Let’s face it, chemical pesticides are bad. No doubt about that. They cause major long-term damage to the health of our gardens, us, and the environment! Today I’m sharing with you The Best Natural Garden Pest Control Recipes.
When pesticides are used, they will kill the good garden bugs right along with the bad ones. Spraying your yard and garden with chemical pesticides is the worst thing you could do.
These days many pest insects are resistant to chemical pesticides, they also recover much quicker from chemical treatments than beneficial insects do.
I’ve tried many things in my own garden. I’m going to share with you some products you can purchase that are natural, and also share natural recipes with you. Just remember, you will likely not eliminate all of your bad insects, but you will see a great reduction with persistence!
Pest Control with Essential Oils Recipe
Supplies
Glass Spray Bottle
1 Tbsp Liquid Peppermint Castile Soap
12 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Mix all ingredients together and spray where natural essential oil pesticide is needed. Spray directly on any insects you see and on leaves. It is best to do this in the evening, so as not to burn the leaves of your plants in the hot sun. Repeat as needed.
Neem Oil & Soap for Pest Control
Neem oil is an effective repellent of a wide variety of common garden bugs, including caterpillars, nematodes, locusts, aphids, Japanese beetles, and mites.
Buy in stores or make your own. I’ve used this many times on my squash bugs!
What to look for when purchasing Neem Oil
Start with a base of good-quality neem oil or neem leaf extract. Look for 100% pure oils, also called crude or raw neem oil.
It needs to be cold-pressed as head destroys the Azadirachtin, and it should be organic neem oil as it will ensure no contamination with petrochemicals or solvents has taken place during the purification process.
Neem Oil & Soap Recipe
Ingredients
1 tsp of neem oil
1/2 tsp of liquid dish soap
1 quart of water
or
4 tsp of neem oil
2 tsp of liquid dish soap
1 gallon of water.
Directions
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, shake well and it is ready to use.
You’ll need to use the mix within 8 hours as beyond that the ingredients will start to break down.
Important Note: If you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, consult your doctor before using neem oil as it can interfere with your hormonal system.
Caution: Be very careful using neem oil spray for plants in your garden though because it can also kill good bugs like bees that come to pollinate your plants. So I only recommend using this on plants that aren’t flowering
Insecticidal Soap For Squash Bugs
Squash Bugs are nasty invaders! I seem to fight them every year. This non-toxic recipe works great if used regularly, to eliminate squash bugs.
Organic insecticidal soap works great for killing squash bugs and nymphs.
Insecticidal Soap Recipe
You can also mix your own homemade spray using 1 tsp mild liquid soap to 1 liter of water (be sure to always spot-test sprays before using them on any plant).
These organic sprays will kill most of the squash bugs on contact. But at a minimum it will slow them down so they’re easier to catch and handpick. There is no residual effect, so you’ll need to spray it directly on the bugs in order for insecticidal soap to be effective.
Diatomaceous Earth for Pest Control
Diatomaceous earth is another great natural insect pest control product! Sprinkle it directly on pest insects like Japanese beetles and other hard-shelled insects to kill them. This organic bug killer can also be used on pests like slugs and snails.
Take care when using diatomaceous earth in your garden, and don’t do any broad applications of it because it can kill good bugs too.
Homemade Garlic Mint Spray
Homemade Garlic Mint Spray is also great for fighting your garden pests. I’ve used it in the past. You can find the recipe here and see some results from a fellow gardener.
Precautions Natural Garden Pest Control Remedies and Recipes
Natural pest control remedies are no doubt healthier for us and the environment – BUT please, please make sure to use them with caution. They are still pesticides after all, and can kill beneficial bees and bugs just like they can kill the bad bugs.
So don’t use these natural pest control remedies carelessly. Always make sure to focus your efforts on the specific pest you’re trying to control, and never do any broad spraying of any type of pesticides in your garden to keep from harming the good bugs.
Conclusion The Top Natural Garden Pest Control Recipes
I hope this article was helpful. Do you have other remedies to help repel or kill insects? You may want to check out my other gardening posts.
How to Companion Plant in Your Garden
11 of the Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden