Spanish needle

Common name: Farmer's friend, Black Jack, Hairy beggarsticks
Scientific name: Bidens pilosa
Family: Asteraceae

picture discription

Seeds, whole plant

Insecticidal

Materials	Methods of preparation	How to use	Target pests
Seed extract 1 teacup of mature seeds Water Soap Cooking pot Pail Strainer	Pour seeds in a cooking pot with water. nBring to boil for 5 minutes. Strain.	Dilute filtrate with 1 liter of water. Add a small piece of soap. Stir well. Spray on infested plants. Pour on termite infested soil.	Aphids Cutworm Termites
Plant extract 1 whole plant 2 liters of water Soap	Pound plant. Soak in water overnight. Squeeze out the plant sap. Strain. Add a small piece of soap. Stir well.	Spray on infested plants. Pour on termite infested soil.	Aphids Cutworm Termites

Select plant parts that are free from diseases.
When storing the plant parts for future usage, make sure that they are properly dried and are stored in an airy container (never use plastic container), away from direct sunlight and moisture. Make sure that they are free from molds before using them.
Use utensils for the extract preparation that are not use for your food preparation and for drinking and cooking water containers. Clean properly all the utensils every time after using them.
Do not have a direct contact with the crude extract while in the process of the preparation and during the application.
Make sure that you place the plant extract out of reach of children and house pets while leaving it overnight.
Harvest all the mature and ripe fruits before plant extract application.
Always test the plant extract formulation on a few infested plants first before going into large scale spraying. When adding soap as an emulsifier, use a potash-based one.
Wear protective clothing while applying the extract.
Wash your hands after handling the plant extract.

None known during the write-up, however take extra caution as extract maybe harmful to people with very sensitive skin.

None.

External links

Stoll, G. (2000): Natural Crop Protection in the Tropics Margraf Verlag. Weikersheim.

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