Homemade Natural Pesticides

Keeping unwanted critters away from your precious organic tomatoes doesn’t have to be toxic and expensive. Many natural, homemade remedies exist in your pantry and around your home. Making your own natural pesticides is more affordable and earth friendly. Homemade pesticides are better for the environment because they are made with nontoxic, non-chemical ingredients. Never use the chemical pesticides you purchase at the store. They are horrible for the environment, your family’s health, water systems and plant life. Here are some simple solutions you can make in a matter of minutes.

Insecticide

Orange peel is a helpful ingredient in keeping your garden pest-free.

A general insecticide for your garden can be made from orange peel, rosemary and a quarter-cup of hot pepper flakes. Place one orange peel, 4 tablespoons of rosemary and the hot peppers in a half-gallon of warm water, around 150º. Allow the ingredients to steep overnight. You may want to place the steeping insecticide in a well-ventilated area so the aroma does not fill your home. In the morning, the mixture will be ready for application. Use a spray bottle and saturate your garden plants. Apply this solution once a week to maintain a bug-free garden.

Fruit plants and trees

To keep unwanted pests off your growing fruit, use lime sulfur and dormant oil. These are not typical products you will have around your house, so you may have to purchase them from a gardening center or a hardware store. Both products are all natural and will effectively keep insects away from your fruit plants and trees. Spray either on the branches and trunk of the tree during off-season months to keep bugs from nesting on the tree.

Dormant oil is only intended for dormant trees and should not be used on a tree that is actively growing. During growing season, make your own mixture for your fruit plants with a cup of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of any dish soap mixed in a gallon of water. Spray generously on the tree at least once a week to keep pests away and keep your fruit growing.

Find old spray bottles around the house that you haven’t used in a while, are empty or have expired. Rinse them out and use and reuse them for your homemade pesticide applications. You may also use old juice jugs or thoroughly rinsed paint cans to hold leftover pesticide between applications. If you are finished with a plastic spray bottle and you know you’re not going to use it again, be sure to place it in your recycling bin.

Shooing pests away from your garden does not have to be toxic and expensive. Most bugs are commonly kept away naturally by using various cooking oils and dish soap. Remember during your applications that while you want to kill harmful bugs, some bugs, such as ladybugs, are helpful in nurturing your plants. Attempt to find ways that kill unwanted pests and encourage beneficial ones to thrive.