in it. Its now time for others to pick up and continue the good work.