Homemade Bug Spray for Vegetable Plants
Aphids, mites and whiteflies are just a few of the insects that can decimate vegetable plants. These pests feed on sap by piercing the leaves and sucking out the juice. Even if the insects don't cause enough damage to weaken the plant, the wounds left behind by their feeding provides an opening for disease organisms to infect the plant. Homemade bug sprays control these pests at a fraction of the cost of commercial insecticides. Homemade sprays also don't contain the harmful chemicals that are present in many commercial products. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Inspect plants to determine which insects are infesting them. Aphids and spider mites dwell primarily on the underside of leaves. Aphids are small green, pink or black insects that collect in large colonies, while spider mites are red or black insects. Whiteflies are white, moth-like insects.
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Combine one gallon of tap water, 2 tbsp. of cooking oil and 2 tbsp. of liquid dish soap or baby shampoo to control whiteflies, aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Use one gallon of tap water and 3 tbsp. of dish soap or baby shampoo---no oil---for spider mites. Fill a spray bottle with the solution.
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Spray the plants with the appropriate soap solution, thoroughly coating the plants. Apply the solution on the undersides of leaves where most insects tend to congregate.
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Spray the plants a second time two to three days later if there is no burning or other damage to the plants. Continue to apply every three days until most of the insects are dead.
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Rinse the plants with clear water the day after spraying, rinsing away the soap scum. The soap can block the pores on the plant's foliage and prevent respiration if not rinsed away.
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Tips & Warnings
Apply soaps in the early evening, as direct sun on the wet plants can cause burning.
Plant's with hairy or fuzzy leaves may be damaged by soap sprays.
References
- Photo Credit green insects image by joanna wnuk from Fotolia.com
