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Red Chili Peppers

Organic Fertilizers & Insecticides

At BOTANICA Escario, we prove that beautiful, productive gardens don’t require synthetic chemicals. Our integrated approach to plant nutrition and pest management creates a balanced ecosystem where plants thrive naturally and beneficial insects help control pests.

Our Commitment to Chemical-Free Gardening

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Understanding Plant Nutrition

Plants need three primary nutrients (NPK):

  • Nitrogen (N): Promotes leafy green growth

  • Phosphorus (P): Supports root development and flowering

  • Potassium (K): Enhances overall plant health, disease resistance, and fruit quality

Plus secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, sulfur) and micronutrients (iron, zinc, manganese, etc.)

 

Our Organic Fertilizer Recipes

1. Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) - Natural Growth Booster

FPJ captures the growth hormones and nutrients from fast-growing plants.

Ingredients:

  • Fresh plant material: kangkong (water spinach), malunggay leaves, or young bamboo shoots

  • Brown sugar or molasses (equal weight to plant material)

Process:

  1. Chop plant material finely

  2. Layer with brown sugar in a clay pot or glass jar (1:1 ratio)

  3. Cover with breathable cloth

  4. Ferment for 7-14 days in a cool, dark place

  5. Strain and store liquid in glass bottles

Application:

Dilute 1:500 with water for foliar spray or soil drench, applied weekly during vegetative growth

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2. Fish Amino Acid (FAA) - Protein-Rich Fertilizer

Ingredients:

  • Fresh fish waste (heads, bones, guts): 1 kg

  • Brown sugar (muscavado) or molasses: 1 kg

  • Clay pot or food-grade plastic container

Process:

  1. Mix chopped fish waste with brown sugar

  2. Store in container with breathable lid

  3. Ferment for 6-12 months

  4. Strain the liquid

Application:

Dilute 1:1000 for foliar spray or 1:500 for soil drench, promotes flowering and fruiting

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3. Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ) - Potassium Booster

Ingredients:

  • Ripe fruits (banana, papaya, mango): 1 kg

  • Brown sugar (muscavado) or molasses: 1 kg

Process:

  1. Mash ripe fruits

  2. Mix with equal weight brown sugar

  3. Ferment for 7-14 days

  4. Strain and store

Application:

Dilute 1:500, use during fruiting stage to enhance fruit quality and sweetness

 

4. Calcium Phosphate (From Eggshells and Bones)

Ingredients:

  • Eggshells or animal bones: 1 kg

  • Brown rice vinegar (5% acidity): 10 liters

Process:

  1. Roast eggshells/bones until brittle

  2. Immerse in vinegar in glass jar

  3. Let sit for 2-4 weeks until bubbling stops

  4. Strain and store liquid

Application:

Dilute 1:1000, provides calcium and phosphorus for strong stems and flowers

 

Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) - Soil Life Booster

We culture beneficial microorganisms from our forest floor to improve soil life:

Collection:

  1. Place cooked rice in wooden box

  2. Cover with breathable cloth

  3. Place in undisturbed forest area for 3-5 days

  4. Collect when rice is covered with white mold

Propagation:

  1. Mix collected rice with brown sugar (muscavado) or molasses (1:1)

  2. Store for 7 days

  3. Mix with water and bran to increase volume

  4. Add to compost or soil

Benefits:

Improves nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and soil structure

 

Application Schedule

Vegetative Stage:

  • FPJ weekly for green growth

  • IMO monthly for soil health

  • Compost tea bi-weekly

  • Flowering/Fruiting Stage:

  • FFJ weekly for potassium

  • FAA every 10 days for protein

  • Calcium phosphate bi-weekly Year-Round:

  • Compost top-dressing monthly

  • Worm castings quarterly

  • Mulch replenishment as needed

ORGANIC INSECTICIDES & PEST MANAGEMENT

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategy

 

We don’t aim to eliminate all insects—we create balance.

Our four-tier approach:

  1. Prevention: Healthy plants resist pests

  2. Monitoring: Regular inspection catches problems early

  3. Cultural controls: Companion planting, crop rotation, habitat for beneficial insects

  4. Organic interventions: Natural pesticides as last resort

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Our Organic Pest Control Solutions

1. Neem Oil Spray - Broad Spectrum Insecticide

Ingredients:

  • Neem oil: 2 tablespoons

  • Liquid soap (natural): 1 teaspoon

  • Water: 1 liter

Application:

  • Spray every 7-14 days

  • Apply in early morning or late afternoon (never in hot sun)

  • Effective against aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, spider mites

How it works:

Disrupts insect hormones, prevents feeding and reproduction

 

2. Chili-Garlic Spray - Repellent and Contact Killer

Ingredients:

  • Hot chili peppers: 100g

  • Garlic cloves: 1 whole bulb

  • Water: 2 liters

  • Natural soap: 1 tablespoon

Process:

  1. Blend chilies and garlic with 1 liter water

  2. Strain through cloth

  3. Add remaining water and soap

  4. Store in glass bottle (lasts 1 week refrigerated)

Application:

Spray on affected plants, reapply after rain. Effective against soft-bodied insects and as rabbit/deer deterrent

 

3. Tobacco Tea - For Persistent Pests

Ingredients:

  • Dried tobacco leaves or cigarette butts: 20g

  • Water: 1 liter

Process:

  1. Steep tobacco in water for 24 hours

  2. Strain and dilute 1:4 with water

  3. Add 1 teaspoon soap

Application:

Use sparingly as last resort for aphids, caterpillars. Caution: Toxic to fish and some beneficial insects

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4. Ginger-Lemongrass Spray - Fungal Disease Prevention

Ingredients:

  • Fresh ginger: 50g

  • Lemongrass: 50g

  • Water: 2 liters

Process:

  1. Chop and boil ingredients for 15 minutes

  2. Cool and strain

  3. Add 1 teaspoon soap

Application:

Preventive spray for powdery mildew, leaf spot diseases, applied weekly during humid conditions

 

5. Wood Ash Tea - Pest Deterrent and Nutrient

Ingredients:

  • Wood ash (from untreated wood): 100g

  • Water: 5 liters

Process:

  1. Mix ash in water

  2. Let settle for 12 hours

  3. Use clear liquid (don’t disturb sediment)

Application:

Spray on leaves to deter soft-bodied insects and provide potassium

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Physical and Cultural Pest Control Methods

Hand-Picking:

Our staff inspect plants daily and manually remove large pests (caterpillars, beetles, snails)

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Barrier Methods:

  • Netting protects fruit trees from birds

  • Copper tape around raised beds deters slugs and snails

  • Row covers protect young seedlings

  • Trap Crops: We plant mustard greens to lure aphids away from vegetables, then remove and destroy the infested mustard

 

Beneficial Insect Habitat:

  • Flowering herbs (basil, dill, fennel) attract parasitic wasps

  • Marigolds planted throughout attract ladybugs

  • Small water features support dragonflies (mosquito predators)

  • Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill beneficial insects

 

Companion Planting for Pest Management:

(See Companion Planting section for details)

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Disease Prevention Strategies Cultural Practices:

  • Proper spacing for air circulation

  • Drip irrigation (keeps foliage dry)

  • Morning watering (foliage dries during day)

  • Pruning infected material immediately

  • Crop rotation prevents soil-borne diseases

 

Soil Health:

Healthy, biologically active soil produces healthy plants that resist disease naturally

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Plant Selection:

We choose disease-resistant varieties adapted to tropical conditions

 

Safety and Best Practices

Application Guidelines:

  • Always test spray on small area first

  • Apply in cool parts of day (early morning/late afternoon)

  • Avoid spraying open flowers (protects pollinators)

  • Wait 24-48 hours before harvest after application

  • Wear gloves when handling concentrated solutions

Storage:

  • Label all preparations with name and date

  • Store in cool, dark place

  • Most sprays last 1-2 weeks refrigerated

  • Fermented products last months when properly sealed

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When to Take Action

Economic Threshold: Not every pest requires action.

We intervene when:

  • Pest population threatens more than 10% of crop

  • Disease begins spreading rapidly

  • Beneficial insects aren’t controlling population naturally

Visit our garden to see pest management in action and learn to identify common garden pests and their natural predators!

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