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Organic Garden Pesticides

Sonia Nair
Making organic pesticides at home is economical as well as easy. Here are some tips to make such pesticides with some easily available materials.
Pest control is one of the integral and indispensable gardening chores. Though the market is flooded with different types of synthetic pesticides, there is a huge demand for organic products.
If you are a person interested in gardening, or who is already involved in maintaining one, then you might be conversant with the term organic gardening. According to this concept, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are replaced with organic ones, so as to save our environment as well as our health.
It is said that most of the synthetic pesticides and fertilizers contain dangerous chemicals, that are not good for plants, soil, and the ecosystem as a whole. With the increasing popularity of organic gardening, you may find organic garden pesticides and fertilizers readily available in stores.
It has been observed that they come with a heavy price tag. Some of these pesticides may not prove effective too. So it is always better to prepare some homemade organic pesticides that can be effective, inexpensive, as well as safe. Such pesticides can be made from easily available household materials.

Planting Garlic

Garlic can be very effective against a wide range of pests. Planting garlic in between roses is found to be useful for getting rid of aphids. Even red spider mite attacks on tomatoes can be prevented with this method. You can protect your fruit trees from borers, by planting garlic around them.

Making Garlic Pesticide

✦ Method I: A homemade organic garden pesticide spray can be prepared by mixing garlic powder and water.

✦ Method II: Crush three to four ounces of garlic bulbs, and mix them with two tablespoons of mineral oil. Keep the mixture overnight, and the next day, combine it with a pint of water and a teaspoon of fish emulsion.
You can strain and store it in a container made of glass. Use as and when required, but make sure to dilute one part of this pesticide with 20 parts water. This solution is found to be effective against mosquitoes, aphids, and onion flies.
✦ Method III: Make a paste of one garlic bulb, and mix it with two tablespoons of vegetable oil, and two cups of water. Keep the mixture overnight. Strain it next day, and mix with a tablespoon of dish soap (sans bleach). This solution can be directly sprayed on the infected garden plants.

Other Homemade Organic Pesticides

✦ Crush some tomato leaves, and mix a tablespoon of cornstarch, and a few pints (4 to 5) of water. Strain this mixture, and spray on plants to ward off pests.
✦ Hot peppers are among the best choices for preparing organic pesticides for your garden. All you have to do is to make a puree of half a cup of chopped hot peppers, and mix with two cups of water. Keep the mixture overnight and strain it the next day. Mix two tablespoons of dish soap (sans bleach), and use on plants for getting rid of bugs.
✦ Baking soda can also be used for this purpose. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with a tablespoon of vegetable oil, two quarts of water, and a teaspoon of dish soap (sans bleach). Spray the solution on plants.
✦ Tobacco can be used effectively as an organic garden pesticide. You have to take a quart of water, and shred some cigarettes (around 10) into it. Keep it overnight, and strain the nicotine solution the next day. Add a teaspoon of dish soap (sans bleach), and combine well before spraying on plants.
✦ Lastly, there are different types of plants that can be planted along with the garden plants to ward off pests. They include catnip that can repel Colorado potato beetles, squash bugs, weevils, and ants. For aphids, fleas, and cabbage pests, anise can be planted in the garden.
There are various other organic pesticides, like neem oil, hot pepper wax as well as powder, ryania (toxic to fish and birds) derived from Ryania speciosa plant (is toxic for dogs), and sabadilla (derived from the South American sabadilla lily), etc.
Before using these organic pesticides, it will be better to understand more about the particular pest that has affected your plants, and the right pesticide. You may also consult a horticulturist to gain a thorough understanding about organic pesticides and their correct usage.