Guide: DIY Natural Garden Insect Killer

As the weather warms up and new growth appears all over your garden, all kinds of both helpful and harmful insects will also be starting to reappear. Naturally, you will want to get rid of all the harmful ‘beasties’ without putting your family or pets at risk (especially when it comes to getting rid of vegetable pests).

Here is a great recipe for a natural garden insect killer that will work on all sorts of tiny invaders, including ants, aphids and grubs; caterpillars, scale & mealy bugs and many others.

Natural Garden Insect Killer

To make this very effective garden insect killer, you will need:

• 2 to 3 garlic bulbs (with around 6 to 10 cloves each)
• 12 small (or 6 large) chilli peppers (any variety; if you can’t get fresh chilli peppers, 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot chilli powder will do the trick)
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• Approximately 1 dessert spoon (3 squirts) of eco-friendly washing-up liquid
• 7 cups of water

Simply put all ingredients into a blender, blend thoroughly and then strain your mixture through a coffee filter, muslin or something similar. Fill a spray bottle with the amount you need and store the rest in jars (well labelled!) with lids.

Using this Garden Insect Killer

Liberally spray affected plants (don’t worry about the garlic-pong – it will dissipate quickly), leave, then check later to see if it is working (if not, you may need to adjust your ingredient quantities) or if there is any damage to your plants (in which case you should add more water before spraying again).

For best results, use the spray at least every couple of days and after rain/heavy dew until there is no more sign of pests. Repeat spraying once every 7 to 10 days to make sure you ‘get’ any larvae or eggs that have hatched out since your last spraying.

Garden Insect Killer – Caution

Do make sure you identify any insects you may see correctly before attacking them with this garden weed killer, as it may otherwise kill helpful ‘beasties’ – like ladybirds, bees, hover flies or lacewings – as well.

Safe Alternative Garden Insect Killers

If you don’t have the time to make your own garden insect killer or an infestation has gotten too bad to handle with it, you will be pleased to know that we have several safe alternatives you can use on all your plants, including fruits and vegetables, without fear of risking your family or pets’ health. You can find these products in our ‘Plant & Lawn Care’ section.