Find out 8 natural pesticides for garden and their recipes. They are safe, effective and inexpensive.
There’s nothing more annoying for a gardener than seeing pests sucking their plants. Chemical pesticides are the best way to get rid of them but they back up cancerous activity and are detrimental to the environment, that is why using natural pesticides for the garden are the safest and best option as they are inexpensive and Eco-friendly.
1. Neem Oil
Neem Oil is among the most powerful natural pesticides and insecticides; it covers more than 200 species of chewing and sucking insects. It’s completely nontoxic and does not have any adverse effect on plants if used accordingly.
Take one-liter warm water and mix a half teaspoon of insecticidal soap. Stirring vigorously mix one teaspoon of neem oil in it. Fill it in a sprayer. Keep shaking the sprayer otherwise neem oil will start float on the surface. You can use the spray within eight hour but the fresh spray is recommended.
Also Read: Amazing Natural Pesticide Recipe
2. Tomato Leaves
If you are growing tomato in your garden then why not make full use of it. Tomato leaves contain compounds called alkaloids which are toxic to insects and works as a poison for some tender pests.
Chop about two cups of tomato leaves and put them in four cups of water. Steep it overnight and spray on the infected plant.
3. Tobacco
Natural insecticide made of tobacco is a great way for combating worms, aphids, and caterpillars. *It must not be used on plants of family Solanaceae which include popular plants like eggplant, tomato, potato or peppers.
Put 2 tablespoons of tobacco leaves in one gallon of water, stir and let it steep for an hour or two (the more time the stronger). Add one teaspoon of dishwashing soap and a pinch of hot pepper powder and stir it again. Strain and fill in the sprayer.
4. Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum flowers contain a chemical named pyrethrum which affects pest’s nervous system.
Take 100 grams of dried chrysanthemum flowers and boil it in 1 liter water for 30 minutes on low flame. It can easily kill many flying and crawling insect.
5. Garlic/Onion spray
Garlic/onion works as natural repellent for garden, its spray cause detrimental burning sensation to pest and insects.
To prepare this, take a bulb of garlic and an onion and grind it. Mix a tablespoon of pepper and insecticidal soap in 1 liter of water. Leave this for an hour and spray it on the plants.
6. Orange Peels
Orange peel contains d-limonene, which is an oil nutrition rated as an insecticide. If you don’t have orange peel you can use orange oil. Besides this, most of the animals like dog and cat don’t like its smell.
To make it, boil one liter of water, put two cups of orange peels in it. Strain and add few drops of neem oil and insecticidal soap. Your orange peel spray is ready.
7. Pepper
Pepper is not only a popular spice; you can use it in gardening, too. When added with vegetable oil and soap it becomes one of the best homemade pesticides.
Boil one cup of water, mix 3 tablespoon of hot pepper powder in it and let it steep for an hour. Strain it with strainer or cotton cloth and mix 1 tablespoon dish soap and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Dilute it in one liter of water and spray.
8. Salt
Salt spray can be used to control spider mites, caterpillar, and other chewing insects. It increases sodium level that controls the pests.
Making this is super easy, just mix 2 tablespoons of salt to a gallon of water and spray thoroughly on the leaves of your plant.
Tips
- Test pesticide you’re using on a small portion of the plant before spraying it all over because some plants are sensitive to used ingredients.
- Always wear gloves and eyeglass, when dealing with pepper and Neem.
- Avoid spraying plants on windy days, spray in late afternoon or evening for better results.
- Don’t use a dish soap that contains bleach.
- Make sure to spray the underside of leaves because it is pest favorite place to hide.
- Natural pesticides work slowly, be patient and use them persistently for better results.
Also Read: How to Make Insecticidal Soap
Neem oil can hurt bees, so don’t use it on blooming plants. Be very careful with using this “natural” spray. I use Neem oil, but I use it very sparingly and never on a flowering plant!
What is insecticidal soap? Is it available in India? If yes, by what name? TIA
You can read this article to learn what is insecticidal soap
If it is unavailable at your location you can easily make it at home. To learn how to make it read this.
HELP!! JapanesebBeetles are eating my roses and Crrpe Myrtle buds. I hand pick 100’s and kill them by dropping them in soapy water; however, I kill 1 hundred and 300 hatch out! I’m fighting a loosing battle but I can’t give up. Out of desperation I sprayed with a strong solution of Spectracide and cried when I saw all the dead “good guys”!…..so, that is not an option.
Is there any help for my nightmare??
I don’t know how big your Crepe Myrtle is, but if practical, you could try Diatomaceous Earth. It’s a powder-type substance that consists of ancient fossilised shells (I think?) that have sharp edges on all sides. The way it works is that when a insect crawls over the powder, they are sort of injured in that their soft body or even the hard shell will be pierced or sliced. This allows crucial moisture to leave their bodies, leading to dehydration and death. Apparently it will affect the adults as well as the young, but even if only effective on soft-bodied new crawlers, eventually your infestation will have to end because no more hatchings means no more adults. Pretty sure it does effect the adults too, though.
IMPORTANT!!!: MAKE SURE YOU BUY DIATOMACEOUS EARTH AT THE GARDEN NURSERY. THERE’S ALSO A KIND OF DM USED IN POOL FILTERS THAT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PEST CONTROL (might have chemical component you don’t want in the garden) Diatomaceous Earth in pure form is acceptable for Organic Methods used in Vegetable Garden. Probably not a bad idea to waer a dust mask and eye protection while in use. You probably could just put a little in the crotches of the branches, and eventually the bugs will have to crawl around in it; if most of the activity seems to be on the leaves, put the DM there. You don’t need to create a huge cloud of powder around your tree for it to be effective. GOOD LUCK!
I just spent a whole month picking the beetles off by hand. Unfortunately that is the safest way to get rid of them for the environment. Also I save and crush eggshells in my food processor to use as the diamatious earth substitute. They don’t like to walk on it. Also a weak solution of cinammon and water also helps. Then after all that they just disappeared. They had been attacking my crepe myrtle and fruit trees and also my wild roses. Good luck with those beasts!!!!
I have to admit that this one is new to me, but I ve seen enough mentions of it now to warrant its inclusion here as a natural pesticide. Tomato plants are part of the nightshade family, and as such, contain alkaloids such as the aptly named tomatine, which can effectively control aphids and other insects. ? ? To make tomato leaf spray for a natural insecticide, chop two cups of fresh tomato leaves (which can be taken from the bottom part of the plant) into one quart of water, and let steep overnight. Strain out the plant material and spray onto plant foliage.
My lemon tree is in a pot, the first time it produce 5 lemons, the lemons remain very small, started to turn yellow and drop off the tree, the lemon tree is four years old. I give the it citrus fertilizer. I’m from Barbados, a very warm climate.
I would seriously like to know more about the production area suitable for planting Ylang Ylang please. Thx.