21 Natural Pesticides for Houseplants
The natural pesticides for houseplants are not only safe for pets and humans, but as well as the entire environment too. Long before those chemical pesticides have been invented, gardeners have actually come up with various natural remedies in removing the infestations of insects in their garden. Thus, when it comes to natural pesticides, there will certainly be lots of options for you to choose from.
Below is a list of some of the inexpensive, effective, organic and all natural pesticide for indoor plants.
1. Neem
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Neem oil has been highly revered as an effective all natural pesticide that is very effective in warding off all kinds of pests. In fact, the use of Neem juice as a pesticide is so common among gardeners. Neem is known for being an extremely bitter tree leaf, which makes it an effective substance for keeping pests away in your garden.
2. Build Healthy, Organic Soil
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Prevention is always better than cure. Hence, the most effective and natural way to ward off pests is to not give them any reason to visit your garden. Mulching, natural composting method and top dressing the soil in your garden with natural or compost fertilizer is the key to building a healthy and organic soil. A healthy soil is free from any bugs and insects. As a result, your plants will grow strong and vigorous.
3. Salt Spray
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If your garden is infested with spider mites, then using salt spray as pesticide is highly recommended. The salt solution is so effective. What’s more, preparing the pesticide solution is so easy. Simply mix 2 tbsp. of Himalayan Crystal salt to a gallon of warm water. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it directly into the affected areas of your plants. Soon enough, your problem with spider mites will be gone.
4. Soap spray
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To prepare this organic pesticide, mix 1/2 tsp. of mild liquid soap into a quart of water. Thereafter, pour the mixture to a spray bottle and spray it into the affected areas of your garden. This is an effective natural pesticide for indoor plants and can be sprayed as necessary. However, it is not recommended to be applied during a hot sunny day for outdoor plants. Moreover, make sure that you use organic and mild liquid soap for this recipe, such as the Castile soap.
5. Mineral Oil
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Another effective homemade house plant bug spray is the use of mineral oil as a pesticide spray. This pesticide solution is easy to prepare. First, mix about 30 ml of high-grade oil with a liter of water. Next, stir the solution well and pour into your spray bottle. You can then spray it directly to your plants. This all-natural pesticide can work well in dehydrating the bugs as well as their eggs.
6. Garlic Spray
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As you know, garlic has a strong pungent aroma. This is what makes it delectable to others, but repellent to some. Furthermore, it is this strong scent of the garlic that makes it an effective natural pesticide. Actually, it is not clear whether garlic spray is an insecticide or an insect repellent. Either way, the use of garlic could knock out all sorts of insect infestations in your garden. To prepare, puree two whole bulbs of garlic in a food processor or blender. Next, pour in a small amount of water. Leave the mixture to sit overnight. Thereafter, strain it to a jar and pour in a tsp. of liquid soap, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and some water. Fill your spray bottle with the mixture and begin spraying on the infected plants.
Also Read: How to Grow Garlic Indoors in Containers
7. Nicotine
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Nicotine is effective at repelling leaf chewing insects. Therefore, if you’ve noticed that the leaves of some of your garden plants have been chewed by some insects, then spray them with a nicotine spray. It’s easy to prepare the spray. Simply soak a cup of dried and crushed tobacco leaves into a gallon of water. Next, add a tsp. of liquid dish soap to the mixture. After 30 minutes, strain the mixture and spray directly on the leaves.
8. Citrus Oil and Cayenne Pepper
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The mixture of citrus and cayenne powder is so effective at removing ants from your plants. To prepare, mix about ten drops of the citrus essential oil with a teaspoon of the cayenne pepper. Next, pour a cup of warm water to the mixture and shake well. Place in a spray bottle and you can then spray it into the affected areas in your garden.
9. Tomato leaf
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Indeed, the use of tomato leaf as pesticides is something new. However, there have been lots of gardeners that could warrant its effectiveness as an organic pesticide. Being a part of the nightshade family, tomato plants contain alkaloids. Such component is effective at controlling aphids and other insects. Simply chop two cups of fresh leaves and mix it with a quart of water. Let the mixture to steep overnight. Next, strain the plant material out and pour the liquid to a spray bottle. Spray it directly into the plant foliage in order to kill all those bugs out.
10. Seaweed Mulch
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Seaweed is rich in trace elements like sulfur, magnesium, calcium, barium, iron and zinc. As such, it helps to promote the healthy development of plants in your garden. The use of seaweed as mulch or as fertilizer can help to enhance the growth and development of your plants. Hence, they will be strong enough to withstand the pests and diseases. Furthermore, the seaweed mulch is also effective at repelling slugs.
11. Soap, Orange Citrus Oil, and Water
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One of the most effective pesticides for houseplants is the use of liquid soap, citrus oil and water. It’s easy to prepare this homemade pesticide. Start by mixing about three tbsp. of liquid soap to an ounce of the citrus orange oil. After this, pour the mixture to a gallon of water. Shake hard enough and pour into a spray bottle so you can then spray it directly into the plants. This pesticide solution is effective against slugs and you can also use it to ward off roaches and ants. Hence, aside from using the spray in your garden, you can also use it for your household too.
12. Rubbing Alcohol
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Rubbing alcohol can drive those pesky pests away. To apply, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol then use it to remove the pests off your plants. Unfortunately, this method is a bit tedious. However, it can work well in removing huge clusters of pests such as mealybugs and aphids.
13. Eucalyptus Oil
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Eucalyptus oil is an effective natural pesticide that could kill wasps, bees and flies in your garden. All you need to do is to sprinkle some drops of the Eucalyptus oil to those areas in your garden where these insects are lurking around. Eventually, these pests will all be gone long before you know it.
Also Read: 21 Amazing uses of Epsom Salt for Gardening
14. Onion and Garlic Spray
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The combination of onion and garlic is effective at keeping pests away from your garden. What’s more, this is one of those pesticide recipes that are so easy to prepare. In addition, the ingredients are commonly found in your kitchen. Thus, you do not need to go into a store to prepare this.
To start with, mince one whole garlic clove and a medium size onion. Next, pour a quart of water to the minced garlic and onion and wait for about an hour. Thereafter, add one tbsp. of liquid soap and one tsp. of cayenne pepper into the mixture. This all natural pesticide spray can hold its potency for up to a week. Therefore, you can simply store the remaining solution into your fridge to be used again the next time.
15. Yellow Sticky Traps
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The use of old fashioned yellow fly paper is still an effective way of removing whiteflies and aphids off your plants. In fact, any heavy paper that’s painted in yellow and coated with any sticky substance like the tanglefoot can also do the job.
16. Chrysanthemum Flower Tea
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The Chrysanthemum flowers consist of a powerful plant chemical known as the pyrethrum. This plant component is capable of invading the nervous systems of the pests, making them immobile. Thus, if you are in need of a bug killer for indoor plants, the use of Chrysanthemum flower tea is highly recommended.
To prepare, boil about a hundred grams of the dried Chrysanthemum flowers with a liter of water. Leave the dried flowers to boil for about twenty minutes. Next, strain the water and leave it to cool. After a few minutes, pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray it directly to the affected areas. Since this pesticide can be stored for up to a maximum of two months, you can prepare it ahead in hefty amount. To make it even more effective, consider adding Neem oil to the solution. As mentioned, Neem is also effective at killing those pesky pests.
17. Pyrethrum Spray
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Pyrethrum spray is actually a natural insecticide that is made out of dried chrysanthemum flowers. Therefore, if you do not have the luxury of time to prepare the Chrysanthemum flower tea solution as organic pesticide, then you can opt for this. This comes in the form of powder that you can simply mix with liquid dish soap and water. The spray works by paralyzing the flying insects. As such, a lot of pest control companies will also use the Pyrethrum spray in controlling mosquitoes.
18. Tobacco Spray
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Tobacco is not only hazardous to people, it is also hazardous to pests. Thus, a tobacco spray is effective at killing those pests in your garden. In fact, it was once commonly used in warding off caterpillars and aphids. This organic pesticide is prepared by mixing a cup of the organic tobacco to a gallon of water. Leave the mixture overnight. Thereafter, the mixture will produce a light brown color. If the color is dark, consider adding more water. Otherwise, you can spray the mixture directly into the plants. The tobacco spray can be applied on most plants. However, it should not be used on the solanaceous family, such as eggplants, peppers and tomatoes since it could kill these plants.
19. Alcohol Spray
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The alcohol is another effective homemade house plant bug spray. This spray solution is so effective and could help to repel those insects from tropical foliage and house plants. Moreover, it is easy to prepare as it only makes use of any alcoholic drink that you can mix with one quart of water. Pour the mixture of alcohol and water to your spray bottle and apply it directly to your house plants. Eventually, those bugs will begin disappearing.
20. Chile Pepper Spray
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The use of chiles as pesticides for houseplants is common. To prepare, simply grind about two handfuls of dry chilies until it becomes a fine powder. Next, mix it to a cup of Diatomaceous earth. Finally, add two liters of water to the mixture and leave it to set overnight. Shake the mixture well before you start applying it into your plants.
Also Read: 18 Best Low Maintenance Pet Friendly House Plants
21. Herbal Water
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Herbal water is made from essential oils, such as basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, rue, mint, lavender, and many more. If you are in need of an effective and easy to prepare bug killer for indoor plants, then the herbal water is a great idea. Furthermore, this organic pesticide is easy to prepare. You can simply use any of those store bought herbal water. On the other hand, you can prepare your own herbal water at home. To do so, simply use crushed trimmings or leaves of herbal plants. Next, soak them in a pail of water and leave overnight. On the following day, strain the mixture and you now have a pesticide spray.
Final Thoughts
Although there are several other natural and effective pesticides for houseplants available, the list above should help to give you a good start at creating your own organic and all natural pesticide.
