Soap has been utilized for hundreds of years being an all-purpose pesticide.°It disrupts insects’ cell membranes, and kills unwanted pests by°dehydration. The bottom line is to not use an excessive amount of soap, or else you’ll°also get rid of the plant life close to the unwanted pests. Should you stick to the proportion of soap to water within the Soap Spray recipe, below,°the plant life ought to be fine.
Doug Harp, a picture designer friend, first alerted me to°soap as a good all-purpose pesticide as he used Dr.°Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Pure-Castile Soap diluted with°water to get rid of the gypsy moths which had infested his apple°trees. I was focusing on a task together, and that i’d get°faxes updating me on his kill rate (it was back before e-mail!),°which, much to his delight, was excellent.
Note: Purchase a liquid soapy not really a detergent. Health food°stores have liquid soaps, for example Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile°Soaps.
Insecticidal Soap Spray
one to two tablespoons liquid soap
1 quart water
Combine ingredients inside a bucket, mix, then transfer to some spray°bottle when needed.
All-Purpose Pesticide Soap Spray
Strong smelling roots and spices for example garlic clove, onions,°horseradish, ginger root, rhubarb leaves, cayenne along with other hot°peppers, are recognized to repel insects.
INGREDIENTS
A number of roots and spices
Enough boiling water to pay for
Soap Spray (recipe, above)
Add some roots and spices to the foot of a mason jar. Cover°with the boiling water, screw on top, and let set overnight.°Strain, and increase the Soap Spray. Observe that this can rot,°so utilize it all up or freeze leftovers for an additional time.
Variation: Garlic clove Spray
Use one to two heads garlic clove. Deer and rabbits hate the smell
of garlic clove.
By Annie B. Bond