Having pests in your garden is annoying, but getting rid of them without killing your plants can be even more frustrating. There are many different products available for you to use, but not all of them are safe for you, your family, your pets, or the environment. Luckily for us, eco-friendly pesticides are pretty easy to make at home.
Making Your Own Pesticides
Most of the ingredients used in homemade pesticides include, garlic, essential oils, dish soap, and cayenne pepper. All these ingredients are natural, biodegradable, and will not harm your plants. The best part is that you probably have most, if not all, of these ingredients already at home.
Below is a list of a variety of pesticides (mostly sprays) that you can make at home. We guarantee that at least one of these will be suitable for your pest needs.
The sharp remnants of hard shells help to keep insects away. All you have to do is finely blend some egg shells in a food processor, and sprinkle them around the roots of your plants. This technique is known to keep away slugs and beetles in particular.
2. Oil and Soap Spray
This is simple to make as all you need is some vegetable oil and biodegradable mild soap. Mix one cup of vegetable oil with one tablespoon of soap, and add to a spray bottle. Before use, give it a good shake.
3. Chili Pepper Spray
This spray works its wonders through its heat-packed seeds. You can make this using chili powder or by making a puree out of chili peppers. Simply mix one tablespoon of either in a spray bottle alongside water and a tablespoon of biodegradable mild soap.
Add some garlic and mint to a food processor. Once blended, take the mixture and transfer it to a pot of boiling water alongside a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. Leave the mixture to settle overnight. The next morning, fill a spray bottle with the mixture and one tablespoon of biodegradable soap. Shake well and use as needed.
5. Neem Oil Spray
The neem oil disrupts the life-cycle of insects, but is harmless to pets and wild animals. Mix one tablespoon of oil in a spray bottle with water and a tablespoon of biodegradable mild soap.
6. Coffee Grounds
There is no mixing involved here. All you need to do is take some wet coffee grounds and pat them around the base of your vegetables and flowers as if it were soil.
Source: earthtalk
Images: depositphotos
