Insecticidal soap is a green, eco-friendly way to get rid of pests and parasites that have invaded and infested your plants. The concoction is not toxic to humans, pets, your plants, or the earth. It’s scads cheaper than buying insecticides from the store, and it’s so much safer. It befuddles me when I see people buying a bottle of toxic insecticide from the garden center, knowing they’re going to spray that poison on foods that they will feed their families. Ew!

So here, now, is a recipe for an organic insecticidal soap for pest control:

Needed:

• Gallon-sized container
• Water
• Organic soap (I like Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap)
• Organic oil (I use Bragg’s organic olive oil because I love & believe in the company but any edible organic oil is fine)
• Spray bottle (I use a metal spray bottle, because it lasts longer than plastic)
• Organic garlic and/or organic cayenne pepper

Fill the gallon container with water.   Add two tablespoons of organic soap, and two tablespoons of organic oil.  Add one clove of garlic and/or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.   Place the lid on the bottle, and shake to mix well.

Pour liquid from the gallon-sized container into the spray bottle.   Store the left overs tightly sealed in the gallon jar, in a cool, dry place (I store mine in the back of my pantry).

Spray the affected plants with the organic insecticidal soap.  The pests will leave or die within minutes.  Treat every other week to keep pests away.