All Purpose Insect Pest Spray

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TARogers5 Kingston, OK(Zone 7a) Mar 01, 2003

All-Purpose Insect Pest Spray

Chop, grind, or liquefy 1 garlic bulb and 1 small onion. Add 1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper and mix with 1 quart of water. Let it Steep 1 hour, strain through cheesecloth, then add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap or Murphy’s Oil soap to the strained liquid; mix well.

Protection Offered: Try this spray against any leaf-eating pests and make a note of what pests are successfully controlled.

Precautions: When spraying, be careful to keep the mixture well away from your eyes and nose and wear rubber gloves, since it could cause painful burning.

Spray your plants thoroughly, being sure to cover the undersides of leaves to the point of drenching.

Store the mixture for up to 1 week in a labeled, covered container in the refrigerator.

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lupinelover Grove City, OH(Zone 6a) Mar 03, 2003

This works great! I have used a similar preparation for years: it even kills grasshoppers! If you use it on any Brassicas, make sure you use a non-oil based soap, tho: oil tends to damage or kill brassica leaves.

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CoCo Mar 04, 2003

Does this also work on roses, house plants and all other plants?
Are there some plants that shouldn't be sprayed with this solution?

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lupinelover Grove City, OH(Zone 6a) Mar 05, 2003

Works on everything, but a couple cautions: if you are using it on plants under gro lights, apply it as you are turning off the lights, otherwise the foliage will burn. Same if you are applying it outside in strong sunlight: wait until evening, then it will dry overnight and not burn the foliage. The soap tends to magnify light rays and can cause problems.

I have used a similar preparation to Roger's formula on everything from mites to grasshoppers. Kills everything, and the best part is, they die a slow, agonizing death ;D But since it only works on the insects that are actually sprayed, it is harmless to all the beneficials, unless you squirt them, too. Breaks down very rapidly.

If you use it on flowering plants, don't spray the blooms: it makes them turn funny colors (especially roses).

For the brassicas, I use the garlic juice mixed in rubbing alcohol, just because they are so sensitive to oils. It doesn't work quite as rapidly, and you need to hit the big bad bugs with multiple squirts to kill them. But it does work, too.

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Ginger_H Fountain, FL(Zone 8a) Mar 08, 2003

Do you suppose it would work on fire ant mounds?? Sure would like to get rid of those nasty critters.

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