Using Homemade Sprays
When using a homemade garden spray, put it in a spray bottle that has not been used for other chemicals to avoid contaminating your plants. Spray the top and bottom leaf surfaces to provide the maximum protection for your plants. Allow the sprays to dry on the leaves before watering the plants from above again. The idea is to leave a residue on the leaves that will discourage insects from eating them. Adding soap to any blend also helps the ingredients to stick to the leaves.
Homemade Insect Spray Basic Oil: May burn cauliflower, red cabbage and squash, test first.
Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil (peanut oil, safflower or sunflower oil) and 1 tablespoon of dish washing detergent. Place in a covered jar or container. To make the spray: Add 1 ½ teaspoon of the oil and dish washing detergent mix to 1 cup of water. Spray plants as needed and repeat in 7 days if necessary.
Oil and garlic spray: This homemade insecticide kills aphids, cabbage moths, mosquitoes, and also powdery mildew fungi.
Take one head of garlic and mince it or run it through a garlic press. Blend in 1 cup of vegetable oil. Cover and place in the refrigerator for two days. After two days check for a strong garlic smell. If the garlic smell is not strong, add more garlic and place it back in the refrigerator for another day or two until the garlic smell is strong. It is ready to use once garlic odor is heavy. Once it is ready, strain the garlic out. To mix this homemade insect spray, mix four cups of warm water, 2-3 teaspoons of the garlic mix, and blend in 2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid. Spray on all surfaces of the plant at the first sign of insects.
Garlic Spray
Vampires don't like garlic, and neither do many insects. To make a simple repellent spray, mince a whole bulb of garlic and soak the pulp in water for one to two days. Strain the garlic out of the water, and add a teaspoon of dish soap. Mix thoroughly and put in spray bottle. Spray on leaves until well moistened.
Geranium spray. The strong smell of geraniums is known to repel insects. (This spray can be made with other strong scented plants such as marigolds or garlic).
Using a blender, mix equal parts of geranium and water, blend until smooth. Strain with a fine strainer. To make the spray : Add 1 teaspoon of the geranium mix with 2 cups of water.
Alcohol oil spray: This homemade insect spray will kill many different types of insects.
Mix 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol, 1 quart of water and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour in a spray bottle, ready to use, no more mixing necessary.
Citrus Spray
A great option for deterring aphids and other pests is a citrus spray. Place one large orange rind or two to three lemon or lime rinds in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the rinds and allow them to sit overnight. Strain the rinds from the water and add a teaspoon of dish soap.
Red Pepper Spray
Red pepper is an irritant to insects and animals that might try to eat your garden plants. Mix up a spicy cocktail to discourage them. Add four tablespoons of Tabasco or a similar red pepper hot sauce to a quart of water along with a teaspoon of dish soap. Blend well and spray onto plants.
Bug spray: This homemade insect spray is not for the weak of heart. Kids (supervised) may enjoy helping collect the bugs for this homemade insecticide!
Collect enough of the bugs attacking your garden to fill at least a half of a blender. Place the bugs in an old blender, turn it on and watch them liquify. Once the bugs are liquified, strain them and add water to make the spray. Adjust the strength of the spray as necessary by adding more bugs or using less water to dilute the spray.
Your Own Recipe
You can experiment with adding your own ingredients to water to make your own variation on these sprays. Other possible ingredients include onion, hot chili peppers like jalapenos, lavender (an insect repellent) and even the crushed bodies of some of the problem insects that you have collected from the garden. This last ingredient sounds repulsive, but is actually cited by many organic gardeners as a successful pest control tool. As you can see from the recipes provided here, the procedure is similar regardless of your own personal formula: steep the active ingredient in water, strain, add soap and spray. Different combinations may work more or less effectively in your garden, so don't hesitate to try your own concoction.
When using a homemade garden spray, put it in a spray bottle that has not been used for other chemicals to avoid contaminating your plants. Spray the top and bottom leaf surfaces to provide the maximum protection for your plants. Allow the sprays to dry on the leaves before watering the plants from above again. The idea is to leave a residue on the leaves that will discourage insects from eating them. Adding soap to any blend also helps the ingredients to stick to the leaves.
Homemade Insect Spray Basic Oil: May burn cauliflower, red cabbage and squash, test first.
Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil (peanut oil, safflower or sunflower oil) and 1 tablespoon of dish washing detergent. Place in a covered jar or container. To make the spray: Add 1 ½ teaspoon of the oil and dish washing detergent mix to 1 cup of water. Spray plants as needed and repeat in 7 days if necessary.
Oil and garlic spray: This homemade insecticide kills aphids, cabbage moths, mosquitoes, and also powdery mildew fungi.
Take one head of garlic and mince it or run it through a garlic press. Blend in 1 cup of vegetable oil. Cover and place in the refrigerator for two days. After two days check for a strong garlic smell. If the garlic smell is not strong, add more garlic and place it back in the refrigerator for another day or two until the garlic smell is strong. It is ready to use once garlic odor is heavy. Once it is ready, strain the garlic out. To mix this homemade insect spray, mix four cups of warm water, 2-3 teaspoons of the garlic mix, and blend in 2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid. Spray on all surfaces of the plant at the first sign of insects.
Garlic Spray
Vampires don't like garlic, and neither do many insects. To make a simple repellent spray, mince a whole bulb of garlic and soak the pulp in water for one to two days. Strain the garlic out of the water, and add a teaspoon of dish soap. Mix thoroughly and put in spray bottle. Spray on leaves until well moistened.
Geranium spray. The strong smell of geraniums is known to repel insects. (This spray can be made with other strong scented plants such as marigolds or garlic).
Using a blender, mix equal parts of geranium and water, blend until smooth. Strain with a fine strainer. To make the spray : Add 1 teaspoon of the geranium mix with 2 cups of water.
Alcohol oil spray: This homemade insect spray will kill many different types of insects.
Mix 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol, 1 quart of water and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour in a spray bottle, ready to use, no more mixing necessary.
Citrus Spray
A great option for deterring aphids and other pests is a citrus spray. Place one large orange rind or two to three lemon or lime rinds in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the rinds and allow them to sit overnight. Strain the rinds from the water and add a teaspoon of dish soap.
Red Pepper Spray
Red pepper is an irritant to insects and animals that might try to eat your garden plants. Mix up a spicy cocktail to discourage them. Add four tablespoons of Tabasco or a similar red pepper hot sauce to a quart of water along with a teaspoon of dish soap. Blend well and spray onto plants.
Bug spray: This homemade insect spray is not for the weak of heart. Kids (supervised) may enjoy helping collect the bugs for this homemade insecticide!
Collect enough of the bugs attacking your garden to fill at least a half of a blender. Place the bugs in an old blender, turn it on and watch them liquify. Once the bugs are liquified, strain them and add water to make the spray. Adjust the strength of the spray as necessary by adding more bugs or using less water to dilute the spray.
Your Own Recipe
You can experiment with adding your own ingredients to water to make your own variation on these sprays. Other possible ingredients include onion, hot chili peppers like jalapenos, lavender (an insect repellent) and even the crushed bodies of some of the problem insects that you have collected from the garden. This last ingredient sounds repulsive, but is actually cited by many organic gardeners as a successful pest control tool. As you can see from the recipes provided here, the procedure is similar regardless of your own personal formula: steep the active ingredient in water, strain, add soap and spray. Different combinations may work more or less effectively in your garden, so don't hesitate to try your own concoction.