VEGETABLE GARDEN SPRAY | Non-toxic, deters insects!
When I left New England in favor of the sunshine state I thought Florida’s long summers, intense sunshine and daily afternoon summer showers meant that growing fruit & veg would be easy. And it would be, if it weren’t for garden pests.
I tried everything I could find to keep plants and produce insect-free, but nothing worked, until now. After scouring the internet I began concocting pest-deterrent sprays. Several test batches later I was ecstatic when the following “recipe” worked! Let me know if it works for you, too.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water, divided
- 6 or more large garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
Method
- Place 2 cups water and remaining ingredients into high powered blender and process on high for several minutes until the liquid is slightly warm to the touch.
- Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel or several layers of cheesecloth, stirring as needed to extract liquid.
- Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and add remaining water. Discard the strained sludge or add to compost.
Usage
- Shake well before use. Spritz plants daily with a fine mist spray. For best results, spray tops and undersides of leaves.
Note
- Assuming my vitamix would pulverize everything fine enough to get through the sprayer bottle nozzle, I didn’t strain the first batch. Big mistake! The sprayer nozzle became clogged, resulting in uneven and sparse spray. This did not happen after straining.
- I purchase garlic at the local Asian Market because (1) it’s peeled, and (2) it is very inexpensive. To prolong fridge life, I store peeled garlic in a mason jar and seal the jar using an inexpensive vacuum sealer. (Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4m7EEOA)
