#DIY Insecticidal Plant Spray
Many people enjoy gardening in the summer. Whether tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers or flowers, having a beautiful garden is a rewarding and beautiful summer project. We all start off in May with new plants, fresh flowers and manicured garden beds, but by the time July and August roll around, sometimes my garden is not always looking quite as beautiful. The heat may have taken its toll and pests have begun to enjoy the veggies in my garden just as much as I have. Depending on where you live you may be dealing with a variety of pests from caterpillars to cabbageworms, to aphids, or beetles. None of them are pleasant.
Commercial insecticides are very dangerous, and while they may kill your pests they may also leech into the ground and end up contaminating your water supply. The vapor from sprayed insecticides can be inhaled and may be harmful to you and other (friendly) animals in and around your garden, and eating food that contains pesticides can lead to a build up of toxins in your body. Pesticides have been linked to countless diseases.
So, what is an organic gardener to do? Obviously, we don’t want to give up our healthy gardens without a fight but the risks of commercial pesticides outweigh the benefits. I have a very simple solution for you… soap!
- 2 TBS of Liquid Castile Soap (I prefer Dr. Bronner’s lavender or peppermint)
- 1 Qt of Water
- Spray bottle
Combine all of your ingredients and transfer to a spray bottle as needed. Spray as needed to get rid of garden pests.
