As any gardener knows, you can spend months slaving away in your survival garden. And yet, despite all your hard work, a swarm of hungry insects can come in and destroy your fruits and veggies within minutes. It’s infuriating!
Sure, you could use a pesticide. However, although these keep the bugs away they’re often toxic when consumed. Not to mention, when SHTF and grocery store shelves are empty, these pesticides will run out fast.
So what do you do?
Thankfully, there’s a variety of natural bug sprays you can make at home. Not only are these healthier for you and your plants, but they’re also helpful in keeping those nasty bugs away for good.
4 DIY Natural Bug Sprays To Keep The Pests Away
Olive Oil + Soap
Olive oil and “pure” soap come together in this surprisingly effective combo. Make sure to use pure soap for this, since it doesn’t have any synthetic chemicals in it. This includes moisturizers, bleach, detergents, and de-greasers. (The “pure” part will be on the label. You can find pure soap on Amazon, as well as in certain home goods stores).
To make the spray, simply combine 5 tbsp of pure soap with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 gallon of water.
You’ll love how this spray keeps the bugs away, while the oil simultaneously sticks to the leaves and protects them from pests.
Orange Peels
Have ants taken up residence in your garden (or inside your home)? Turns out orange peel will do the trick in keeping them out!
Simply peel three large oranges and put the peels in a blender with some water. Blend until you have a smooth liquid.
Pour the liquid into a bottle, and then douse it over any anthills you see. You can also spray this mixture around any entryways the ants may be coming in from.
Chili + Garlic + Onion
This one may be tough to make, since you’ll likely be tempted to use these ingredients in your next meal. However, this flavorful combo can make an effective DIY bug spray!
Keep in mind this combo has a very strong smell so it’s often best to use for outdoor plants.
Grind up one whole garlic bulb and one onion. Then add a tablespoon of chili flakes and pour the entire mixture into a 1/2 gallon of hot water. Strain out the liquid to remove the larger pieces, and then add a tablespoon of pure soap. Mix thoroughly.
Now pour the liquid into a bottle, and spray it onto your outdoor plants. Make sure to get the surrounding soil as well. The spices and strong smells will help deter bugs from getting onto your plants and eating your hard-won produce.
Tobacco + Water
This may be the oddest combination of all. However, it’s very effective. That’s because the plants will absorb the nicotine, which then kills the bugs when they try to munch on the plants.
But there’s a caveat. Because the mixture contains nicotine, it’s important to spray the plants while they’re still early in their growth. This will give them enough time to rid themselves of the tobacco before it’s time for you to eat it.
To make the solution, add a cup of tobacco to a gallon of water. Then put the mixture in a pot and boil it for half an hour. When the time is up, strain out the mixture, removing the large pieces, and let the mixture cool. Pour the liquid in a spray bottle and spray young plants to keep them insect-free.
Of course, also use extreme caution when spraying anything around the face. I usually spray my hands, then gently apply to the cheeks if the bugs are severe enough. Usually spraying the body is enough to keep them away though.