Make Homemade Insect Repellent for Aphids

Sap sucking critters also known as "aphids" are one of the top creepy crawlies that can destroy gardens and even devastate crops. The most important thing when you are dealing with food is that you need to get rid of these critters in an organic way before they infect the rest of the crops, so that you will have a bountiful and healthy harvest. That is why you cannot use those chemical filled insect repellents out on the market. The best way to get rid of these pesky critters is to make your own homemade and chemical-free insect repellent for aphids.

The best two insect repellents that you can make to battle aphids are made with tomato leaves and garlic. These two basic ingredients are found in households worldwide, and very easy to acquire, and the repellent is easy to make. You should utilize these harmless (to humans) repellent, but you should also know and understand why and how they can be effective in keeping these pests out for good. Let's talk about the garlic concoction: For a lot of years now, organic farmers have depended on the natural pest fighting power that garlic can pack. Its active ingredient that makes it very potentially harmful for aphids is sulfur, which makes it very harmful to pests and it also can be used as antibacterial and anti-fungal. Now the tomato leaf spray: Tomatoes naturally have alkaloids in their leaves. When these leaves get chopped, the alkaloids are released, and if diluted and immersed in water, it will make a spray that is safe for plants and humans, but lethal for aphids.

For the Garlic Spray:

1. 1
   What you'll need

   :

    

   1. Garlic oil
   2. Four cloves of garlic (for more potency)
   3. 2 tsp. mineral oil
   4. Small bowl
   5. Metal strainer with fine holes
   6. Metal spoon
   7. 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap
   8. 1 pint of tap water
   9. A medium sized spray bottle

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2. 2
   Making the spray

   :

    

   1. Finely chop or mince the four cloves of garlic. Optional: You can add more garlic for the spray to be more potent.
   2. Add the 2 tsp. of mineral oil and stir in bowl.
   3. Let the mixture of garlic and mineral oil sit for at least 24 hours.
   4. After a day, strain the mixture of garlic and oil, and then add this sticky oily substance to the pint of tap water and stir.
   5. Add the 1 tsp. of liquid dish washing soap and stir.
   6. Transfer the mixture from the bowl to the medium spray bottle
   7. Test the insect repellent.

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For the Tomato Leaves Spray:

1. 1
   Things you'll need

   :

    

   1. 2 cups tomato leaves
   2. 4 cups of tap water
   3. Medium mixing bowl
   4. Fine strainer
   5. Spray bottle

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2. 2
   How to prepare the spray

   :

    

   1. Chop the tomato leaves finely.
   2. Soak the 2 cups of chopped tomato leaves into the first 2 cups of water, using the mixing bowl, overnight.
   3. After 12-24 hours of soaking, strain the leaves out of the water.
   4. Add 2 more cups of water to dilute the mixture.
   5. Fill your spray bottle with the tomato leaf concoction.
   6. Test the aphid ridding brew.

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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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