Make Homemade Insect Repellent for Plants
Edited by Rose B, Lynn
Make Homemade insect repellent for plants
Insect or bug repellents for plants are readily available in supermarkets or garden shops. But they are not only expensive, they can also cause harm to the plants and to us humans once we inhale them. It is also harmful when we consume those plants, like those in our vegetable gardens. Pests are attracted to our plants. Different insects and bugs, like ants, aphids, mites, and grasshoppers, may frequent our plants and consume from the leaves to the stems and especially their fruits. These insects would eventually kill our plant if they remain untreated. So, if we want to keep our plants in tact, we have our choice of which we want to use -- one of those ready-made insect repellents that are sold in the market and made with harmful chemicals, or a safe and inexpensive homemade spray that we can make in our kitchen. But homemade insect repellents, even if they are known as non-harmful, may still harm our plants if not sprayed properly. Even if we make use of these sprays, we still have to take precautionary measures before we spray them on our plants. We can also make different sprays for different plants, depending on what insect or bug attacks them. We have to know what insects we are dealing with, but some sprays can protect the plants from several insects, so I will be sharing with you several recipes that I make use of and that are really effective.
Spray Made of Herbs
This spray recipe is best to get rid of mites, aphids and other kinds of bugs.
What you need:
- 1Leaves of rosemary, basil, mint and lavender
- 2Piece of cloth
- 3Piece of string
- 4Bucket
- 5Half gallon of water
- 6Spray bottle
- 7Dish washing liquid
Procedure:
- 1Get leaves of rosemary, basil, mint and lavender.
- 2Crush the leaves and put inside a piece of cloth.
- 3Get a bucket and pour in the half gallon of water.
- 4Soak the crushed leaves on a piece of cloth, then put them into the bucket with water.
- 5Cover it and place under the sun.
- 6Leave it there for about six days.
- 7After six days, put about 1/8 of a teaspoon of dish washing liquid on a spray bottle and fill with the brewed herbs.
- 8Spray on the leaves of the plants until totally misted.
Vegetable Oil and Soap Spray
This spray is for different kinds of insects on plants.
What you need:
- 11 teaspoon dish washing liquid
- 22 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 3Spray bottle
- 4Water
Procedure:
- 1On the spray bottle, mix 1 teaspoon of dish washing liquid, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and water.
- 2Shake well then spray on pests.
- 3Make sure the pests are coated with the mixture.
Spray Made of Red Pepper
This is one of the most effective repellents for getting rid of insects on houseplants.
What you need:
- 12 tablespoon red pepper powder
Procedure:
- 1Mix 2 tablespoons of red pepper powder, 1 gallon water and ¼ teaspoon of dish washing liquid.
- 2Once thoroughly mixed, pour some in the spray bottle.
- 3Spray on the insects and leaves of the plants.
Garlic and Oil Spray
Besides red pepper, insects also don't like the smell of garlic. Aside from making a spray out of garlic juice, you can also plant garlic together with your other plants and you will observe that the bugs will not come close to your garden.
What you need:
- 112 cloves or 1 bulb of garlic, crushed
- 22 teaspoons of vegetable oil
- 3Spray bottle
Procedure:
- 1In a bowl, put crushed garlic into oil and leave it overnight.
- 2When you are about to use it, strain the crushed garlic and put oil into a spray bottle.
- 3Spray on the bugs and mist the leaves of the plants.
Baby Shampoo Spray
This spray is not suitable for plants with hairy stems and leaves. It is best for indoor plants.
What you need:
- 12 tablespoons of baby shampoo or mild shampoo
- 21 gallon of water
- 3Spray bottle
Procedure:
- 1Mix 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of baby shampoo.
- 2Put some of the mixture into a spray bottle.
- 3Spray on the leaves of the houseplants.
Epsom Salt Spray
This is for pepper plants.
What you need:
- 1Warm water
- 22 tablespoon Epsom salt
- 3Spray bottle
Procedure:
- 1Mix warm water and 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in a spray bottle.
- 2When salt is completely dissolved, spray on the leaves of the pepper plant.
Tips, Tricks and Warnings
- Soap can be harmful to some plants. Wash the leaves with water.
- When oil is sprayed on plants, make sure that the plant will not be directly hit by sunlight.
- Oil can burn the leaves, stems and flowers of the plants.
- If the temperature is more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, do not spray with oil.
- Take precautionary measures before trying these homemade sprays. Spray on a small portion of the leaf and leave for one day to see if the spray has an unfavorable effect on it, before you spray the entire plant.
- Discontinue use if you see that it dries out or burns the plant.
- If it does not burn the plant, you have to continue spraying for several weeks to completely eradicate the insects.
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.
