Oh no, the aphids and cucumber beetles are back again this year! It may be tempting to dash straight to the local nursery and hand over a credit card for an expensive chemical solution, but resist the urge to throw money at the problem. Fortunately, there are some good organic alternatives that almost any household has on hand already. Follow the basic recipe below to make a pint of homemade organic insect spray that can be applied directly to the pests and plants. Not only are these mixtures easy to make for free, but they are very effective in controlling most garden insect pests.
Choose the Organic Bug Spray Active Ingredient
Use any one of the following:
- White vinegar, 1 pint
- Crushed insect pests, 1 tablespoon
- Garlic juice, 30 cloves
- Chives, 1/4 cup
- Hot peppers, 1/4 cup
- Lemon balm, 1/4 cup
- Mint, 1/4 cup
- Rosemary, 1/4 cup
- Thyme, 1/4 cup
- Tobacco leaves, 1/8 cup, dried, or 1/4 cup fresh
- Tomato leaves, 1 cup
- Rhubarb leaves, 1 cup
Make an Insect Spray Tea
Put any solid from the list above into a blender and add a pint of water. Blend for a few seconds to chop up the ingredient, then allow it to steep for an hour. Strain out the solids from the mixture and pour the bug spray tea into a clean spray bottle. To make sure that the spray bottle does not clog, it may be necessary to strain the mixture through two or three thicknesses of cheesecloth or the equivalent.
Add Soap to Make the Bug Spray Deadlier
A drop or two of non-detergent liquid soap enhances the killing power of the insect spray by removing the waxy coating on insects' exoskeleton so that they dry out. Don't use more than a couple of drops, though, as the soap will also harm plants in higher concentrations.
How to Use the Homemade Bug Spray
Shake the solution well before use. Spray it on plants in the morning or evening, as direct and full sun makes the plant more susceptible to damage from the soap. Try to direct spray to the areas where the infestation is greatest. Repeat every few days as necessary. When the bug spray is not in use, store it in the refrigerator so it will remain effective longer.
Warnings about Organic Insect Treatments
Tobacco, tomato and rhubarb leaves are poisonous to humans, so be sure to wash vegetables before eating them if they've been sprayed with those ingredients. Homemade organic bug sprays lose their efficacy after a few days; make one batch at a time.
Elise Cooke - Elise Cooke writes, teaches and speaks on ways to Live Large on Less. Her first book, Strategic Eating, The Econovore's Essential Guide is ...
