How to Make Cayenne Pepper Spray Repellent

Nothing is more frustrating that finding your garden vegetables eaten by neighborhood varmints. Rather than fencing your entire yard or garden, try spraying your plants with a homemade cayenne pepper spray repellent. Capsicum, the chemical in peppers that makes them "hot," is now used by law enforcement around the world instead of mace for crowd control. The burning sensation also works to keep small critters away from your garden. Once they experience the hotness of cayenne pepper spray, they'll find somewhere else to get dinner. Just remember to reapply every week or so, as well as after every rainfall.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 2 to 4 tbsp. cayenne pepper powder
• 2 cups boiling water
• Few drops of dishwashing detergent

1. Make pepper "tea." Place the cayenne pepper into a saucepan. Add 2 cups of boiling water. Allow it to steep for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

3. Fill a plastic spray bottle with the cooled liquid.

4. Add a few drops of dishwashing detergent. This helps the mixture "stick" to the plants.

Tips & Warnings

• Label the bottle and store it in the refrigerator.

• Hot pepper spray burns any skin that comes into contact with it. Wear gloves and long sleeves when spraying with cayenne pepper spray. Do not apply cayenne pepper spray to your garden when it is windy. The spray may be blown back into your face, causing eye irritation.