When the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to get outside and get your hands dirty in the garden! I look forward to gardening every spring. I definitely don’t look forward to all the bugs that come with it. This Natural Plant Spray will help curb pests and nourish your precious plants.
It takes work to create a thriving and bountiful garden. Gardening can be therapeutic and bring on a feeling of accomplishment. My succulent diffuser brings me so much joy! The absolute worst thing that can happen to a garden is for it to be overrun with insects. Insects can destroy plants by eating their leaves, stems, and roots, which can eventually lead to a plant’s demise.
Store-bought sprays designed to kill insects and weeds are highly toxic. DEET is widely used in bug sprays and insecticides. It is a known neurotoxin and some of the long-term effects of DEET include cancer. Pesticides are not only toxic to humans, but they are also harmful to pets and wild animals. They infiltrate our food and water supply. There is no safe pesticide.
As the gatekeeper of my home, I am responsible for what comes through the door. This applies not only to our food, but our personal care products, our cleaning products, and even what we use in and around the garden.
It has become increasingly clear that we must do our own research when choosing products for our families. Reducing the number of chemicals in my home is very important. I have a heightened awareness of products that contain harmful chemicals. I read labels, I do my research, and I only use brands I trust. If I can’t find a clean product that meets my standards, I make it myself.
Use this Natural Plant Spray with essential oils to safely ward off unwanted pests, and nurture your indoor and outdoor plants.
Certain plants can be used to control and repel insects. Planting a diverse garden helps balance the pests. Lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint plants make a great addition to an outdoor garden. Essential oils are extracted from various parts of the plant such as the leaves, stems, and flowers. The essence of the plant remains in the resulting essential oil.
Best Essential Oils for Garden Pests
- Peppermint (or spearmint) – repels ants, spiders, aphids, beetles
- Rosemary – moths, flies, mosquitos, ticks
- Tea Tree – ants, mosquitos, ticks,
- Cinnamon Bark – silverfish, cockroaches, dust mites
- Clove – wasps, ants, cockroaches, aphids
- Lemongrass – gnats, ants, mosquitos, fleas, ticks
- Lavender – mosquitos, fleas, flies, spiders
- Citronella – spiders, gnats, fleas, mosquitos
Indoor and outdoor plants have different needs. Outdoor plants are exposed to critters and pests that can threaten their health. Indoor plants tend to get less direct sunlight which can slowly kill it off. They can also be infiltrated by pests, harmful fungus, and even dust in an indoor setting.
Here are two recipes for Homemade Natural Plant Sprays:
Natural Plant Spray for Indoor Plants
Ingredients
- 20 drops Thieves
- 20 drops Citrus Fresh
- water
- 16 oz spray bottle
Directions
- Add Castile soap to the spray bottle and fill the bottle with distilled water.
- Mix in essential oils. Swirl gently to combine.
To use:
Spray directly to the soil and to the leaves of an indoor plant. Use a microfiber cloth to remove any dust. Use every 5-7 days, or as needed.
Natural Plant Spray for Outdoor Plants
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Castile soap
- 10 drops Peppermint
- 10 drops Rosemary
- 10 drops Citronella
- 10 drops Lemongrass
- water
- 16 oz spray bottle
Directions
- Add Castile soap to the spray bottle and fill the bottle with distilled water.
- Mix in essential oils. Swirl gently to combine.
To use:
Mist the leaves and stems of the plant. Spray on the soil surrounding plants and the garden perimeter. Avoid roots. Use every 5-7 days, or as needed.
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