Homemade Organic Insecticide for Vegetables
Grow your own veggies and enjoy fresh produce with peace of mind! As we all know, pests can be a real problem in vegetable gardens. Thankfully you don't have to rely on harsh chemical-laden pesticides; there are several homemade organic options that can be made from simple items around the house—saving you money while keeping toxins at bay.
Oil Spray
Do you have pesky sap-sucking insects like aphids, thrips, spider mites and whiteflies ruining your vegetable crops? Create a simple homemade oil spray with 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 1 cup of cooking oil from a fresh bottle. Mix the concentrated liquid with water using 4 teaspoons to every pint of water before application. For optimal shelf life, store the concentrate in an airtight glass jar in a dark, dry space until it’s time to use it! Once every 7 days liberally mist vegetables for full pest control.
Shampoo Spray
Baby shampoo is a great natural solution for controlling common garden pests including aphids, whiteflies, scale, thrips and spider mites. To make the baby shampoo pesticide spray just add two tablespoons of baby shampoo to one gallon of water in a spray bottle and thoroughly cover your plants with it. Let it sit on them for several hours before washing off gently with a hose. Remember not to use this mix under direct sunlight or when dealing with hairy-leaved or waxy vegetables such as squash!
Garlic Spray
Keep away unwanted pests from your vegetation with a natural pesticide that is odoriferous and easy to make! All you need is a blender, 10-12 garlic cloves, 1 quart of water, cheesecloth, and 1 cup of cooking oil. Blend the ingredients together before allowing them to sit overnight. Afterwards, strain it through a cheesecloth into an open glass jar for ultimate effectiveness. This concentrated brew can be kept for weeks until needed. If you want even more potency, add one tablespoon of cayenne pepper to the mixture and let it steep in the liquid for another day before filtering out any remaining solids. Make sure that when using this DIY pesticide, dilute 1/2 cup of the fluid with a gallon of water prior to application.
Pepper Spray
Red pepper powder is a multi-purpose ingredient that adds flavour and zest to culinary creations, but it can also be used as an effective homemade pesticide. To create this concoction, simply mix 1 tablespoon of red pepper powder with 6 drops of dish soap and one gallon of water until blended into a solution. Use a garden sprayer to thoroughly cover the vegetables with the mixture; if necessary, apply again once per week for maximum efficacy against pests such as leafhoppers, spittlebugs beetles and loopers.
A Word of Advice
Prior to spraying your entire vegetable plant, be sure to test any organic spray mixture you make on a single leaf. Do this the day before use in order to ensure it will not cause burning or damage to foliage. Furthermore, for best results and protection from potential burn injuries avoid treatment during hot midday hours - opt instead for either early morning or late afternoon applications. Some products composed of oils should never be applied when direct sunlight is present as they may scorch and harm plants otherwise.
