Growing vegetables provides fresh produce for you and your family while giving you full control over what is used in the care and maintenance of the vegetables.
Long before the invention of harmful chemical pesticides (yes, the kind that is linked to cancerous cellular activity), farmers and householders came up with multiple remedies for removing insect infestations from their garden plants.
Pest control is important in vegetable gardens to keep hungry insects from feasting on the plants. However, pesticides often contain harsh toxins that can leave chemical residue on vegetables. Thankfully, homemade organic pesticides are the safer choice and can be made from inexpensive items that most people have in their home. It is found that Organic Pesticides 25% More Effective Than Inorganic Pesticides.
12 Home made Organic Pesticides all-natural, inexpensive, organic method
Onion and Garlic Spray
Mince one organic clove of garlic and one medium sized organic onion. Add to a quart of water. Wait one hour and then add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and one tablespoon of liquid soap to the mix. This organic spray will hold its potency for one week if stored in the refrigerator.
Red Pepper Spray
Known for its ability to add spice and flavor to recipes, red pepper powder can also be used to create a homemade pesticide that is safe to use in vegetable gardens. Combine 1 tablespoon of red pepper powder, 6 drops of dish soap and 1 gallon of water and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Pour the red pepper mixture in a garden sprayer and thoroughly cover the vegetables with the spray. If needed, reapply the spray once a week to keep garden pests such as leafhoppers, spittlebugs, beetles and loopers off the plants.
Tobacco Spray
Just as tobacco is not good for humans, tobacco spray was once a commonly used pesticide for killing pests, caterpillars and aphids. To make, simply take one cup of organic tobacco (preferably a brand that is organic and all-natural) and mix it in one gallon of water. Allow the mixture to set overnight. After 24-hours, the mix should have a light brown color. If it is very dark, add more water. This mix can be used on most plants, with the exception of those in the solanaceous family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.)
Mild soap and water
One of the safest and most effective homemade pesticides is some dishwashing soap mixed in with water. In general, it just takes a few drops of soap into a spray bottle followed by water. You don’t need to use an excessive amount of soap to get the trick done (one tablespoon will do the trick). Basically, this mostly irritates the pests and gets them to leave on their own.
Oil and soap spray
You can also mix in one cup of vegetable oil (sunflower oil, corn, soybean, or even peanut oil will work) with one tablespoon of mild liquid dish soap and two cups of water.
Soap, Orange Citrus Oil & Water
To make this natural pesticide, simply mix 3 tablespoons of liquid Organic Castile soap with 1 ounce of Orange oil to one gallon of water. Shake well. This is an especially effective treatment against slugs and can be sprayed directly on ants and roaches.
Wormwood tea
If you have a problem with moths, slugs, snails, or even moles and gophers you might want to mix up some wormwood tea. This involves about ½ pound of Artemesia leaves (A. Absinthium is common wormwood) along with 6 pints of water. You coarsely chop the leaves and bring them to a boil in 2 pints of water. Then you simmer that solution for 30 minutes pouring the result into a spray bottle along with a quart of fresh water.
Neem
Ancient Indians highly revered neem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant for warding off pests. In fact, neem juice is the most powerful natural pesticide on the planet, holding over 50 natural insecticides. This extremely bitter tree leaf can be made in a spray form, or can be bought from a number of reputable companies.
Salt and water
If you are facing a problem like cabbage worms and spider mites then you might want to consider raising the sodium levels enough to irritate them. You mix 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 gallon of water and then spray that mixture onto your plants/garden.
Eucalyptus oil
A great natural pesticide for flies, bees and wasps. Simply sprinkle a few drops of eucalyptus oil where the insects are found. They will all be gone before you know it.
Ammonia spray
This one is not my first choice as the smell is really strong and the ammonia can have negative effects as well (especially if you use too much). You mix this in a 1:7 ratio with water and apply the solution to the infected area. This should get rid of most insects (reapply as needed).
Spearmint hot pepper horseradish spray
This one packs a little bit of a punch. With this recipe you mix ¼ cup of hot red peppers, ½ gallons of water, ¼ cup of fresh spearmint leaves, ¼ cup of horseradish (both the root and leaves), and ¼ cup green onion tops. You basically soak all the veggies in water for several hours (overnight) and then drain and save the water adding 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
Reference:
http://www.lawncareservice.net
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com
http://homeguides.sfgate.com
