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How-To: Homemade Aphid Spray

Thu, 04/24/2008 - 9:15am by casasugar
1,344 Views - 5 comments


Even if you're not a gardener, you may have encountered plant-killing aphids, or plant lice, on plants near your home — I know I have. It turns out that you needn't be creeped out by these crawlers for long; you can make a simple, organic homemade spray to kick them to the curb. A tomato leaf spray works because the alkaloids in the leaves of the tomato plant, when mixed with water, are toxic to the little buggies, but still safe for you and your plants. You can also make a garlic oil spray, which contains sulfur, which is also toxic to aphids. But, since it kills all types of insects, even good ones (such as natural predators of aphids, like ladybugs), I don't recommend it.

To learn how to make tomato leaf spray, read more.

Supplies:

  • One to two cups of tomato leaves
  • Four cups of water
  • A strainer or cheesecloth
  • Spray bottle

Here's how, from About.com:

  1. Chop the tomato leaves
  2. Then, steep them in two cups of water overnight.
  3. Strain out the leaves with your strainer or cheescloth.
  4. Add another two cups of water to the liquid you were left with.
  5. Put it in your spray bottle.
  6. Spray the stems and the foliage of your infested plant, particularly the underside.

Source

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5 Comments Add a Comment

  • haze's picture
    haze
    2

    Thanks for the tips. Not so much for the pics of the creepy-crawlies though. eeeeeeeeeeh. They make my skin crawl.

    19 weeks 17 hours ago Report Comment
  • lawchick's picture
    lawchick
    3

    I had an infestation of these (they come in all colors -- mine were brick red) about a month ago. They were covering all the new growth on my perenials and I was very freaked out! I treated them with insecticidal soap, every day, for a week. The infestation cleared up and my plants don't appear to have been damaged.

    19 weeks 17 hours ago Report Comment

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