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
Sooooooo Thankful !!! Just what I was looking for .my beans were horribly eaten away andd I was looking for non chemical pest repellent n then I read n saw it post !!
SOOOOOO THANKFUL !! STAY GREEN STAY BLESSED !! THANKS AGAINNNN !!!
Wonderful – hope it works for you like it did for me!
Can you use this bug spray on rose bushes and other flowers?If so I am going to try this,Please let me know.Thank You Sheila
Yes! I used it on roses and think it helped keep some of the Japanese Beetles away. I wasn’t able to do a complete before-and-after test, so didn’t add it to the site.
how long does mint insecticide last?
It seems to lose it’s potency after 3-4 weeks.
I have just printed this out… having a horrible time fighting bugs in my organic, non-GMO garden…. nothing is really working all THAT well so I will give this a try…. my question is this: As far as biodegradeable soap… is that something like Dr. Bronner’s? If not, can you make a recommendation? I want to make this up today if possible… Thank you so much….
Yes, Dr. Bronner’s is perfect, Andrea. I’ve also used Seventh Generation. Hope this works for you!
Thank you for sharing your brilliant concoction. I just wanna ask how many months can we store the solution having its efficacy as a repelent?
It lasts about a month before it starts losing it’s scent and effectiveness.
I used a garlic pepper spray on my root veggies and leafy greens. It hurt them tremendously. Could the cayenne have burned them?
Yes, especially if the weather was hot. My recipe uses just a small amount of pepper, so I haven’t had a problem, though I live in a cooler climate (than, say, the southwest). I always caution people to to a test area first.
I’m wondering if basil’s flavor was altered by the spray?
Nope – I write more about this on the FAQ page. 🙂
So glad I found this! I’ve always have been opposed to chemical pesticides and repellents. The only question I have is, does it repel or kill good bugs?
It repels!
Thanks for the recipe! Can you please tell me what quantity is the “3c” for the mint? 3 Cups? Thanks again!
Yes, c.= cups, Emma.
Do you have a DIY spray for in house plants? I sure would like to know what that is.
I don’t, Kathy – I actually don’t have many house plants. 🙂
Your information is well written gratefully shared. You are obviously a kind & considerate person. Thank you for sharing this useful information. I plan to try your bug repellant spray. I would like to say that I also had difficulty getting to the recipe but finally got there, ‘tried’ to print it but ended up writing it down. Maybe some of your links don’t work all the time. Just some friendly feedback to which you seem receptive. Thanks again & I hope I remember to give feedback on how effective your recipe is for me.
Of course, Nancy – I want to be sure the site is easy for everyone to use, so thank you for letting me know your experience! The links always work for me (both clicking on the arrows for the recipe and printing), so I need to hear from readers who are having issues. I do hope the recipe works for you now that you got it!
I’ve been trying to print off the recipe for garlic and mint insect control but it comes out blank. Help! Please email it to me at susanonyi@yahoo.com
Thank you!
Susan O.
So weird, Susan – it opens fine for me. Did you try closing your browser and clearing the cache? Anyway – I’ll copy and paste it in an email for you. 🙂
I wonder if this would be a good spray for repelling rabbits from eating my plants? Garlic and mint have been recommended elsewhere in internet to work on rabbits, etc. What do you think? If so, w oukd it have to be reapplied after every rain? If used for that purpose, could i leave out the cayenne pepper? I feel it has potential to be cruel to animals. (They can’t rinse out their mouths and eyes, etc).
Also, my catmint plants will need trimmed back soon. Their scent is not as strong, but would they work in the mixture? I have a mint plant also, but it is in a small container, do i would not have enough of it alone. Thanks!
You could test an area and see how the rabbits react to it, Shawna. I hadn’t thought of it for that application (though you’re right, no need for the cayenne).
I also don’t know about the catmint. Maybe try a mixture along with a regular recipe and spray them next to each other and see if they work the same? It’s all a matter of trial-and-error like I did. 🙂
Hi there! I actually have aphids on my mint plant. Would you happen to have a recipe that could work for it?
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
I use a simple water-soap combo for aphids, Kathy. First spray as hard as possible to knock as many off as you can. Then mix up a quart of water, a squirt of dish soap and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a spray bottle. Spray this over all the affected areas as many times as needed until they’re gone.
Let me know if that helps!
Thank you, I will let you know in a couple of weeks or so. I’ve tried this combo before for my other herbs in the past but it didn’t seem to work 🙁
However, perhaps it will work this time. I have given it a good spray a couple of times with the shower head spray. They are hard to find. It seems there are not many, but they are certainly causing alot of problems for the mint. See how it goes this time! Thanks again! 🙂
Question PLEASE!!!
I am trying your Garlic Mint Miracle Spray. I hope it helps repel Japanese Beetles; we will see. But my question is this: What do you do with the solids left over from making the spray? I have considered putting them on the soil around a particularly attacked plant (Red Hopi Amaranth). Or just into the compost pile? Your advice will be greatly appreciated.
I just compost it, Barbara.
Hi Jami My name is Marsha and I live in Florida zone 9-10. I have St. Augustine grass and a problem with chinch bugs killing it. I can’t afford to have a lawn company spray. Would you give me your best guess as to whether or not the Garlic-Mint spray might work? I would prefer to kill them. If not I’m afraid that they will just move to another area and resume their destruction. Thanks for your thoughts on this and do you have any other suggestions?
This is a repelling spray, as far as I can tell (I haven’t done scientific tests or anything like that), Marsha, so I don’t think it’s what you are looking for unfortunately. I’ve never even heard of that bug, but it doesn’t sound good. 🙁
Could I use peppermint essential oil? If so how much would you recommend?
I talk about that in the FAQ: https://anoregoncottage.com/diy-garlic-mint-garden-insect-spray-testimonials-faqs/
Hello, do you know for what specific types of bugs this spray works? Thanks for sharing!
It’s a matter of trying and seeing if it works for your garden, Mallory. That’s how many natural remedies are – they work for some things and not for others. Many, many have had success with it, so I think it’s a large number of bugs that it repels.
I made this, desperate for a solution to the months attacking my mint plants this year and my basil. It worked. The next day very few months. The day after that none. In one week my mint and basil plants are growing strong again. I will definitely keep this mixture around. Thank you.
Just to clarify – months were not attacking my plants but moths were:)
Another happy report – yay! Thank you so much for letting us know your results, Donna – the more we know how it works for others, the better for us all. 🙂
Hello:)
I just wanted to thank you for sharing this absolutely amazing bug spray recipe, it really works like magic!!!
All my plants became so much healthier, stronger and bigger after only one application! It’s a miracle!!! Thank you:)!!!
Yay!!! So happy to read this – thank YOU for letting me know. 🙂