In this excerpt from the Online Gardening School, instructor Chloe Lieberman gives an overview of methodology and approaches to dealing with pests in the garden.
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There are some household items that can be used as pesticides. That doesn’t mean they’re totally safe! All of the same precautions that you would take with any pesticide applies to homemade ones as well. Also, make sure that the homemade pesticide you’re using is effective for the pest you’re trying to kill. Chloe shows you several homemade pesticide options:
Soapy Water: Use unscented castile soap (no detergents, no antibacterial soaps). Only works with neutral or acidic soil. Use distilled water if you’ve got hard water. Works on soft-bodied insects only; no beetles or mature leaf hoppers, etc.
1 Tbsp soap per quart of water.
Epsom Salt (magnesium sulphate): Good idea to try especially if your soil is deficient in magnesium and/or sulphur. May work well on slugs and beetles.
1 cup of epsom salt per 5 gallons of water.
Essential Oils: Strong aromatic compounds from plants. Can burn human skin and eyes. Pets and kids can be harmed by high concentrations. Try cedar, rosemary, peppermint (I found the most citations for these types). Try on aphids, thrips, mites, possibly cabbage loopers, beetles, whiteflies, squash bugs.
1 teaspoon of essential oil (1 tsp) per 1 gallon of water, plus 5 drops of dish soap.
Garlic, Chili, Onion: Volatile compounds that make them spicy can also deter pests. Spider mites, aphids, ants, cabbage loopers. Garlic is toxic to ladybugs!
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne, 1 quart water, 1 garlic clove, small onion. Blend together and let sit overnight and strain before spraying the next day. Can add a few drops of dish soap to keep it emulsified.
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