Homemade Garden Insecticides

Garden insects can destroy vegetables, fruits, flowers, and bushes in a matter of days if they go unnoticed, but many people prefer not to use chemical insecticide to prevent, control, and kill garden insects. This leaves homemade options that are less harsh to the environment and safer for use around kids and pets, but do homemade insecticides really work?

There are a number of homemade insecticides that work exceptionally well. These homemade garden insecticides can be applied without the fear of contaminating the soil and groundwater, and homemade insecticides won't harm curious kids and pets. These homemade insecticides will however effectively prevent, control, and eradicate garden insects that destroy fruits, vegetables, and other garden plants.

Before Applying Homemade Garden Insecticide

The homemade insecticides listed here are said to be safe for garden fruits, vegetables, bushes, and flowers, but as in all homemade products and remedies, homemade garden insecticide should be tested on a small area before using it full-scale on outdoor plants, flowers, and bushes.

Keep in mind that all insecticides, including homemade insecticides, will kill beneficial insects as well as problem insects. Only treat infested plants to avoid killing and repelling bugs that are good for the garden.

Pepper Soap

Blend four jalapeno peppers and three or four cloves of garlic in a blender or food processor with four cups of water. Place this mixture in another container, and stir in one teaspoon of vegetable oil soap. Let this homemade insecticide set for about twenty-four hours, and strain it through cheesecloth or a wire mesh strainer before pouring it into a sprayer and spraying it on bug-ridden garden plants. Be sure and spray the undersides of foliage, and reapply this homemade insecticide after it rains.

Ground Cloves

Insects don't like the strong scent and taste of cloves, and cloves will successfully get rid of crawling insects in the garden and will kill flying insects. Combine approximately two tablespoons of ground cloves with a quart of water. Spray infested plants with this mixture, and make sure you don't forget the undersides of leaves. Reapply this homemade insecticide and bug repellent after it rains.

Crushed Egg Shells

Crushed eggshells are great for getting rid of soft-bodied insects including snails and slugs. Snails and slugs want to avoid the sharp jagged edges of eggshells, so sprinkle crushed eggshells liberally on top of the soil around garden plants. This is a great way to recycle eggshells and benefit by getting rid of snails and slugs at the same time.

Cooking Oil

Oil smothers insects, so if you want a good homemade insecticide, combine one tablespoon of canola oil with a few drops of liquid soap and a quart of water. Make sure you use soap and not a product labeled as detergent. Spray this homemade garden insecticide on insect infested plants, and don't forget the undersides of leaves where insects can hide. Reapply this mixture after it rains to effectively kill and control harmful bugs in the garden.