How to Make a Safe Insect Spray

For widespread infestations of insects such as aphids and scale, a soap spray can help to keep their population under control. A few aphids or scale on a plant don’t usually kill it, but the numbers of these insects can quickly get out of control. Natural insect sprays usually do not harm beneficial insects like honeybees and ladybugs. You can buy natural insecticidal soap at your garden center or make your own.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hot peppers
• Garlic

Soap Spray

1. Pour a small amount of mild dish detergent into a spray bottle and fill the bottle with water.

2. Shake it up and then spray it on your infested plants.

3. Repeat the process often, especially after it rains, until you see a reduction in the number of problem insects.

Garlic and Pepper Sprays

4. Peel several cloves of garlic and put them in a blender. You can also add a couple of hot peppers.

5. Fill the blender jar 1/2 full with water.

6. Whirl the contents around on the "blend" setting for one minute.

7. Strain your mixture through a sieve, cheesecloth or pantyhose.

8. Blast your infested plants with your super garlic/pepper spray.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have leftover spray, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. After that, discard it in your compost pile and make a fresh batch for optimum effectiveness against your insect foes.
• Always wash your hands after handling hot peppers.