Ask Kaviraj — Issue 9
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Kaviraj is our resident expert on using homeopathy for plants, soils and pests. From Hippy to Homeopath: the Story of Vaikunthanath das Kaviraj. |
Contents
- Black spot and scale on roses
- Emerald ash borers
- Cabbage butterflies
- Dairy cattle mastitis
- Increasing growth and reproduction of aquatic plants
- Silicea doses for perennials, orchards and paddy crops
- Lyme-infected ticks
- Dead patches on conifer
Questions and Answers
Q1. Black Spot and Scale on Roses: Hi,Can you tell me what remedy i should use for black spot and scale on roses and how to administer it please
Hi Deb, Black spot on roses is best treated with Sulphur, which has a natural affinity for this fungal disease. You will find instructions on how to use it at the bottom of this page — Kaviraj
Q2. Emerald Ash Borers: Hi, We are losing a green ash tree to the emerald ash borer. This spring the upper half of the tree is not producing leaves. We are seeing holes in the trunk. I’m wondering if you could recommend a remedy that might help bring this tree back? Thanks. Amy
Hi Amy. The best remedy is Thuja which will chase the ash borer away. It is a remedy that works very well when animals are poisoned – such as by a vaccine and the like. Same for trees. The ash borer injects its toxic saliva into the tree which kills it.
Q3. Cabbage Butterflies: Hi Kaviraj, We have swarms of cabbage butterfly – mainly because we live in a new property without any large trees (yet!) so it is easy for them to see our delicious vegetables and lay their eggs on them. They attack only the Brassica family (we grow spinach, broccoli, kale, chard etc). I have not been able to harvest ANY brassicas this year because the moth larvae are so prolific. I have tried Helix tosta but it doesn’t work for caterpillars, just the slugs! Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Georgia.
Hi Georgia, Helix will never work for moths. The best remedy is Syrphinilida, but I don’t know if you can get that ‘Down Under’. The next best is Sambucus nigra, which I am sure Homeopathy Plus can provide. Water all the plants and see the moths go, without wanting a second taste. Kaviraj.
Q4. Dairy Cattle Mastitis: Hi, My brother has (we think) the same sort of infection as his cow’s with their mastitis – he comes up in boils. What homeopathic remedy would be good for the cattle and for him? The cattle have chronic mastitis with the big udders etc.Your articles are very good.Thank you.Jessie Scott
Hi Jessie, If the infection is chronic, Conium maculatum is good and otherwise Belladonna for the acute infection. And no antibiotics. Please ask your brother to consult with a homeopath who will make a presciption for his boils based on his symptoms. Kaviraj.
Q5. Increasing Growth and reproduction of Aquatic Plants: Dear Kaviraj, Namaskaar. I am a aquascaper residing in Kolar, Karnatak, India. I am also using homeopathic drugs for plants under the guidance of Sri G S R Moorthy, Srikaakulam, AP, India. I am interested to use homeo drugs on aquatic plants to have better growth, good colour and better multiplication. Can you suggest homeo drugs for the aobe? Yours sincerely, M. S. Eshwari Kumar.
Hi Eshwari, you should give your plants Silicea 6X, as per instructions down below, and see good results. Kind regards, Kaviraj.
Q6. Silicea Doses for Perennials, Orchards and Paddy Crops: Good morning sir, I am following your agro homeo suggestions, keeping them in practice. Sir, you advise against using Silicea twice but I have a question. The life of perennials and orchards is very long. Is your dosage advice for a lifetime or for a year? How much time should be in between for the use of Silicea? Please clarify my doubts. One more thing, in Andrapradesh paddy (rice) is a major crop. Can we use the Silicea and other homeopathic medicines on paddy crop? I am waiting for your valuable advice. Thank you, sir. Balreddyi. (Hyderabad, Andrapradesh)
Hi Mr Balreddyi, Silicea should be used on trees on a yearly basis. They are long-lived and handle yearly repetition very well. It is that during flowering that the dose should be administered once. Rice paddy is also fine for homoeopathic remedies. Apply before watering – all the remedy will be taken up by the plant and so there are no residues. Kind regards, Kaviraj.
Q7. Lyme-infected Ticks: Hello Kaviraj, Thank you for sharing all of your experiences with us. I’ve referred many of my patients to your columns and book and they are excited to watch homeopathy work for their plants, too. I am hoping you can help me with this very common concern that I have been hearing lately: How to keep the ticks from biting if you live in the middle of tick country, especially in those areas where nearly all the ticks are carriers of Lyme? I’ve had many patients use the Ledum 200C / Hypericum 200C / Borellia 30C protocol, and it has seemed to be very effective. But, what does one do when you’re on a constitutional remedy, or if your child is coming in with 2 or 3 ticks on them daily? It doesn’t seem like a good idea to be constantly giving them these remedies, and especially as it does seem to interfere with their constitutional treatment. Do you have any ideas on ways to rid your yard of ticks? And/or, is there a remedy or herbal that could be taken perhaps in a very low dose daily, or be applied topically to the skin to keep them off. Is there danger that they would start to prove the remedy if given in a very low potency? Or, can you suggest some plants that might naturally repel the ticks? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much–I look forward to your column every month! April.
Hi April, Your idea sounds like a solid plan. To keep ticks off I suggest washing with Ledum tincture in the water – if you smell of Ledum they won’t be as attracted to you. Putting the tincture on the skin might also be a good idea. However, keeping that up is not necessarily good. Those using it may develop the symptoms of Ledum. The same for ridding the yard of ticks – spray the tincture around and make sure you get also the underside of leaves. Rue is another remedy/plant that repels them, but Rue is also not liked by many other plants. To me the best solution is to use the Ledum to drive them from the yard. Kind regards, Kaviraj.
Q.8. Dead Patches on Conifer: Hi Kaviraj, I have a large conifer in my yard that has dead patches all over it and is looking very unwell. I have been told by a local tree doctor it is most likely to be an airborne bacterial canker. I have ”Homeopathy for Farm and Garden” but would like to be more sure of which remedy to use. Thanks for your help. Kind Regards, Fiona.
Hi Fiona, bacterial cancer is generally helped by Thuja, but if that does not work, you can try Sulphur. It would be easier to diagnose if you had photos. Can you send some? 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 KavirajVaikunthanath Kaviraj passed away in March 2013 but left an enormous legacy of how to safely manage plant pests and diseases with homeopathy. |
