How to Make Insect Spray for a Lawn

Although bugs and insects are an essential part of our ecosystem, some of them can be harmful to plants, trees and bushes in our yards. But there is no need to use toxic insecticides to eliminate bugs from the lawn area; you can make a homemade bug spray that will get rid of the bugs without using such chemicals. Commercial bug sprays can get expensive, so you also will save some money by making a homemade bug spray for your yard. There are a variety of different recipes to make a homemade insecticide.

Things You'll Need

• 2 hot peppers
• Blender
• Strainer
• Gallon-sized bucket
• Mild liquid dish soap
• Empty spray bottle
• 2 garlic bulbs
• Quart-size jar with lid
• Peels, skins and ends from onions
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

Hot Pepper Spray

1. Place two hot peppers into a blender. Cayenne or habanero peppers both work well. Add 1 cup of water into the blender.

2. Puree the peppers and water in the blender. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a gallon bucket. This will be your concentrated pepper juice.

3. Combine ¼ cup of the pepper concentrate with 1 gallon of water. Add 1 tbsp. of liquid dish soap. Pour the contents into a spray bottle and apply to the lawn and landscaping.

Garlic Spray

1. Chop 2 garlic bulbs into small pieces. Put them in a quart-size jar that is equipped with a lid.

2. Boil about 1 qt. of water in a pot and pour the boiling water into the jar of garlic. Seal the lid of the jar and allow it to sit overnight.

3. Pour the mixture through a strainer the next day. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and add about 3 drops of liquid dish soap. Apply the mixture to your lawn and garden.

Onion Spray

1. Remove the peels, skins and ends from several onions. Use roughly 10 to 12 onions for optimal results. Place the onion parts into a gallon-sized bucket and fill the bucket with warm water.

2. Soak the onions in the bucket for a week. Pour the onion and water mixture through a strainer to remove any large chunks.

3. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and apply it to the lawn and garden. You also can bury the pieces of onion left from the mixture near plants and bushes that tend to become infested with bugs.

Oil Spray

1. Combine 1 cup canola or vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. liquid dish soap into a bowl. Use a mild dish soap with no additives to protect the health of the lawn.

2. Place the mixture into an empty spray bottle and combine it with water. For every cup of water you put in the spray bottle, add 2 ½ tsp. of the oil and soap mixture.

3. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients. Spray throughout your lawn and garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a large garden sprayer to apply any of these mixtures to cover a larger area more quickly.

References

• Freeplants: Natural Homemade Insecticides for the Garden
• Tip Nut: Organic Insect Repellent For Plants
• Pays to Live Green: Make Your Own Homemade Pesticides and Repellants