How to Make Homemade Pesticide for Tomato Plants

Keep your tomato plants healthy by repelling pests with a homemade pesticide.

Homemade pesticides are an alternative to commercial pesticides that are often expensive. Commercial pesticides contain chemicals that have harmful effects on crops and humans. This organic, homemade and nontoxic pesticide can help you successfully grow a healthy crop of tomatoes. Spray your tomato plants weekly to repel such insects as aphids, corn ear worms, leaf miners and flea beetles.

Things You'll Need

• Tomato leaves Knife or blender Cheesecloth Container ¼ tsp. liquid dish soap Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Remove leaves from healthy tomato plants. Crush the leaves into small, fine pieces until you have 2 cups. You can cut them up with a knife or place them in a blender.

2. Combine 2 cups of the crushed tomato leaves with two cups of water. Allow the leaves to steep in the water overnight.

3. Strain the leaves through cheesecloth. Save the water in a container.

4. Add 2 cups of water to the tomato leaf water. Add ¼ tsp. of liquid dish soap to the solution, and stir gently to mix it into the water.

5. Pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto your tomato plants. Spray the stems and under the leaves to remove insects.

References

• Country Farm Lifestyles: Natural Pesticides: Homemade Pesticides & Insecticides for Natural & Organic Pest Control
• GH Organics: Insect Treatments
• EcoLiving Center: Homemade Organic Insect Sprays