Natural Insect Spray For Plants (A DIY That Really Works!!)
Tired of pesky pests taking over your plants? Check out this amazing all natural insect spray for plants, made with all-natural ingredients like garlic and mint. Easy to make and use, this homemade garden garden spray was tested on badly attacked basil plants & a flowering vine and worked with only 2 applications! Say goodbye to harmful chemicals and hello to a healthier, greener garden.
“SIX Stars!! Oh my goodness…..this is the BEST insect plant spray I have come across!!! I was so tired of grasshoppers (or something) eating and destroying my dwarf cantas! They were still trying to bloom, but they looked awful! Mixed this and sprayed. THREE days later, my cantas have new, shiny, beautiful leaves again!! This stuff is AMAZING!” -Cheryl B.
Welcome to one of my most popular gardening DIYs: how to make a natural insect spray easily from pantry ingredients like garlic and mint – that actually works! Be sure to check out these other resources for more information on this bug repellent:
- A follow-up video showing how to make it, apply it, and how it worked on green beans, too.
- A Frequently Asked Questions page with answers to most questions I’ve gotten, plus reader testimonials about how this has worked in their gardens – both good and bad.
Okay, I’m SO excited to finally share with you the results of a get-rid-of-nasty-garden-bug experiment I’ve been conducting on my poor, bug-eaten basil plants and trumpet vine. I know I’ve teased you with my testing for long enough – we all deal with bugs, so I know you’ll be as happy to see the results as I was!
The background to this experiment is a tale known to many organic gardeners (and maybe even would-be gardeners who gave up when faced with seemingly destroyed plants?):
- Years of either ignoring the issue (and losing plants or living with damaged plants).
- Trying many different remedies from diatomaceous earth (works on many things though tedious to apply, sometimes hard to find, needs a lot of reapplication, may kill good bugs) to soap and water (this never really did much in my garden).
And for some reason, while I don’t have much of a problem beyond cucumber beetles in our large, main garden (and most years I don’t lose plants to them), our herb garden hosts something(s) that have eaten the basil every year since we added it to our backyard.
Because of this I created a spray (adapted from a Keeper of the Home article) to use on the basil, but didn’t really keep track of it (because I wasn’t sure it would work…), although I do remember that it did, in fact, work.
So the following year when our basil was hit particularly hard, as well as some marigolds I planted among the herbs and a trumpet vine growing up the gazebo nearby, I mixed up a batch, wrote it down this time and documented in pictures so if it really did work, I could share it with you.
And you’re not going to believe how well it worked – in fact, as I was putting this together I was thinking I was going to have to add disclaimers on the photos like “I promise these really are the same plants” or something, so you’ll believe me!
DIY Natural Insect Spray For Plants: The Experiment
1. Bug Eaten Basil
So I’m pinky-swearing or whatever you need from me: the three photos in the collage above really, honestly are the same plant from beginning to four weeks later. I know, can you believe it?
And also honestly: even after 20+ years of growing things, seeing stunted, bug-eaten plants like my poor basil makes me want to throw in the towel sometimes. It’s just…ugh. These were three basil plants that I grew from seed, nurturing them along and to see them look like this in just a few weeks after planting out? It’s hard.
And so I sprayed my homemade garlic-mint spray all over that poor plant, but I didn’t really think it was much for this world. It had only one growing tip left, but seriously, look at it (above left) – who would give that guy a chance?
Well, I started seeing results within days – new growth! After a week I still was a bit skeptical – was that old bug-bitten leaves or new?
But by week 2, I knew we had a winner and I snapped a picture before applying one more light spraying and then waiting another 2 weeks.
Look at this beautiful, healthy basil plant!
There’s a bug-bite here and there, but I can live with that (and we organic gardeners do, often, a-hem), but most of the new growth is blemish-free and I’ve started harvesting and making our not-so-secret-ingredient frugal pesto to freeze.
2. Almost Dead Basil
Now, I had to share this with you as well, even though the photos were not taken in great light. The plant on the left, above, was the worst of the three basils – stunted beyond anything I had seen with every growing tip eaten off and the remaining leaves were hard and leathery.
It was so bad I actually did dig it up and was just about to drop it in the compost (which I probably would’ve done if I hadn’t been planning on sharing this with you all, ha!), but at the last minute I planted it in an empty spot out in the main garden, spraying it with the garlic-mint spray.
And while it took longer to rebound, I took the photo on the right just a few days ago, hardly believing what I was seeing.
Is this stuff a miracle worker, or what? I should probably mention, too, that when I applied it the first time, we got a ton of rain the following week and I was sure it wasn’t going to work.
Garden M-I-R-A-C-L-E.
3. Trump Vine Damage
And, you can probably see where this is going (should I have saved all the afters for the end? I was just too excited to share with you!) but here we have a reminder of the trumpet vine damage.
This insect (I still don’t know what – I’ve never seen anything so it must be nocturnal) ate leaves like other bugs, but seemed to zero in on the new growing tips, which is a sure way to kill a plant.
And now the vine is growing like trumpet vines are supposed to (that would be out-of-control, for those not familiar with trumpet vines, ha!), full of lovely leaves and new growing tips.
I think this thing has grown 3 feet in just a couple weeks, that’s how much the insects had stunted it.
All Natural Insect Spray Video (with even more examples)
How to Make A Natural Insect Spray for Plants
So, are you dying to know what is in the spray and how to make it?
It’s super easy and uses easy-to-find (or grow) ingredients – I created it by combining a couple of sources, none of which had a clear ‘recipe’ (I credited one source above) so I’m writing it out for you so you can make it whenever you need it (see recipe card below for exact measurements).
- Use a food processor or blender to grind up fresh mint and a LOT of garlic.
- Transfer the mixture to a large stockpot with 12 cups of water and some cayenne.
- Boil, remove from heat and let sit overnight.
- STRAIN with a fine-mesh strainer into a couple spray bottles or large gallon garden sprayer – add a couple squirts of biodegradable dish soap.
That’s it! Shake well before using and spray all over and under the plant’s leaves one time. See how the plant responds after a week or two and reapply if needed (I only need a couple applications before the plant is strong enough to withstand the bugs).
I’m so happy to share this with you because I think you’re going to love it as much as I do!
Oh, and the mint? It makes this smell good – no yucky concoction here for you to suffer through (Update: some commenters have said the garlic-pepper part did bother them, so when you’re boiling, use adequate ventilation.)
Testimonials and FAQs
Don’t forget to read the Testimonials & FAQ where you’ll find answers to the most common asked questions as well as results from those who’ve used it!
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Natural Insect Spray for Plants Recipe
Tools
- Food Processor
- Large Stockpot
- Strainer
- Spray Bottles
Materials
- 2 whole HEADS garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 3 cups mint leaves and stems, too – I just throw it all in now
- 2 teaspoons dry cayenne pepper
- 12 cups water
- 2 small squirts of biodegradable dishwashing liquid
Instructions
- Add the garlic and mint to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds.
- Transfer mixture to a large pot and add the cayenne and 12c. water.
- Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let sit overnight.
- Strain into a couple spray bottles (or gallon garden sprayer) and add the two small squirts of dish soap.
- To Use:
- Shake well before each use.
- Spray all the leaves on affected plants, including the undersides – preferably on a cloudy day so as not to burn the plants.
- Wait a few days to see the effect and then apply more if needed (many times I’ve only needed to do one application)
Video
Notes
A few days ago I came across this garlic recipe on your website and was impressed with the results that you showed on the pictures of your garden. I made it and will try it tomorrow. There is an exact recipe on https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/natural-garden-pest-solutions website, which I got in my email inbox today. Any correlation to you? 🙂
Wow, good eye, Olga – it is almost word for word! Thank you for alerting me to that – I have sent a request to have the recipe removed for copyright infringement.
Hope this works for you like it does for me!
Does this work on squash bug?
Does it hurt plants?
Thanks
I’ve had cucumber beetles that left when I used it, so maybe? I haven’t had squash bugs. Maybe in conjunction with picking off the eggs?
My plants have never been affected, but I have had a reader tell me it burned the leaves of some flowers, so I suggest testing it on just 1-2 plants and doing it in the morning or evening or a cloudy day.
I will try this soon, just cooked it up. Can I use the strained material as a compost (and insect deterrent) for the plant? I hate to waste anything that might be of use. Note: we were surprised at the strength of the smell… trying to find ways to minimize this! I actually boiled it a few minutes– not a good idea, as it increases the smell…Other than the smell, we are looking forward to trying it! Thanks for the recipe.
Yes, well, it’s the smell that keeps the bugs away, too, lol. I’ve never thought to do that with the strained materials, so I’m not sure what that would do.
Hi,
I was wondering if this affected the taste of the basil in anyway- or is there a certain time period we need to wait after spraying to harvest the basil? Also, would this work on our mint plant?
Lastly; what kind of mint do you use for this recipe, we have a lime mint plant that is heavily attracting bugs (we think mealybugs and ants specifically).
Thank you!
Lauren
I only had to spray in 1-2 times when the plants were small, so by the time I harvested, there was no residual flavor or smell. If using on mature plants, I’d probably wait to harvest until I couldn’t smell (or give them a good washing).
Any type of strong smelling mint work! Not sure if lime mint is very strong, maybe that’s why?
I love this bug repellant spray recipe! I have used it for 2+ years now and I am making it again this year! Thankfully I have an abdunance of peppermint growing and I have a wonderful use for it! I use this repellant on everything around my garden and landscape beds. It works perfect! I do reapply as needed if I have lots of bugs chewing things!
Thank you!
Oh gosh, this is wonderful to read – I’m so glad it’s working so well for you!! Thanks so much for taking the time to review and let others know. 🙂
Will this work for tomato plants? Or bell pepper plants? Or is there something better? Thank you, Denise
It’s more the bug and not the plant, Denise. What is bothering the plants? This may not work on worm-like pests (tomato hornworm), but does seem to work with flea beetles, white flies, etc.
Always test on a few leaves and during shade if you’re worried about burning plant leaves.
The only active ingredient I can see is the liquid dishwasher ( dish soap)
Not sure what you mean by active – the hot pepper repels by scent and if they taste it, the garlic is a scent repellent, too. This isn’t a kill-type spray, but a repel spray.
Nice recipe..
Can I skip the soap..I’m not comfortable using it.
2ndly how long will this spray keep? Looks like a large batch
The soap helps the spray stick to the leaves – I’m not sure how effective it will be without it.
You can make 1/2 a batch. It keeps for 2 weeks to a month.
I can see tiny ants on my pepper plant, holes in my sweet potatoes and nothing yet on tomatoes. Will this help keep them away?
Ants don’t harm vegetables, but they do nurse aphids sometimes – those can be sprayed off with water (once they’re knocked off they don’t usually come back). Are the holes in the sweet potato leaves? Then yes, this may help since they could be flea beetles. It’s worth a try!
I am making this tomorrow. I want to find out if this will repel the rabbits! Does the garlic and other ingredients in this recipe imbue the plant with their taste? I have a tremendous problem with Japanese Beatles eating ALL the leaves of my grapevines (they also love my yellow roses). I am just wondering if the grapes will have a garlicky taste if I use this spray?
Thank you.
I don’t know about the rabbits, though I’ve had quite a few people tell me the smell works to repel deer – are they the same that way?
As for the beetles, I did find it helped my roses fight against them, but my infestation wasn’t large. For a bad one, I’d just try it out and see. I usually use the spray a few times to give the plants a boost and then don’t need to use it again before harvesting, so no flavor. Hopefully by the time you have grapes, the beetles will have gone elsewhere!
Cant wait to try this..my basil got ruined last season, so I am going to make it and protect my basil this year!! Any idea if it repels slugs too? Thanks for sharing!!
Hope it works for you like it did for me! No, sadly it doesn’t do anything for slugs – it works mainly by repelling through scent and slugs (and other worm pests) don’t care about that.
Do you know, does this work on squirrels? They are horrible here and dig out all my potted plants. Just wondering if it would maybe help keep them out of there! Thanks!
Hmmm, I haven’t tried that, but it does work by scent repelling and there’s cayenne in it, which they don’t like, so maybe? I have had a couple people tell me it worked with deer and kept them off their roses!
Hi. Will this recipe work to get rid of tomato fruitworms?
I don’t think so, I haven’t had much luck with worm-like pests – they don’t seem to mind the smell as much.
Any recopies for garden slugs ?
Not sure what recopies means, but this doesn’t work on slugs – it’s a scent deterrent and worm pests and slugs don’t care about that.
I’m so glad I found you!!! I’ve been trying, for weeks, to find a recipe for my poor roses. They have a rusty colored “something ” on their leaves… a friend tells me that it’s a bug!! Teeny, tiny….
I don’t want to use a chemical poison, so what can I do? Please help 😲.
Yes, I’ve used this on roses to keep Japanese beetles away, so try it and see if it works for your roses!
Can this be used on fruits and veggies that have been brought into the house and attracting bugs?
No, I wouldn’t do that – the smell is pretty potent and it’s something I only use 1-2 times a season so there’s no residue on the produce by the time we harvest. Nothing in it will hurt you, it’s just probably not needed for what I’m assuming are fruit flies? There are homemade fruit fly traps made with vinegar that often work for those!
Can you spray on likes beans and strawberries that require polibatiin?
Worried about affecting bees
I’ve used this successfully on beans (it’s in the video), so yes to that. I haven’t tried strawberries. It works to repel by smell, so not really sure if it repels bees. I know it doesn’t kill them, though, since I haven’t seen any dead and I have a lot of pollination going on.
Hi Jami, I’m having horrible time trying to keep tiny little green worms off of my roses! I just started my first Rose garden!
I get a few other bugs but mostly those tiny little worms, I’m not familiar with them and I have been picking them off by hand, but that is hard on my bad back and they are really hard to see sometimes. I needed to know if this spray is safe and how to use it on roses! Thank you
Hi, Terry! That sounds like rose sawfly larvae and this spray doesn’t work on worms or slug-like insects, since it repels by scent and they don’t respond to strong smells. You’re stuck with picking them off, dusting with diatomaceous earth, or using an organic insecticide.
I made this concoction, unfortunately, it doesn’t work. I never see any bugs so I have no clue what’s eating it.
Will this work on tomato plants?
It depends on what’s bothering them. It won’t work on tomato hornworms because they don’t care about the smell. It has to be a bug that will be repelled by the smell.
Hi I love your recipe and I’m going to try it! Have you tried it on scale bugs? I have a climbing Bowervine that is prone to getting scale. Also wondered if this would repell deer from eating the flowers in the yard?? We have a terrible time with deer eating everything in our yards in Virginia! 😫
I’ve experimented using this for deer and it seems to work, you just have to keep it applied. A reader told me she had been using it for a couple years on her roses and it’s the first time she’s been able to harvest any from the deer. It probably depends on the type of deer, but definitely worth a try!
As for the scale bugs, I don’t know – I don’t have those. You’d know in a week I think if it worked or not on them.
Thank you for responding so quick by
I meant recipie for the garden slugs sorry . If you have any that would be great
Crushed egg shells on the ground around your plants will take care of slugs.