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I love my indoor garden for a lot of reasons, but near the top of the list is the wonderful absence of most outdoor garden pests. Well…almost. I’ll happily make an exception for the neighborhood rabbits, who seem convinced my vegetable beds were planted specifically for their dining pleasure. I usually grow a little extra because, honestly, they’re pretty hard to stay mad at.
One thing I’ve never been crazy about is spraying harsh chemicals on food I plan to harvest and eat. It has always seemed a little odd to me that something powerful enough to eliminate insects is supposed to be completely harmless in every other way. I’m sure there’s plenty of good science behind modern pesticides. Or maybe I’ve simply watched a few too many old sci-fi shows over the years. Either way, I usually reach for a homemade solution before anything else.
That’s another reason I like DIY insecticides—they’re inexpensive, easy to make, and often rely on ingredients already sitting in my kitchen. Garlic, vegetable oil, mild liquid soap, hot peppers, and a handful of other everyday staples can all be turned into effective natural pest deterrents. They’re a simple way to help protect your garden while avoiding a trip to the garden center.
Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!
3 DIY Insecticide recipes that you can make with what’s already in your kitchen
Before we get into mixing ingredients, it’s worth a quick mention that your best defense against those little vegetable-destroying buggers is high-quality soil, potting mix, or a good hydroponic plant food.
Still, we sometimes need a little extra help when the pests get the upper hand. The nice thing is that these DIY insecticide sprays are easy to make, they’re organic (assuming you use organic ingredients), and the only thing you might have to buy is a spray bottle. Do they work? Well, I’ve been using them for years, and they were recommended to me by other gardeners, so they work in my experience!
And a word of caution: Even though these insecticides are generally harmless, it’s always a good idea to test it out on a few leaves a day before you spray your whole garden. The oil insecticide, for example, can suffocate leaves if you use too much on an entire plant at once. Spraying problem areas doesn’t seem to do damage.
- The oil insecticide. This DIY insecticide is about as simple as it gets. Make a concentrate by mixing together one tablespoon of liquid soap and one cup of vegetable oil. Use this as needed by adding two tablespoons of the concentrate to one quart of water.
- Insect soap. All you need for this is one quart of water, and three drops of mild dishwashing shop (the clear fragrance-free type). It won’t stick to the leaves as well as oil will, but it’s better for produce you don’t want to be oily.
- Garlic spray. This is my favorite DIY insecticide because…garlic! In an outdoor garden, garlic makes a great companion plant because so many pests keep clear of it. It only makes sense that a garlic spray would keep them away from your indoor or hydroponic garden, as well. You make a concentrate by adding 8 to 10 cloves of garlic and a quart of water to your blender. For a little extra oomph, add a tablespoon of ground hot peppers. Blend, then let this sit for 24 hours. Strain the mixture into a jar and add one cup of vegetable oil. Mix one-half cup of this blend with one gallon of water for an effective pest deterrent.
There are plenty of other natural, organic ingredients you can use to help keep your veggies pest free. Some gardeners swear by Neem oil, and food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is a well-known, naturally occurring insecticide. The drawback there is that DE can also harm beneficial insects you might have.
Again, though, I try to stick with what I already have around the house, which is why, for a DIY insecticide, one of the first three is usually at the top of my list.
Do you have a homemade pest deterrent that you use in your indoor garden? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!
Zone 10A. I use my index finger and thumb. I’m retired so I have time to play/work in my small garden for 5-8+ hours – picking off or squishing tiny green caterpillars, aphids, mealy bugs, etc. The only thing I haven’t been able to catch before they kill my plants are those ugly squash bugs. The tiny ones gross me out. This year I planted 4 squash seedlings in November. & it’s my 1st time since 1990 that my plants made it & has yielded great zucchini without bugs! Parsley also planted late and it has grown so well that it almost looks like huge cilantro bushes
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Thank you for the technique. Also don’t overlook the County Extension Office. Another great resource
Ty for the information. I will certainly use the garlic pesticide. I have tried everything else. I do not use roundup. I do use 7 dust. I am afraid to even use that. I have animals.