Homemade Insecticides Recipes
Homemade Insecticides Recipes
It’s important to know what products to use, because all insects aren’t pests and applying an insecticide could sometimes eliminate useful insects.
Insects and rodents can easily ravage your borders, flower beds and vegetable gardens. You will find below some homemade natural recipes that can help you control damages. Each preparation will help control a specific problem. Before using a treatment, we recommend applying a small amount, and then observe its impact.
Nettle Manure
Nettle manure is made of water and nettles. It’s recommended to use rainwater if possible, because rainwater doesn’t contain chlorine; if not possible, use regular tap water that you previously let decant for a few days.
Ingredients
- 3 kg nettle (stems and leaves)
- 25 l water
* It’s easier to use scissors to cut the nettle stems.
Recipe :
Soak the nettle stems and leaves in water. Stir daily until the end of the fermentation. The manure stops fermenting when its surface is no longer covered with a white or greenish lather-type moss. This period can take up to two weeks. Once completed, filter and keep the liquid only.
*Important notice: don’t use a metal container to make your manure.
Nettle manure is used as a concentrated or diluted natural fertilizer. Gardeners appreciate this naturally rich in nitrogen manure. Use a watering can, to feed your vegetable plants. Diluted manure make a good weed killer and repellent. It’s ideal for gardeners who wish to use a nontoxic and non-hazardous product. Nettle manure needs to be diluted, meaning that you will add the same quantity of water to the manure volume. Simply mix with a stick. Beware of the strong smell left by the nettle manure; it will dissipate a few hours after use.
Crushed Egg Shells
Crushed egg shells will help prevent slugs and snails from climbing and eating your plants. To discourage such gastropods from climbing, place an egg shell barrier at the base of your plants.
Alternative: you can find diatomaceous earth in garden centres, a powder made from seaweed that performs well against insects and diseases. Note: You should apply after each rain around the plants to protect.
Chive Spray
Perfect to repel insects that feast on garden plants.
Ingredients :
- 40 g fresh Matricaria chopped
- 20 g fresh chive chopped
- 20 g fresh rue chopped
- 1.25 L boiling water
- 1/2 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Pour the boiling water on the three herb varieties, cover and let infuse until the preparation completely cold. Sieve and pour into a spray bottle. Add the detergent, shake well and spray your plants.
Tansy Based Anti-Cabbage worm Spray
Ideal for cauliflower, broccoli and all cabbage type, vulnerable to the cabbage worm.
Ingredients :
- 80 g tansy leaves chopped
- 1.25 L boiling water
- 1/2 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Pour the water on the tansy leaves, cover and let macerate until the mixture is cool. Filter (coffee filter) and pour into a spray container. Add the detergent, shake well, and spray your plants.
Potato Starch Spray
Potato starch is non-toxic, but will suffocate certain pests. It will eliminate aphids, thrips and whiteflies.
Ingredients :
- 30 g potato starch
- 1.25 L hot water
- 1 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Dilute the potato starch in the water until. Pour into a spray container, add the liquid dish detergent, shake well and spray your plants.
Pepper Spray Against Ants
This mixture helps repel ants from your plants.
Ingredients :
- 65 g Cayenne pepper (powder)
- 60 g garlic powder
- 60 g dill powder
Recipe :
Mix all the ingredients well and generously sprinkle around the infested plants on a wide perimeter.
Tobacco Leaves Spray
To be used as a last resort choice. The nicotine is toxic to many pests such as aphids, white apple leafhoppers, but will also affect useful insects.
Ingredients :
- 15 g dried tobacco leaves, chopped
- 2.5 L hot water
- 1 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Soak tobacco leaves in the water for 30 minutes and filter in a spray container, add the liquid detergent, shake vigorously and spray the leaves. Keep in a cool area for two weeks.
Tomato Leaves Spray
Tomato leaves contain alkaloids harmful to insects. Spraying the leaves can help control tomato aphids and moths.
Ingredients :
- 80 g tomato leaves chopped
- 1.25 L water
- 1 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Soak the tomato leaves in the water for 12 hours. Sieve through a muslin or a coffee filter. Pour liquid in a spay container, add the liquid detergent, shake well and spray your plants.
Absinth Spray Against Aphids
Use to repel aphids on plants.
Ingredients :
- 80 g fresh absinth chopped
- 1.25 L boiling water
- 1/2 tbsp natural liquid dish detergent
Recipe :
Pour the boiling water on chopped absinth leaves, cover and let stand until cool. Sieve through a coffee filter and pour in a spray container. Add the liquid detergent, shake well and spray your plants.
Garlic Spray
Garlic will help repel many insects that eat leaves.
Ingredients :
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1.25 L hot water
Recipe :
Mix the garlic in the water and let stand for four hours. Sieve with a coffee filter and pour the garlic liquid in a spray container. Spray on your plants every 2 days for 15 days.
Soap Spray
The soap spray will kill a large variety of invertebrates such as spruce spider mites, greenhouse scales, aphids, and greenhouse Aleyrodes.
Ingredients :
- 1 tbsp natural dish liquid detergent
- 2.5 L water
Recipe :
Mix all the ingredients in a spray container and shake well. Generously spray your plants each week and after rain until you observe that the development of pests is under control.
Indispensable tools and ingredients
Spray Containers
You can recuperate spray containers by carefully washing old window cleaner spray bottles. You can also find inexpensive spray bottles on the market. You will frequently use these types of bottles to humidify (when watering isn’t required) or treat your plants.
Natural Dish Liquid Detergent
A soft detergent used for dishes made of vegetable glycerine, which is less harmful to the environment therefore for your plants. You can easily find them in organic supply stores.
