Homemade Insecticides for Your Vegetable Garden

There are several different things that you can do to keep insects out of your garden. You can use the more common chemical insecticides, you can spend a little more (usually a lot more) on some organic versions, or you can make your own pest repellents at home and save quite a bit of money. There are a couple things that you can do to keep the bugs out. Different bugs react differently though, so one of these methods may work very well on aphids, but you will still have a slug problem.

There are two real keys to success here. The first is to have a test plant. Treat this plant for a couple days and see if your blend adversely effects it at all. The other is to keep trying new blends. There are many things that you can use and all sorts of variations on all of these methods. Each of these methods and variations is geared to a different type of climate or pest. By trying your own blends, you can make sure you get the best insecticide for your garden.

Knowing the different things that go into these insecticides can be very helpful in creating your blend. There are a couple of things that tend to keep multiple pests at bay. These are garlic, cayenne pepper, lime, orange, and dead bugs of the same species (I haven't tried this one, but supposedly it works). These ingredients should be kept in any variation that you come up with. They are very cheap and work on just about all types of bugs. You may want to leave something out if you have food allergies or sensitivities though.

Two other things that are commonly found in these recipes are mild soap and cooking or vegetable oil. Mild soaps like Ivory dish soap, Palmolive, or Dial are good for insecticides, but some people tend to find they live a soapy taste to their veggies. This may be from an overuse in the mixture. You should be very sparing when using this ingredient and make sure you wash your produce before eating or cooking it. The soap is more of a killer than a repellent and can help to rid yourself of an outbreak. Vegetable oils do not really add to the potency of the mixture, nor do they kill pests. This ingredient should remain in all mixtures, because of what it does do. This is a great way to get the insecticide to stick to the plants and surfaces. If you are only combating slugs or ground bugs, then this may not be so important, but if aphids or any type of hopping or flying insect is involved, you will need the stuff to be on the plant. This is the only way for the insecticide to be effective. By adding a couple tablespoons of cooking oil, your mixture will stick a little better to the plant and will work better. In addition to these, there is also nicotine. This is one of the best bug deterrents and killers that money can buy. There is no need to mix it with anything. It will kill on contact. The only problem is that people tend to get a very potent blend which can be toxic to people and pets. Nicotine will also keep the bees from your plants. This can cause little or no produce at harvest. One thing that you can do is to keep the blend low. Only add a small amount of nicotine to your mixture. You can also use it to create a wall around your garden. If you pour an inch wide strip of nicotine juice around the outskirts of your garden, you can easily prevent a lot of insects from entering the area, even if they do fly.

There are all kinds of recipes out there. Some people will get you some exact measurements of this and that all blended to a nice froth and then sprayed at this angle on a Tuesday no later than 3 pm. Some people will swear by using dried dead insects as a repellent. I have never tried this, but it might work. There are all sorts of detailed instructions out there. I am more of an eyeballed though. You need to put a dash of this and shake of that with some of the other to even it out. The important thing is that you create a blend that is right for your yard. Keep jotting down how much you use of each thing and if it doesn't work, tweak the recipe. If it does, you now have it written down. No two soils are identical, just like no two gardens are. Many people can have great success with one recipe, while it may attract bugs in another. If you remember these basics though, you will be just fine. Very acidic citrus fruits, cayenne or acidic peppers, and garlic tend to work on all sorts of bugs. If you are planting hardy enough crops, add a little salt to your soil to get rid of slugs and snails. Here is my recipe for a balanced insecticide.

Tobacco juice preparation

2 Tablespoons minced (or powdered) Garlic

2 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper

1 Orange, peeled

Peel of 1 Orange (it is easier to separate them than use a full orange)

2 limes (prepare them the same as the orange)

½ teaspoon mild dish soap

In blender, combine all ingredients except tobacco preparation. Ensure there are no clumps. Add two cups warm water. Continue to blend until smooth. Sift through cheesecloth or tea strainer. Remaining extract can be mixed with soil to prevent future insect problems. Combine liquid with tobacco preparation. Add 3 tablespoons cooking oil. Stir until completely mixed. Use any for of sprayer to spread on garden. Repeat after rain, weekly, or as needed.

Tobacco preparation

Fill small coffee can halfway with water. Add two whole cigarettes. Let soak overnight or longer. Strain cigarettes from water. You can also add mint leaves, sage, lavender, and orange peels to this. Adding these may help to combat the strong odor of the tobacco and will only add to the strength of your insecticide.