A beautiful and healthy garden is possible without the use of expensive and often hazardous chemicals. The following are a number of natural recipes to create safe and effective deterrents to bugs and other pests. With a little effort, you will be doing your garden and the environment a big favour.
Natural Recipes for Insecticides and Fungicides
The following are a number of natural recipes for insecticide and fungicide sprays, without the use of expensive and often hazardous chemicals:
All-Purpose Insect Sprays
1 garlic bulb
1 onion
1 tbsp (15 ml) cayenne pepper
1 quart (litre) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid soap (hand soap only)
Chop and grind garlic & onion, add cayenne and mix with water. Let steep 1 hour, then add liquid soap. Store the mixture in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Use it as sprays wherever insects are causing a problem.
PROBLEMS | SOLUTION | RECIPE |
Aphids, thrips | Stinging nettle sprays | Cover 1 quart (1 litre) of nettles with water – with lid on, steep for 3 weeks – dilute with 7 parts water |
Aphids, June beetles, black spot, fungus diseases | Rhubarb sprays | Steep 6 rhubarb leaves in 2 to 3 quarts (2 to 3 litres) boiling water |
Chewing/sucking insects, mildew, leaf spot, rust, spore disease | Garlic sprays | Steep 3 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of very hot pepper in 1 quart (1 litre) of water for 10 minutes; strain. Can be diluted with water 1:4. |
Chewing/sucking insects | Pyrethrum sprays | Steep 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry flowers heads in two quarts (2 litres) of hot water. Pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum cinerariaeflloum) is an attractive perennial with marguerite daisy-like flowers |
White flies | Mullein sprays | Steep 1 part mashed mullein leaves with 5 parts of water |
Aphids, asparagus larvae, black spot, scale insects | Tomato leaves | Steep 10 chopped tomato leaves and 1 chopped onion in ½ cup (120 ml) of alcohol for a few minutes, apply with a swab. |
Spider mites, cabbage worms | Salt solution | 1 ounce (28 grams) table salt in one gallon (4 litres) of water |
Mosaic disease on tomatoes and peppers | Skim milk sprays | Sour milk has been used against cabbage worms |
Potato blight, black spot, yellowing tomato leaves | Manure tea
(liquid) |
½ commercial bag of manure or 1 mesh onion bag full of old manure and straw steeped in half of a large plastic garbage can of water. |
Earn a diploma in holistic nutrition. At EIN, we strive to provide you with the knowledge to live well and stay healthy. We are an internationally recognized school offering online nutrition training. If you’d like to learn more about any of our programs, call us today at or contact us online.