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Everyone knows that to have an organic garden, you sacrifice a beautiful pest-free garden in exchange for higher-quality, healthier vegetables. At least this was a common thought until I discovered this super simple spray that is safe, inexpensive, quick, and, most of all, EFFECTIVE!
This recipe is my own, and while I cannot guarantee a 100% pest-free garden, using essential oils for pest control will allow you to have at least a 90% pest-free garden 100% organically!
There are actually some amazing tools and organic pesticides that can yield great results when battling pests or implementing DIY pest prevention.
Essential oils are condensed versions of their origin. This makes them highly fragrant and also oil-based.
They are oils, which allows them to stick to the leaves and not wash off like other pesticides and deterrents. They can last for a couple of weeks.
When pests look for victims, they do not randomly choose any plant; they choose it based on specific chemical signals coming from the plant. These signals are called pheromones. These pheromones are like a road map right to your plant, and it can be caused by anything from drought to nutrient deficiency, to even you harvesting from it!
The highly fragrant oils will mask the smell of the pheromones and confuse insects. They will go elsewhere because your plants are not an easily recognizable target.
The higher the quality of the oil does not matter. Just get the cheapest PURE essential oil you can find. The more expensive stuff comes with promises of faster hair growth, purer extract, and maybe a chance of winning the lotto, but all we are concerned about is the scent.
The three most effective oils I go for are:
Mixing your oils 1:1:1 is what you want. No rocket science here, folks! Just a 1/2 ounce of each oil will go a very long way. The oils will do many things:
In a 1-gallon pump sprayer mix:
Spray in early morning, and BEFORE pests have found your plants. This is a great preventative and will also make your garden smell great! Instead of some of those pesticides and preventatives that smell foul or so potent that your neighbor thinks your garden is a chemistry experiment gone horribly wrong.
NOTE: It will fade, so reapply every 2 weeks or as needed. It cannot hurt, so do not feel bad if you must reapply it every week!
Pro-Tip: Soak Q-tips or cotton balls in the oil solution and rub down posts, cages, and other items in the garden that will absorb the concentrate. It will be stronger and last longer!
I love using essential oils in the garden, but there are instances when using diatomaceous earth, Thuricide, or neem oil may be the better choice. Read MIgardener's Guide to Organic Pesticides to learn more!
The important thing is to stop pests from ruining my garden while doing what's best for the environment at the same time.
Luke Marion
Luke Marion created MIgardener in 2011 with a passion for inspiring others to grow a garden, live healthier lives, and have fun doing it. With the help of social media, that was all made possible! Today, MIgardener can be found on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. We believe gardening should be made fun and accessible to anyone of any skill level. Our slogan, “Grow Big or Go Home,” was created to help drive home our mission. We believe that when you put 100% effort into something, you will get 110% back.
Comments
I have been using the peppermint oil mixture for 3 weeks (this evening was the 3rd spray – I have had to did our a few borers, but there is literally NO BORER eggs on my stems and leaves! I even checked my 2 Blue Hubbard squash, which I planted as my “victim” plants – even they are growing quite happily! After being at war with the borers for 10 years, I am sooo optimistic that MIgardener has provided an answer! Thanks, guys!
This will be my first garden. I am excited and scared at the same time. I am excited to grow my own food. But, also scared I am going to lose is all to any of the above mentioned reasons and not have anything left. So, this post calmed some of my fears. Thank you.
