[Recipe] Homemade Natural Pest Control Spray

Get rid of pesky and destructive bugs in your garden with this homemade natural pest control spray recipe…

If you’re an organic gardener, bugs can be a real pain! This year’s garden was particularly challenging for us, with heavy loads of cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and aphids doing a number on many of our garden crops. Despite these frustrations, I simply can’t bring myself to bring chemicals into our garden. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for natural pest control methods that really work.

One of my favorite gardeners to follow is Danielle over at Weed Em and Reap, and I was thrilled to see that she recently shared a natural, homemade pest control recipe – I can’t wait to try it out! She says it even helps with squash bugs, which don’t respond to much in my experience…

So I will give it a try next season as we are winding down the garden season now here in Ohio, but if you want to try it in the meantime, feel free to do so, and let me know how it worked for you!

  • Start by placing 4 cups of filtered water, 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, & 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper (or any other kind of hot pepper) in a pot. Bring to a boil.
  • Grate about 1/4 bar of soap. I used my homemade soap recipe here, but you can use any natural soap you like. Seriously, any natural soap like this one (even a cheap one!) is fine.
  • Once your pot of goodies is boiling, just add that soap right in. Stir while cooking an additional 2 minutes or so, and remove it from heat when the bubbles start to rise.
  • Cover it with a lid and let it all sit together for about 20 minutes.
  • Once it cools, strain it and put it in a heavy duty spray bottle like this oneI’ve been spraying this organic garden pest control on my plants about once a week and it seems to do the trick during those mild months. Also, it won’t leave a residue or flavor on your plants. Since it’s made from real food ingredients, it’s a good idea to store it in the fridge.
Read more at WeedEmAndReap.com

 

Rose S.

An avid gardener since childhood, I love sharing my passion for gardening with others! I have gardened in a number of different climates and settings, from large fenced garden plots, to tiny patio and container gardens, and I firmly believe that everyone can learn to grow at least some of their own food - no matter where you live. Growing your own food can help you take control of your own health and food supply, and there has never been a better time to get started!


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