How to make organic insecticidal soap
Posted on | September 29, 2009 | No Comments
I use this recipe around the ranch all the time and it works great — as good as just about any insecticide, but without all the nasty chemical side effects — If you haven’t tried it, you should. It’s a great and inexpensive way to control pests.
Get Rid of garden pests naturally with this recipe for environmentally-friendly insecticidal soap
Here’s a quick, easy and non-toxic way to put an end to nasty pests like aphids, white flies, mealy bugs, and other soft-bodied insects that infest your plants year-round. Using a little soap, vegetable oil and water, you can make and organic soap spray that controls pests on all types of indoor and outdoor plants without harsh or toxic chemicals.
To prepare this soap spray you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Pure, white soap
Use Original Oatmeal Soap or a store brand like Ivory. Make sure the soap has no dyes or fragrances since they can damage plant foliage. Also DO NOT use detergents such as liquid dish soap. Unlike soap which is organic, detergents are chemical cleaners and are toxic to most plants. - Light Vegetable Oil
Canola, corn, and safflower are all good examples of a light vegetable oil. It’s important to make sure that it’s a light vegetable oil, and not a heavy one such as peanut to ensure that the oil evaporates from the plant’s leaves before they’re smothered. - Water
Plain old tap water will do just fine. - Spray Bottle or Garden Sprayer
To apply the soap spray.
Making the soap spray
Drop the bar of white soap into a container such as a small bowl and add two cups of water. Allow the soap to sit in the water overnight or until enough of the soap has dissolved to make the water white and cloudy.
Once enough soap has dissolved, remove the soap bar from the water and pour the soap solution into your spray bottle or garden sprayer. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, seal the sprayer and shake well.
Application
You can use the soap spray on all types of indoor or outdoor plants, including vegetables. Spray the infested plant well enough to thoroughly wet the leaf, making sure to get both the top and the bottom.
For light infestations a single application should be enough. For heavier infestations (especially on outdoor plants and trees), apply the soap spray every day for three days. Then once a week to control re-infestations.
How does the soap spray work?
Soft-bodied insects such as aphids breath through openings in the sides of their body. Pure white soap contains large molecules of fatty acids and glycerin that will clog those openings and essentially suffocate the pest. The vegetable oil is used as a sticking agent that allows more of the spray to stay on the leaf without dripping off. The soap spray that does drip off decomposes in the soil without affecting the plant. The spray that remains on the leaf evaporates after a day or two.
Super strength spray
For tougher insects such as cucumber beetles, Colorado beetles, various caterpillars, and similar pests, you can make a super-strength version of this spray by adding ground hot chili peppers. The heat of the peppers repels most chewing insects. (Note, however, that this spray can burn the leaves of some tender plants. Make sure to test it on a small area before dousing the entire plant.)
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