Translated by Nick R
A common concern that goes through our minds when having plants in our garden is pests. We also have doubts about how to tackle this problem and whether it’ll cost us a fortune.
But there is nothing to worry about, there are several home methods to produce insecticides using common things we have at hand. In this blog, you’ll find 5 homemade insecticides, what types of pests they fight and how to prepare them.
Table of Contents
Benefits of preparing home insecticides
Organic insecticides, as they are also known, are a viable option to combat pests that appear in crops and plants. Chemical insecticides can be toxic to other types of animals such as pets and are pollutants that can affect the quality of water and the life of aquatic organisms.
In humans, they cause indigestion, headache, vomiting, allergic reactions, and others. Unlike chemicals, these natural insecticides don’t produce side effects for people, pets, other plants or the environment.
Even better, you can use other plants as a repellent and various products such as soap or vinegar. Elements of daily use will allow you to save a lot of money and take care of your plants.
Other benefits are:
- Insects don’t acquire immunity against these organic insecticides.
- You can use them at any time, your plant doesn’t need to be mature to use them and so prevent the appearance of pests.
- Some insecticides keep insects away from your crops without killing them, as we don’t want to affect the natural balance either.
- They are not aggressive with the plants. They only attack the pests and don’t affect the development of the plant.
You can prepare your organic insecticide quickly and with the confidence that it’ll work. It’s important that you check your crops regularly to detect whether or not they suffer from pests. You should identify them to know which will be the best insecticide to use.
5 organic insecticides to combat your garden pests
Now you know the benefits of creating natural insecticides to eradicate and prevent the appearance of pests. Below you find 5 insecticides that’ll help you in your crop or garden.
Tobacco insecticide
This type of insecticide is very effective against insects because nicotine is toxic to them. Thanks to this they won’t approach your plants.
Ingredients and materials
For 20 liters of water you will need:
- Half a kilogram of tobacco
- Half bar of soap
- Container for mixing
- Strainer- Water diffuser
How to make and apply tobacco insecticide
In the mixing bowl add the soap, which could be grated, water and blend them with tobacco. You should let it sit for 2 days to make it more concentrated.
Then, filter the preparation with the strainer to prevent any residue from going out in the diffuser. You should add half a liter of the mixture for every liter of water. Finally, apply the solution to your plants.
You can apply it to all types of vegetables, but you must wait at least 15 days after the application to eat them.
Pests that tobacco insecticide fights
The tobacco insecticide helps to act against:
- Moths
- Whitefly
- Aphids
- Mites
- Thrips or trisanopters
- Red spiders
Garlic insecticide
This insecticide can work wonderfully, besides infusions you can prepare by oily maceration, with chilies and even with soap. It also works as a fungicide and repellent. Here’s how you can prepare them all.
Ingredients and materials for garlic infusion
- Water
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Strainer
- 1 medium pot
- Container for mixing
- Water diffuser
How to make and apply garlic insecticide infusion
In the pot, you’ll boil a glass of water. Next, add the garlic and leave it for 5 minutes in the water; you don’t need to peel them. While the water heats, take a glass and make a 1 finger thick mark from the base. It’ll serve as a measure.
In the glass, pour the vinegar until you reach the mark and pass on that amount to a bowl. With the same mark, count 10 parts of water and add it too.
When the garlic completes the 5 minutes, with the strainer, pour the hot infusion into the water and vinegar. Finally, use the diffuser to spray the mixture on your affected plants.
Don’t limit yourself, you must reach every corner to fight the plagues.
Ingredients and materials for oily maceration of garlic
- 1 L of standby tap water (may be more, depending on how much you want to prepare)
- 100 gr of peeled and chopped garlic (more or less)
- Olive oil or flax
- A container with a lid (can be medium)
- Strainer
- Diffuser
How to make and apply garlic insecticide oil
You should chop the garlic into small cubes so that it releases its properties easily. Add the chopped garlic to the bowl to mix and then cover it with oil.
Close the jar and let the mixture macerate for 1 or 2 days at room temperature. Shake the bowl vigorously so that the oil and garlic mix well.
After having left the mixture to stand, add half a liter of water to the edge and shake to mix all the elements. With the strainer, pour the mixture into another container to remove the exceeding garlic. The container should have the other half liter of water and a lid.
You should let the preparation stand for 1 week making sure of stirring a couple of times a day. After a time, in the diffuser, add 1 liter of water and 50 ml of the mixture.
This means that for every liter of water you should use 5% (50 ml) of the mixture. Do not forget to Shake it before using it. Finally, spray your affected plants with this insecticide 3 times a day every 3 days. If you want to use it as a repellent, an application every 15 days is more than enough.
Remember not to apply the insecticide in the sunniest hours. You can do it at sunset or early in the morning.
Ingredients and materials for garlic insecticide with spicy chili
- 500 gr of hot peppers
- 500 gr of garlic
- 250 gr black pepper, unwrought
- 500 ml of 90°ethyl alcohol
- 10 liters of standstill tap water
- Blender
- Container with lid for mixing
- Gloves for handling the chili
- Strainer
How to make and apply garlic insecticide with spicy chili
In the blender, put the chilies little by little until they become a paste, there’s no need of adding water. Pour the crushed chilies into the bowl. Repeat the procedure with the garlic and pepper, one at a time. Everything must be very well crushed.
To take advantage of all the ingredients, pour the alcohol into the blender. So you can flush the waste into the container with the other elements. Alcohol helps to retain the substances from the ingredients.
Mix everything very well and cover it. It must macerate overnight in a secluded place and at room temperature. The next day you add the mixture to a bucket with 10 liters of water and stir well. Cover it, place it in the shade and let it rest for at least 2 weeks.
After 2 weeks, use the strainer to remove the organic remains. In the diffuser, add 100 ml of the mixture for each liter of water. As it is so heavy, it’s better to dilute it well. Apply it on the affected leaves without excess, preferably at sunset.
You can store the rest of the preparation for up to 6 months. Simply store it in a dark, dry place. You should only use the right amount depending on the pest you want to treat and the level of involvement. Apply every 5 or 7 days.
Ingredients and materials for garlic insecticide with soap
- 4 cloves of garlic
- Liquid soap for dishes
- 2 liters of water
- Blender
- Container for mixing
- Diffuser
How to make and apply garlic insecticide with soap
Peel and cut the garlic and blender with a liter of water. Let the mixture blend for 2 minutes. In the mixing bowl, add the mixture and the other liter of water.
Finally, pour the mixture into the diffuser and add 2 tablespoons of liquid soap. Stir well to unify it and apply it to affected plants. Remember to do this process when there is not much sun.
You must reach every part of the plant to fight the pests. The next step is to wash the plant with clean water to help remove the remains of the pest.
Again, apply the insecticide as a preventive method and leave it for 1 day; you mustn’t use it on rainy days. In fruit trees, you can apply it every 5 days and in ornamental plants every 8.
Pests that you can fight with garlic insecticide and soap
This insecticide acts against:
- Aphids
- Red spider
- Worms, caterpillars
- Whiteflies
- Cochineals
- Works as a repellent
- It is fungicidal, that is, it fights fungi
- Ants
- Mites
Fungicide with bicarbonate
Bicarbonate works as a fungicide for its anti-acid properties. It treats fungi that attack plants. And next, I’ll teach you how to prepare it.
Ingredients and materials
- Baking soda (you can buy a jar or bag of baking soda to reserve and use later)
- 1 L of water
- Diffuser
How to make and apply fungicide with bicarbonate
This pesticide is very easy to prepare. In the diffuser, add 1 liter of water and a tablespoon of baking soda. 1 spoon of baking soda per liter. Pour the amount of water you need and shake the mixture to mix it correctly.
Then, apply the fungicide to the affected plant; remember to do this procedure when there is no sun. Make sure to cover the entire plant to efficiently fight the pest.
Pests that bicarbonate fights
This fungicide attacks fungi such as:
- Oidium
- Mildew
Orange fungicide
This is a fungicide that will help you drive away ants. You can use an orange that is already filled with mold. This is called penicillium and is responsible for attacking the fungus that inhabits the anthill, which serves as food for ants.
Ingredients
- An orange that already has mold or an ornamental orange
- Water
- Vessel
- Diffuser
How to make and apply orange fungicide
You can place the orange with the penicillium directly where the anthill is. It’ll seep into it and attack the fungus that feeds the ants.
When the fungus dies, the ants will move as it doesn’t serve as food. However, in case you fail to identify the location of the anthill, you can put the orange next to the affected plant.
In this way, the penicillium spreads through the area, and as the ants pass they drag this fungus and take it to the anthill. Thanks to this, this pest can also be combated.
On the other hand, you can use a container with water and pour the penicillin orange into it. Rub a little bit until the water takes the color of the penicillium and add the water alone to the diffuser.
Apply the mixture around the anthill or in the area where the ants are passing through. Do not apply it directly to the plants. You can apply it on terraces or indoors because it only goes on the perimeter where the ants circulate.
Soap and vinegar insecticide
This insecticide will help you combat the annoying pests; you can prepare it with daily elements at home. The most interesting thing about this insecticide is that it removes pests quickly.
Ingredients and materials
- Neutral soap
- White or apple vinegar
- 1 L of water
- Measuring cup
- Container for mixing
- Diffuser
How to make and apply soap and vinegar insecticide
In the container, add 1 liter of water. Then, measure 25 ml of neutral soap and 50 ml of vinegar and pour them into the liter of water. Stir until frothy.
In the diffuser, add the preparation and proceed to spray the affected plants. You must do it at sunset or even at night. Remember that you cannot use it in direct sunlight as it could react and burn plants.
Let the product act for 15 minutes, in fact, from the first minute, you can already notice changes. After 15 minutes, clean the plant with clear water.
If the pest is not widely spread, only 1 application will suffice. However, in case of a major problem apply it every 3 days.
Plagues that soap and vinegar insecticide fights
- Aphids
- Cochineals
- Worms and caterpillars
- Red spider
- Whiteflies
- Ants
Plants you can grow that work as repellents
These plants are ideal for your garden. In addition to providing benefits thanks to its medicinal, decorative and culinary properties, it helps to repel pests. And here are some of them:
- Rue: repels beetles
- Thyme: repels the cabbage worm
- Garlic: repels aphids, fungi, among others
- Basil: repels flies
- Marigold: repels whiteflies and nematodes
- Peppermint: repels aphids and lice
- Chamomile: acts against stem putrefaction
- Mint: repels ants, white cabbage butterflies and fleas
- Nettle: repels aphids, fungi and nematodes
- Pennyrile: repels ants
- Tomato: repels Cabbage White Butterflies
Don’t wait any longer to make your organic insecticides and protect your crops. It is a natural way to fight pests and avoid side effects for the environment. Take the courage to put into action the knowledge you have just acquired and share it with your family and friends.
