How to Kill Bugs Cheaply

Natural insecticides will kill garden-damaging pests.

Insecticides used to kill bugs around a home or in a garden can be expensive and most contain toxic chemicals. However, you can purchase the materials needed to make an inexpensive, homemade insecticide at most grocery stores. The homemade insecticide is pesticide-free, so can be used on plants in your home garden to keep them "organic." This easy-to-make bug spray will kill many common pests, including aphids, grasshoppers, June bugs, mites, slugs and whiteflies, while also preventing fungus to grow on your plants.

Things You'll Need

• 3 oz. minced garlic
• 1 oz. mineral oil
• 1 tsp. fish emulsion
• 1 tbsp. castile soap
• Glass jar with a lid
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Mix the 3 oz. of garlic with 1 oz. mineral oil and let soak for at least 24 hours.

2. Strain any solids from the garlic oil mixture.

3. Mix 1 tsp. fish emulsion and 1 tbsp. castile soap with 16 oz water. Combine this mixture with the garlic oil in a glass jar.

4. Mix 2 tbsp. of the condensed insecticide mixture with 16 oz of water in a spray bottle. The insecticide is now ready to spray on your plants.

5. Store any the insecticide mixture in a sealed glass jar for up to 6 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Garlic spray can damage blue spruce.

• Do not spray this mixture on your plants when it is warmer than 80 degrees outside, or when the temperature and percentage of humidity added together are more than 140.

References

• PlanetGreen.com: Make All-Natural Pesticide Out of Garlic
• Golden Harvest Organics: Insect Treatments