6 Non-Toxic Homemade Pest Control for Gardens
People spend both time and money to get their gardens “just right” and along come the pests that wreck all their hard work.
Expensive store bought sprays are not the only route to go when trying to protect a garden. Most people have the necessary ingredients right in their own homes to rid themselves of pesky pests.
A trip to the store to get one or two items at first, will save a lot of money during the growing season as these items are inexpensive and some can be kept and used throughout the season and in other pest control mixtures.
Table of Contents
Homemade Non Toxic Pest Control Spray
Onion/Garlic Spray
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 small onion
- 1 quart of water
- 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1- Tbsp. liquid Ivory soap
Chop onion and garlic bulb into very small pieces. Put into large bowl. Add cayenne pepper to mixture. Add water. Let mixture soak for one hour. After one hour, add liquid Ivory soap. Pour into a spray bottle and spray plants leaves, stem, and roots to kill a wide variety of insects. Mixture is good for one week.
Soap Spray
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp. Liquid Ivory soap
- 1 gallon of water
Mix one gallon of water with liquid Ivory soap. Pour into a spray bottle. Mist the leaves of the infested plants. This mixture will kill aphids, spider mites, and mealy bugs.
Hot Pepper Spray
Ingredients:
- 1 pint of hot peppers
- 1 garlic bulb
- 2 Tbsp. dish soap
- 4 gallons of water
Mince or chop peppers into very small pieces. Add garlic and mix thoroughly.
Add pepper mix to water, using a bucket is best. Let sit over night. Using a funnel, pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
Add soap.
Spray the entire plant from leaves to stems to roots.
Mixture works on a variety of garden pests.
Homemade Fungi Spray
Insects aren’t the only thing that can kill plants. Fungus such as Black Rot, is also a top priority when trying to keep plants healthy. Getting a fungus like this can wipe out an entire crop.
Baking Soda Fungi Killer for Black Rot on Grapes
Dissolve 4 tsp. of baking soda into one gallon of water. Pour mixture into spray bottle. Spray over grapes and vines as soon as the fruit starts to grow. Use once a week for entire grape growing season.
Homemade Deer Repellent
Egg Spray
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 gallon of water
Mix two raw eggs into water. Blend and stir. Pour water into a spray bottle. Spray on vegetables, grapevines, cornstalks and fruit trees. Make sure to re-spray mixture after a rainfall.
Bars of Soap
Deer do no like bars of soap for some reason. Any kind of soap. Take bars of soap and hang them from fruit trees approximately three feet from the ground where the deer will surely come in contact with them. Soap on a rope is great for this. Change the soap every two months during growing season.
If a garden is roped off, soap can be rubbed onto the fence or wire around the garden once a week to keep the deer away.
Make It at Home to Save Money
A lot of money can be spent on pest control; however there are alternatives to the expensive pesticides sold in stores and many of these things can be found in the gardeners’ own home. Invest a little money initially to save one plant or possibly an entire seasonal garden
