Shaye Elliott
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Online Workshops
  • Cooking Community
  • Art Prints
  • Contact

Organic Bug Spray Recipe

April 29, 2014 - 100 Comments

Let's talk about insects, shall we? About how much we hate them? And then, let's talk about an organic bug spray recipe.

Organic Garden Bug Spray Recipe| The Elliott Homestead (.com)

Some days I can take a sucker punch, and some days I can't. Today was one of the “can't” days. Today was one of the I'm-going-to-loose-my-mind days. So when I went out to find my broccoli nibbled to teeny nubs, I may have lost it a little bit.

Shovels were thrown.

Fences were punched.

Chickens were kicked across the barnyard.

I'm kidding! I would never throw a shovel.

Regardless, I came back into the house – steam coming from my ears – and decided I had one of two choices. I could either a) pray that the Lord would eliminate every single broccoli-nibbling-critter from here to kingdom come OR I could b) try and be an adult and come up with a better solution, like perhaps coming up with an organic bug spray recipe myself.

A quick reference in my gardening manual led me to an organic bug spray recipe. That coupled with a few others I've heard of over the years lead me to the cookstove. Go figure.

Shaye? At the cookstove? Who'd've thunk.

I was ready to really bring my A-Game on these stupid bugs. I don't care if they were hungry. I don't care if they have to have their place in the food chain. I want them GONE! Because I love broccoli.

Organic Garden Bug Spray Recipe | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

Organic Bug Spray Recipe

You will need: 

– 1 organic onion

– 1 entire head organic garlic

– 1 teaspoon organic cayenne pepper

– 1 quart water

– 1 tablespoon dish soap

– 1 spray bottle

Organic Garden Bug Spray Recipe| The Elliott Homestead (.com)

1. Mince or finely chop the onion and garlic. You don't have to peel them if you don't want to. I just threw them both in my food processor and practically liquified them. Chop. Mince. Liquify. Do what you want.

2. Combine the minced onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, and water together in a large saucepan. Turn the heat on low and let it gently simmer, infuse if you will, for 45-60 minutes.

By the way, your house is going to smell horrible. If you've got an outside cookstove I'd recommend doing that. Because seriously. It stinks baaaad.

Bad. I really want to emphasize that. Do NOT cook this pest spray before you have company or they'll wonder what sort of dead carcass you have hidden under your house.

Organic Garden Bug Spray Recipe | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

3. Once the mixture has simmered, allow it to cool to room temperature. Lastly, strain it through cheesecloth. Once the majority of the liquid has drained through, use your hands to squeeze out all of the extra liquid from the super-stinky-mixture. It's bug fightin' goodness, baby.

Organic Garden Bug Spray Recipe | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

4. Combine the stinky liquid with the dish soap in the spray bottle. Gently shake to combine.

5. Use the organic bug spray recipe ALL OVER your susceptible crops – I used it all over my broccoli, kale, collards, radishes, lettuce, and cabbages. I'll reapply after each watering – about once a week.

It deters the bugs. And if it doesn't deter them, and they eat a bite of my broccoli, I hope it burns their stomach and they never come back for more.

It's been a few days since the first application so it may be a bit too early to tell, but it surely seems that the plants are finally being left alone. I didn't think I'd have to worry about pests this early on in the season but they seem to have my address – showing up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner uninvited.

Isn't it wonderful that such natural ingredients can provide such a powder punch to the ‘ol garden bugs?

I'm thankful.

My broccoli is thankful.

Happy gardening, my friends!

Organic Bug Spray Recipe

4.34 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 organic onion
  • 1 entire head organic garlic
  • 1 teaspoon organic cayenne pepper
  • 1 quart water
  • 1 tablespoon dish soap
  • 1 spray bottle

Instructions
 

  • Mince or finely chop the onion and garlic. You don’t have to peel them if you don’t want to. I just threw them both in my food processor and practically liquified them. Chop. Mince. Liquify. Do what you want.
  • Combine the minced onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, and water together in a large saucepan. Turn the heat on low and let it gently simmer, infuse if you will, for 45-60 minutes.
  • Once the mixture has simmered, allow it to cool to room temperature. Lastly, strain it through cheesecloth. Once the majority of the liquid has drained through, use your hands to squeeze out all of the extra liquid from the super-stinky-mixture.
  • Combine the stinky liquid with the dish soap in the spray bottle. Gently shake to combine.
  • Use the organic bug spray recipe ALL OVER your susceptible crops – I used it all over my broccoli, kale, collards, radishes, lettuce, and cabbages. I’ll reapply after each watering – about once a week.

Organic Bug Spray Recipe | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

If you like it, Share it!
Share89
Tweet
Pin528
617 Shares

Comments:

  1. Allison

    April 30, 2014 at 11:43 am

    My husband and I use a spray bottle with about 40 drops of peppermint essential oil in 12 or so ounces of water to keep the bugs off of our roses. It works like a charm! Might be less stinky for your house (but it might make your broccoli taste like mint?)

    Reply
    • Kristie

      May 10, 2014 at 7:50 am

      I may try this on my lettuce, I do like this idea. Have you had success with out killing your plants?

      Reply
      • Shaye Elliott

        May 10, 2014 at 10:31 pm

        Yep! No plants have been harmed in this bug battle 😉

        Reply
        • amy ersing

          June 18, 2014 at 2:22 pm

          Can this be used on all vegetables?

          Reply
          • Shaye Elliott

            June 20, 2014 at 4:07 pm

            I use it on all of mine!

        • Christy Gray

          May 4, 2020 at 12:39 pm

          How long does this mixture last and should it be kept in the fridge or freezer?

          Reply
          • Daniel

            April 25, 2021 at 7:47 am

            Any idea how long your mixture lasted once you bottled it?

        • Mary Beth

          December 25, 2020 at 1:12 pm

          We are brand new to growing broccoli in a raised outside bed. How in the world do I figure out what is eating my broccoli? No holes, no eggs or larvae, just leaves eaten all the way off or partially off, with bite marks on edges. What to do? Soon the entire plant will be gone….

          Reply
          • Joseph Riley

            June 17, 2021 at 5:33 pm

            Remember not only insects like broccoli. Maybe a pesky rabbit. Seems like this mixture should work.

    • V

      May 22, 2017 at 11:02 am

      4 stars
      I will try the peppermint

      Reply
      • Melissa

        June 3, 2022 at 12:03 am

        Where do I get the pepper Manhattan do I boil it I’m trying to use it for inside my house I like the smell of peppermint

        Reply
    • John Payne

      October 7, 2019 at 1:25 am

      Have peppermint oil will try it

      Reply
      • Julie Prayner

        June 7, 2020 at 7:21 am

        What recipe or dilution Equation do you use

        Reply
  2. Holly Bose (Your Gardening Friend)

    May 1, 2014 at 9:59 pm

    Awesome!! I’m gotta make this.

    I’m curious. What in the recipe would cause such a stink-bug 😉 aroma? Everything in the recipe smells wonderful: Onion, yep. Garlic, oh yeah! Water, neutral. Soap, probably. The only thing I’m not sure about is the cayenne pepper.

    Do you think it’s the combination of all these, or does soap smell really nasty if it boils? I’m not sure what all is in soap, so I’m guessing that’s the culprit.

    Wait … did you boil the plastic bottle? 😉

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 2, 2014 at 3:50 pm

      I love all those smells too… but this is strong stuff!

      Reply
      • Donna

        July 31, 2014 at 9:49 am

        You can also dust with diatomatious earth,or spray with kaolin clay. These two are safe for plants but not pests. Thanks for your spray mix. Sounds effective too.

        Reply
    • Alliee

      June 9, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      I was thinking the same thing. I use all of these ingredients when I cook and the smell is like a holiday meal. That is minus the dish washing liquid.

      Reply
  3. JC

    May 2, 2014 at 5:58 am

    Will this change the flavor of your broccoli or whatever else you spray?

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 2, 2014 at 3:49 pm

      It shouldn’t. I always wash my vegetables before eating too.

      Reply
  4. Raia

    May 7, 2014 at 10:46 am

    Does it work on aphids? Do you have to spray under and on top of the leaves? Every day? Or only after it rains? Sorry for all the questions…

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 10, 2014 at 10:44 pm

      I don’t know about aphids – we don’t have them (yet!). Yes, I spray the top and the bottom, if possible. I reapply after each watering.

      Reply
  5. Kristie

    May 10, 2014 at 7:48 am

    I sprayed tomatoes last year with a homemade pest control which had dish soap in it and it killed the plants the next day. I then read somewhere you should spray directly onto the pests then rinse immediately. I would really like a diy pest control but don`t know I`m getting all the right information and will probably stick with neem this year just because I want my garden to thrive and not die very next day after I spend my day keeping the pests away.

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 10, 2014 at 10:32 pm

      I used to work in a florist shop and we used dish soap all the time to kill a variety of pests that made homes in the plants around. It shouldn’t have killed your plants – that’s bizarre! I’m happy to say that no plants of mine have died, other than from the bugs, from using this spray.

      Reply
    • Toni Brown

      June 1, 2014 at 5:29 pm

      I use, and many recipes suggest, dish soap. My tomatoes and peppers look good.

      Reply
      • Rose

        June 29, 2015 at 5:02 pm

        Can you use dawn dish soap in the recipe ?

        Reply
        • Shaye Elliott

          July 6, 2015 at 12:50 pm

          Yes.

          Reply
        • Woodrow Faust

          May 16, 2021 at 7:21 am

          I use dawn , never hurt my plants

          Reply
    • Daniel Gray

      June 10, 2014 at 11:36 am

      These home made sprays work well, however you should spray them early in the day before the sun gets hot and they have time to dry or in the evening after the sun is low in the west. Even water standing on leaves while the sun is intense will act like a magnifying glass and burn the leaves. This may be why your plants were harmed.

      Reply
      • Barbara

        June 5, 2021 at 4:26 pm

        I think here in Arizona with the heat the soap in the spray did my garden in. Am usually up at 5 am so will try it again on a few vegetables to check again. Thank you for your comments.

        Reply
      • Zack

        August 5, 2021 at 9:14 am

        Please stop spreading the wives’ tale about the magnifying glass effect of water. If that was the case no one would be able to swim or wet in the summertime without getting roasted.

        Reply
    • donna a

      June 18, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      I read about a homemade spray using dishsoap and alcohol. I followed the directions perfectly ( 1 quart of soap to 1/2 cup alcohol) and the day I sprayed was even overcast and rainy. Something was infecting my garlic (It turns out to be a potyvirus from aphids spreading the virus they got from weeds). I used it on half of my 5 rows of garlic before I ran out and got tired (We planted a lot of garlic!). it killed the leaves of the 2 1/2 rows I sprayed! Not sure WHAT to do now! I have an onion allergy so I couldn’t make or use a spray like this myself.

      Reply
      • Amanda S.

        August 17, 2015 at 10:18 am

        I too have a onion allergy! I get odd looks from people when I tell them this, especially when I used to eat fast food. I totally get it! I didn’t like onions before but I so don’t like them after I have eaten one… unknowingly and I swell up like a puffer fish! <3 good luck!

        Reply
    • Allie

      June 9, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the tip. I am a bit scared about putting the dish washing liquid on my plants. It is a chemical too.

      Reply
  6. lee anne

    May 12, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    Does it work to deter rabbits? They are devouring everything

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 12, 2014 at 8:33 pm

      Ehh, I doubt it! They are resilient little critters. Hugh from River Cottage would recommend shooting them with a pellet gun and utilizing the meat! 😉

      Reply
      • Samantha

        June 18, 2015 at 2:38 am

        My favorite idea yet!!!

        Reply
    • Leah

      May 22, 2014 at 4:34 am

      Castor oil. Works great on corn too. Just a drop or two on your produce as it grows. Raccoons, deer etc will only taste a few and then leave never to return. It tastes really bad.

      Reply
  7. Kim

    May 12, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    I made something like this last year only without the soap and I let it brew in a covered container for a week or two instead of cooking it. I also used tai peppers that I grow instead of ground pepper. It worked great on my apple trees and my snowball bush when it got infected with caterpillars. Now if I could just find something to get rid of squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 12, 2014 at 8:31 pm

      Diatomaceous Earth?

      Reply
    • Andrea

      June 18, 2015 at 1:46 pm

      At my house we use wood ashes from our wood stove. Wood ash works against SVB and cucumber beetles along with anything else that lays eggs in the ground but you have to use it before you need it. Once they’ve laid their eggs in the soil under your plants, it’s too late. I put the ash in the garden along with the plants when transplanting from greenhouse to garden. I then sprinkle them around susceptible plants (all of them) around the 2nd week of June (Zone 5B) Along with this recipe, which I’ve used for years, I have almost no loss due to pests.

      Reply
    • Alliee

      June 9, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      I’m here today because I have something that looks like a left legged beetle that is sucking the life out of my squash/zucchini plants. I also think that something is attacking my cucumbers. Have you found a treatment yet?

      Reply
  8. Barbara

    May 12, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    Just please be aware that soap pesticides are broad spectrum contact bug killers. They are toxic to bees and lady bugs and other beneficials, as well as the bad guys. Spray them only directly on the bugs you want to kill. Spray during late dusk – after the bees have gone to bed. If standing soapy water droplets are available for bees to stop for a drink – the bees will be killed.

    This is one of those organic sprays that are not truly harmless. Use with caution.

    Reply
    • Sherri Lynn Herrmann

      July 23, 2021 at 3:04 pm

      Thank you so much for your comment this is what I was worried about most because I do not want to harm the spiders that are very beneficial and the lady bugs and the bees all of them are necessary and they need to have access to our gardens, they help our tomatoes grow in the 1st place come on… So that is what I am trying to figure out. I am growing in containers; I am growing bell peppers and jalapenos and then I am growing tomatoes in Earth boxes and then I have another Earth box that has just French lettuce
      I am also worried about Spring stuff on my lettuce as worry about it tasting like it.

      Peace

      Reply
  9. Tster

    May 12, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    My husband was wondering if it would keep the bees away?
    thanks

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 12, 2014 at 8:30 pm

      I haven’t noticed that it does! Bees are still super active on our garden.

      Reply
  10. Shaye Elliott

    May 15, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    I haven’t tried it on trees!

    Reply
  11. Sue

    May 16, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    I mix 20 to 30 drops of cedar essential oil to a whole spray bottle of water for the inside of the house to prevent ants. I spray it on all my door and window frames. I would wager it would work on outside plants too. I have not had a single ant since using the cedar essential oil and water spray 4 years ago. Seriously only 1 treatment 4 years ago.

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 18, 2014 at 9:25 pm

      Great to know!

      Reply
      • Jennifer

        July 26, 2020 at 1:50 pm

        Should you refrigerate the liquid?

        Reply
    • barbara A grogan

      April 12, 2020 at 11:10 pm

      I use baby power To get rid of my ants all around the house in cupboards etc etc and it works.

      Reply
  12. Julia

    May 17, 2014 at 12:03 am

    Just wondering if this would work for a household bug spray, to deter cockroaches?

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 18, 2014 at 9:25 pm

      I have no idea! No roaches where we live so I’m not sure what works good as a defense against them.

      Reply
    • Janice

      February 16, 2021 at 12:08 am

      A good dish soap kills roaches in seconds! You can dilute in water or spray as is, I swear by it

      Reply
  13. J Belton

    May 17, 2014 at 11:18 am

    What can I use for termites in the soil? Once I start watering the plants they show up to eat the roots. Do I have to get rid of all the wood chips in my garden? Thanks for your help.

    Reply
  14. Anita Robertson

    May 19, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I love onions, garlic & some cayenne…can’t imagine this smelling bad……who knew…I will probably add diatamatious (sp)earth, food grade of course, to this. Snails are really bad in my garden & they don’t like the DE. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  15. Marie

    May 19, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    Do you have a spray for unwanted house guests that show up uninvited? And I don’t mean bugs.

    Reply
  16. Cathy

    May 27, 2014 at 7:38 am

    I’m not so sure that adding diatomaceous earth to a liquid will do anything to kill anything because I was told where we buy it that it shouldn’t get moist. Its the microscopic shards that cut the exoskeleton of certain pests, and if it gets wet they are no longer sharp. On the other hand… we use DE in water or juice in the morning as a detox to keep our own systems clean and healthy. Thoughts?

    Reply
  17. Savannah

    June 2, 2014 at 9:17 pm

    I excitedly made this yesterday because I have a striped (something) caterpillar infestation on my cabbage. I live in Lousiana. I sprayed it on my cabbage and also a few squirts on some of my black eyed pea and bean leaves that had holes in them last night and when I went out to the garden this morning every leaf I had sprayed it on was brown and dead!!! I’m freaking out now because my plants were doing so well before!!!

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      June 8, 2014 at 11:46 pm

      I’ve sprayed it on almost every vegetable I’m growing and I’ve NEVER had it react that way!

      Reply
    • Melinda

      October 19, 2014 at 1:42 pm

      I’ve been making my spray with jalapenos and garlic with a little ivory soap. I have my mixture in a gallon container, with instruction to put 1/2 cup mixture and fill quart spray bottle with water. When I was away, friends tending my garden added 1/2 cup water to spray bottle and filled with jalapeno/garlic mixture. Burnt leaves on my garden, thinking they will come back – I hope. Your mixture could have needed watering down? Good luck!

      Reply
  18. [email protected]

    June 8, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    Is it necessary to use an organic onion? will it work with a non-organic onion?

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      June 8, 2014 at 11:38 pm

      Yes, it will.

      Reply
  19. amy ersing

    June 18, 2014 at 2:24 pm

    Can this be used on all vegetables?

    Reply
  20. Louise

    June 25, 2014 at 5:48 pm

    Hi, I came across your site last night and it enticed me to stay up until five in the morning reading through your site. The birds were sure noisy and I loved hearing every tweet. Anyway, here I am again back at your site thinking to buy your cookbook. I clicked a link and it took me to e-junkie,, sounds like something I would not normally sign up for but thought that is where I had to buy your book. Anyway I can’t seem to get to your book there so easily. I now found it on Amazon. but just wondering what the e-junkie thing is for and……… also…. wondering do your have a recipe for all natural plant food feeding…. for flowering plants as well as vegetables? Thank you. I love your site I will be passing it on.

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      June 26, 2014 at 12:15 pm

      Welcome, Louise! Purchasing the book through Amazon will get you the printed, hard-copy version of the book. EJunkie will get you the digital version that you can download to your computer. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  21. Wayne Guppy

    April 25, 2015 at 6:45 am

    I have some birds that eat my pimento peppers , cantaloupe and cucumber leaves. Is there any thing i can use to prevent this from happening.

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      May 1, 2015 at 11:00 pm

      Scarecrow! Or bright, flashy metal objects or streamers.

      Reply
  22. Carrie

    May 1, 2015 at 10:53 am

    What dish soap do you use? I wouldn’t want to eat dish soap. Does it work without the dish soap?

    Reply
    • donna a

      June 18, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      what about castile soap? Or Branch Basics makes a fantastic completely safe soap which may work too. Check out their website!

      Reply
    • Nena

      July 13, 2015 at 3:02 am

      It just works fine even without soap! I had my aromatics eaten by aphids and red little spiders and put 5 chopped garlic cloves in 1 liter water and let stay for 3 days… it worked fine but it really smells like hell 😀

      Reply
      • Lucy

        June 13, 2019 at 7:08 pm

        5 stars
        Got aphids on my tomato plants. Gonna try but will start with just oneplant to see how it works.

        Reply
  23. Jenni

    May 3, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    I would use some of that seventh generation soap that is made naturally, or something alike that has been made with organics.

    Reply
    • Cindy L.Cliburn

      September 13, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      Baby shampoo worked for me after using dawn and leaves seemed to start turning yellow and falling off.

      Reply
  24. Jenni

    May 13, 2015 at 10:36 am

    hi there! Do you dilute the mixture with water? I’ve done a lot of research and you’re recipe seems to have the best reviews. A lot of the other recipes recommend a little dilution..

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      July 12, 2015 at 3:52 pm

      I dilute it enough to fill a standard squirt bottle.

      Reply
  25. Jessica

    June 1, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    Do you think castile soap would work in place of the dish soap?

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      June 6, 2015 at 10:01 pm

      I’m not sure… I haven’t tried it!

      Reply
  26. Carol

    June 3, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    I made up a garden pest spray of 10 drops of peppermint pure essential oil, a little Seventh Generation dish soap and filled a 32 oz spray bottle with water. The next morning every leaf I sprayed it on was brown and dead. I also would like to know what caused this. Your thoughts??

    Reply
    • Shaye Elliott

      June 6, 2015 at 9:54 pm

      Was it sprayed on during the heat of the day in a hot sun?

      Reply
  27. chant'e knight

    June 13, 2015 at 9:37 pm

    I made my spray today. around 7:30pm I sprayed it on my collared greens. I hope this works, I’m Fed Up with the Bugs.

    Reply
  28. Paula

    June 17, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    I need to get rid of biting flies and mosquitos!!! The cows kick so much during milking that I have to rub them down constantly while the machine is on them. They love it but I have other chores to get done! Wonder if I should try a little of this in a spray bottle?

    Reply
  29. Andrea

    June 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    We use it on our semi-dwarf fruit trees and so far so good. I spray once or twice a month depending on rain.

    Reply
  30. Linda H

    June 18, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    I love your blog, and your sense of humor. We live outside of a little town on 1 acre. There is a 80 acre cornfield across the street. We have hot summers and cold winters. I am able to buy 6 pullets & feed from a local organic farmer. We just bought a sturdy chicken coop and it is ready for delivery. Our kids are grown. We have an indoor cat and 3 indoor dogs who will definitely be checking the chickens out! My first question is where to place the coop. Should the chicken area get 50% sunshine-50% shade? or what? We will definitely have a fenced in area for them. I’m doing this as a means to help feed our
    small family. I am a caregiver at heart; hopefully, I am not biting off more than I can handle. I probably need to go online and buy a book… Taking care of Chickens for DUMMIES. God bless you and yours,

    Reply
  31. Mary N.

    June 19, 2015 at 8:26 am

    I have used diatomaceous earth and also sift wood ashes over garden plants. This needs to be repeated after a rain or watering, but both are very effective for pesky critters that think they have to sample our hard labor 🙂 You can also rub the diatomaceous earth into the fur on the pets and cows and it will kill fleas and flies. Given to animals in their feed kills internal parasites. I put about a teaspoon on wet food for my cats and it keeps them worm free and I rub it into their fur to kill sand fleas and other critters they pick up outside. It doesn’t harm them at all. Sprinkle it around the barn area where you milk your cow and it will reduce the fly problem considerably. Go online and search it out. It’s great stuff. I also use the food grade DE in my smoothies. It kills parasites that we might have occasionally from various foods, etc. It’s also good for high colesteral, etc. A good website for information on DE is http://www.earthworkshealth.com/. Lots of testimonies and ways to use it. It can be purchased from Azure Standard in Oregon in 50# bags for around $20.

    Reply
  32. Natallia

    June 19, 2015 at 10:27 am

    Thank you, Shaye. I needed it TODAY!

    Reply
  33. Mahalia

    November 29, 2015 at 12:05 am

    Somee carpet beetles are black in color, while others will have unusual markings that can be reddish, white, black or brown. You might
    imagine that only exterminators know how to get ridd of them but with the right instruments you may
    get it donje by yourself. Baits and traps are generally identified to be most effective if plaed in quite a few locations.

    Reply
  34. Christina Birdsong

    May 22, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    2 stars
    Share, I make my “Buggies Be Gone” bug spray from essential oils and water. Much more simple.
    Love your blog. Never stop.

    Reply
    • water

      September 22, 2021 at 9:01 am

      what is the recipe? and will it work with corn?

      Reply
  35. James

    August 2, 2017 at 7:58 am

    5 stars
    Thanks! Having an effective organic spray alternative is amazing. Here’s a rundown on how ticks find you https://www.lifenotlabs.com/blogs/news/how-ticks-get-on-humans

    Reply
  36. Kelly

    July 18, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    Hello! You mentioned “reference your garden manual” is that something you bought or is it a go as you learn journal you started? If it is a pay for book, could you share the link?
    Love you blog!

    Reply
  37. Steve Borden

    July 2, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    Can I use this if stored in the basement over a winter, or should I start over.

    Reply
  38. Cindy

    May 2, 2020 at 8:27 am

    Is this safe to use on livestock?

    Reply
  39. Johnny Marin

    May 12, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    How long can you store the mixture before having to dump and make more? Or does it last until its all used up?

    This is a super late reply compared to the date you posted, I hope you still see it!

    Reply
  40. Chloe Hubert

    May 19, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    is it safe to use on myself?

    Reply
  41. Debra

    June 12, 2020 at 5:18 pm

    Will this work for other flowering plants as well ? And do I need to add more water once I put it in the spray bottle ?

    Reply
  42. Debra

    June 12, 2020 at 8:20 pm

    Ok so I made this but do I need to add more water once I have it in the spray bottle ? And can I use it on flowering and other plants also ?

    Reply
  43. Shirley Ann

    June 19, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    Sad to say I tried this, followed it to a T and I sprayed it on both my lettuce and my kale plants and whatever was feasting on them it did not deter them or stop them. I still have big huge chunks out of both plants. Thanks for the idea.

    Reply
  44. water

    September 22, 2021 at 8:58 am

    will with work on corn? and will this effect the taste if the corn?

    Reply
  45. Melissa

    June 3, 2022 at 12:03 am

    Where do I get the pepper Manhattan do I boil it I’m trying to use it for inside my house I like the smell of peppermint

    Reply
  46. Oregon

    December 11, 2022 at 3:58 am

    I’m not 100% sure, but this sounds like a concentrate and should definitely be diluted. And 1 TBS soap is a lot, I’ve never seen any recipe calling for more then 1tsp, I’ve been making homemade insecticides for many years and I would have to say this should be a 1 part insecticide to 1 part water mix with only a ½ to 1tsp of pure dish soap (castile type) with no perfumes or colorants, per 1qt spray bottle. I use a very similar recipe as a 1 to 1 with 1tsp soap in a ½ gallon sprayer and it works perfectly and no damage to my plants ever

    Reply

Leave us a reply: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




You May Also Like

Outlander herbal salve | The Elliott Homestead (.com)

Outlander Herbal Salve

If you haven’t read Outlander… and thus the concept of a Outlander herbal salve makes no sense to you… I apologize. Pretend like this is just an herbal salve instead….

Read More

The belly photos.

We’ve been having a grand ‘ol time in the great state of North Carolina. Last night, I whipped up a giant pot of pastured lamb and potato stew. Then, I…

Read More

An Unplanned Cesarean.

I’m only a few weeks away from having my third baby since starting this blog (way back when I didn’t have any fine lines surrounding my eyes). Wow. I can’t…

Read More

Bake Better Bread at Home eBook

And as experience is the best teacher, I’m here to share with you how to bake better bread at home. Save yourself years of bad loaves. My many baking flops are your gain. Here’s how to bake better bread at home.

Subscribe to the newsletter

  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Subscribe
  • Art Prints
  • Cooking Community
  • Online Workshops
  • Contact

Pinterest Twitter Facebook Instagram

 

© Copyright 2023 The Elliot Homestead | Privacy Policy