How to make a natural insecticide?
Have you ever wondered what farmers did hundreds of years ago to control insects? Long before the invention of harmful chemical pesticides (yes, those linked to certain cancers), farmers employed many natural remedies to control insect infestations in their vegetable crops.
These same insecticide recipes can be used by home gardeners who want to protect their vegetable garden from intruders. If you want to grow your vegetables and fruits without the use of chemicals, here are recipes for making a natural and ecological insecticide.
1. Warning against liquid dish soap
There are many homemade insecticide recipes using liquid dish soap. However, these soaps often contain environmentally harmful chemicals. We therefore no longer speak, in these cases, of an ecological insecticide!
Opt instead for mild and natural liquid soaps to concoct your homemade insecticide, including black soap or Castile soap.
2. Diatomaceous earth, an ecological insecticide
To control an infestation of crawling insects, ants, cockroaches and the like, sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your plants. This, thanks to its high silica content, will dry out the insects that come into contact with it.
This treatment should be repeated after rain or watering, because diatomaceous earth only works when it is dry. For those who want to test Diatomaceous Earth to kill unwanted insects, here is a cheap one right here:
diatomaceous earth
- Ideal for killing crawling insects
- Anti ants, cockroaches, fleas, spiders, etc.
- 100% natural insecticide
Diatomaceous earth is truly a great natural cockroach killer to have at home!
3. Natural and eco-friendly vegetable oil insecticide
This homemade insecticide recipe is made with ingredients that we all have at home:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon liquid soap (black or Castile soap)
When using it on your plants, add 2 teaspoons of this mixture to 250 milliliters of water in a spray bottle.
To effectively get rid of aphids, whiteflies and beetles, try this homemade insecticide recipe:
- 1 teaspoon liquid soap (black or Castile soap)
- 250 milliliters of water
Pour everything into a spray bottle, and spray your affected plants with this mixture. Avoid treating your plants in full sun, but rather in the morning or evening.
5. Natural Insecticide Recipe
To make an all-natural and ecological homemade insecticide, which will also serve as a natural repellent for ants in the garden, are you interested?
- Mash 2 whole garlic bulbs
- Then mix the garlic puree with 250 milliliters of water
- Leave to macerate for 12 to 24 hours
- Filter, then pour the mixture into a vaporizer
Before using this homemade insecticide, add ½ cup of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap (black or Castile soap) and a little more water.
6. Homemade insecticide recipe
This homemade insecticide recipe can also be used as a garden spray repellent:
- 1 garlic bulb, mashed
- 1 small onion, mashed
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
Combine all the ingredients and leave to macerate overnight. When using it, add a tablespoon of liquid soap (black or Castile soap). Mix well and pour everything into a spray bottle.
Because this insecticide recipe contains cayenne pepper, remember to protect your face and hands.
7. Tomato leaves against aphids
Did you know that you can easily get rid of aphids with a tomato leaf maceration? This insecticide is completely natural and ecological:
- 2 cups shredded tomato leaves
- 250 milliliters of water
Leave to macerate for 12 to 24 hours before filtering. Pour into a spray bottle and generously spray the plants infested with aphids.
8. Organic homemade insecticide recipe
To make an environmentally safe homemade insecticide that can also be used to treat powdery mildew and rust, follow this recipe:
- 10 to 20 milliliters of liquid soap (black or Castile)
- 10 to 30 milliliters of baby or vegetable oil
- 10 to 20 milliliters of baking soda
- 1 liter of water
Pour everything into a spray bottle and mix well. Early in the morning, or at the beginning of the evening, sprinkle the foliage of the plants and leave to act for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, rinse the foliage well.
9. Nettle to drive away aphids
To eliminate aphids from your plants:
- Macerate a large quantity of nettle leaves in a bucket of water for at least a week
- Filter, then pour this mixture diluted in water into a spray bottle
Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when picking nettle leaves to avoid skin irritation.
10. Homemade insecticide with rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is effective in getting rid of several invaders, including aphids. To do this:
- Combine 60 milliliters of rubbing alcohol with 1 liter of water
- Spray the insecticide directly on the affected plants
This homemade insecticide recipe will be useful to get rid of ants in the garden. However, this homemade insecticide is to be avoided if you have young children or pets who might be tempted to taste it.
To make this anti ant recipe:
- Make a mixture of equal parts borax and icing sugar
- Sprinkle this mixture where the ants are present
The ants will carry this deadly insecticide to their nest for food and thus poison the entire colony.
12. Rhubarb leaves to make a homemade insecticide
Do you grow one or more rhubarb plants? Instead of throwing away the leaves which are toxic, use them as a natural and ecological insecticide! Simply
- Boil for 30 minutes 500 grams of rhubarb leaves in 3 liters of water
- Filter and pour everything into a vaporizer
- Spray the insecticide directly on unwanted insects
13. Make a homemade insecticide with tobacco
Use fresh or dried tobacco leaves to make an insecticidal decoction.
- Boil for 30 minutes 500 grams of tobacco leaves in 3 liters of water
- Filter and spray pests directly