Q.habanero/chewing tobacco bug juice
Hi, Jim here in St. Pete, Florida. I am trying to raise several varieties of common vegetables here and am trying to get away from Sevin, etc. On the second hand recommendations of an old timer, I wanted to try to go this route. I got creative with the recipe just a bit because his was vague. I mixed a half pound of habanero peppers with a pouch of Red Man chewing tobacco and put in enough water to let it mix and blended it up. I also added two ounces of dried red pepper. I have it all in a bucket with about two and a half gallons of water. My questions: 1) Should I add more water or more peppers, or does it sound about right? 2) How long do I let it steep, and how long is the shelf life? I stuck the tip of my finger in it this morning and it was very hot. I could taste that tobacco too. Vile. Anyway, my last question: Should I also add some mild detergent to the brew? Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
The mixture sounds ok and it should be good for the summer. Adding a little bleach free dish soap or murphy's oil will help the mixture stick better to the harmful pests.