My garden is my domain, my plants my babies. So what do I do when they are attacked, well I look for remedies, solutions. The market shelves are full of insecticides and fungicides but they not only kill the insects but also harm the plants. This started me looking for an organic solution to the problem. Here is a list of some simple homemade insecticide recipes which I came across and would like to share with you.
- Chilli Spray Blend one cup of dried or 2 cups of fresh chillies with two cups of water in a mixer. Spray fresh. This will kill caterpillars.
- Coriander Spray Boil equal parts of coriander (leaves, flowers, stems) and water for ten minutes. Strain and bottle. This is suitable for spider mites and aphids.
- Garlic Spray
- Place a handful of garlic cloves in oil. Dissolve this in a soap solution for 24 hours. Strain and dilute 2 -3 teaspoons in 250ml water and spray on your plants. This prevents powdery mildew on tomatoes and beans.
- Chop 85 gm unpeeled garlic. Soak it in 2 tablespoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Add 600 ml water to which 7 gm of soap has been dissolved. Strain and store in glass bottle. Keep away from the light. Dilute with ten times of water.
- Marigold Spray Put Marigold flowers in boiling, soapy water, cover it and leave overnight. Strain this and spray to remove Aphids.
- Milk Spray Dissolve 500 grams of dried milk in 4 litres of water and spray directly onto the leaves showing signs of virus diseases.
- Nicotine Spray Soak cigarette or cigar ends in water for a week at the rate of 8 ends to 1 litre of water. Remove the filter ends first. This spray will kill scale insects and mealy bug.
- Onion Spray Chop up one large unpeeled onion. Place in a blender with one litre of water and blend on a slow speed, to a milky consistency. This is useful for use on aphids and red spider mites.
- Pure Soap Spray Dissolve 225 grams of pure laundry soap in 9 litres of water. The better alternative to using synthetic detergent is soap made by soaking reetha and then straining it. This will kill most pests on your plants. Allow it to dry on plants and then hose it down the next day with clean water.
- Wood Ash Sprinkled around plants, it is a deterrent to many pests, including slugs and snails. It contains elements that irritate and insects are reluctant to cross the barrier. Ensure you do not leave gaps.
- Neem oil spray Mix1 tsp of neem oil and 1/2 tsp of liquid dish soap to 1 litre of water, Shake well. (Neem oil mixes easier with warm water.) Spray the diluted solution generously on all leaf surfaces.
- Citrus Spray – Very effective for removing aphids. To make, bring 500 ml of water to the boil. Meanwhile, grate the rind from one lemon. Once the water is boiling, remove it from the heat and add the lemon rind. Allow to seep overnight before straining the liquid through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve. Pour this clear liquid into a spray bottle and apply to the top and underside of the leaves of the affected plant. The mixture must come into contact with the insects’ bodies to be effective.
- Neem and Lemongrass Spray: Boil neem and lemongrass in water. Cool, strain and use as a spray to keep pests at bay.