How to Use Natural Pesticides in Your Home and Garden
Keep It Natural
Pest infestations are a less-than-ideal situation as they don’t just turn your space into a mess, they also make your home an uncomfortable place for you to live in. Have you tried natural pesticides? Natural pesticides are made from organic materials that kill or disrupt the growth activities of pests.
Their production process is often hassle-free and void of chemicals; virtually anyone can gather extracts and derivatives from plants and minerals to make natural insecticides that are effective when it comes to pest control.
Why Should You Use Natural Pesticides Over Chemicals?
Natural pesticides are a go-to choice for most homeowners and gardeners. Here are some of the reasons why you may want to go natural when you set out to control the pests in your space.
Cost
No one wants to spend money on things that you can make yourself for a much cheaper cost. Natural pesticides are made from organic materials which cost little or nothing to obtain, and this reduces the final cost of the resulting pesticides without compromising its efficacy.
Pest Resistance
Sometimes using the conventional chemicals to control pests causes them to build resistance, rendering such chemicals ineffective. Unlike chemicals, natural pesticides can always take on a new form, mixture, or appearance to prevent pests from building resistance.
When a particular type of pest builds resistance to a certain pesticide, they tend to pass this resistance on genetically, making such chemical more ineffective over time.
Little or No Danger When Storing
While you would store chemical pesticides in between uses, natural pesticides are usually prepared as-needed. As a result, there's no need to worry about the dangers associated with storing chemicals — such as evaporation or consumption.
Little or No Damage to non-Target Pests
While pests are unwanted, there are always target pest during each pest control operation. Natural pesticides work well for proper pest targeting, unlike chemical options which are difficult to target with and may disrupt or eradicate virtually all pests in the area of application.
How to Use Natural Pesticides Effectively
Natural pesticides work better when used properly; you could have a well-made and effective natural pesticide, but without a proper application approach, the pest control operation might not yield the desired results. Check out these tips on how to use natural pesticides effectively.
Carefully Identify Harmful Pests You Wish to Eliminate or Control
Before you talk about your choice of natural pesticides, it’s pertinent to identify the harmful pests you want to control. In some cases, pests in a garden can be important — for example, bees and ladybugs help with pollination. This is why you need to be sure of the insects you wish to eliminate.
Your home, on the other hand, doesn't need any pests, so be sure to eliminate them all.
Select or Prepare Targeted Natural Pesticides
Depending on the pests you want to control, you need to make or buy natural pesticides that are tailor-made to cater to that particular type of pest.
Time of Application
In order for natural pesticides to work the achieve peak efficacy, it’s necessary to know the best time to apply them. Apply your organic pesticides just before dark or early in the morning. However, if you are controlling garden pests, you may want to reapply after heavy rainfall.
Apply Thoroughly
When applying natural pesticides at home to control pest activities, be sure to apply thoroughly on all affected areas to achieve the best results.
How Safe Are Natural Pesticides?
Every homeowner or gardener seeks to have a pesticide that works well when it comes to controlling pests but poses no side effects or toxicity to humans and garden plants. You should be aware that no pesticide is completely safe, but natural pesticides are still far better regarding safety during and after usage.
Natural pesticides are manufactured from natural products, plants and minerals; this gives the maker the chance to produce eco-friendly and somewhat human-friendly pesticides. Some chemicals are so toxic that you can’t even spray them yourself.
This is not the case when it comes to most natural pesticides, as they cause little pollution and pose less danger to homeowners and gardeners.
Simple DIY Natural Pesticides
Soap Spray
This homemade pesticide is made from a combination of liquid soap and water. It’s useful in controlling pests like mites, whiteflies, and aphids, among others.
Garlic Spray
Without a doubt, garlic has a pungent smell which makes it a good option for knocking out pests. Get a few bulbs of garlic and blend them. Add a little water and let the mixture stand overnight. Add liquid soap and vegetable oil, then spray.
Neem Oil
This is made from an all-natural plant that is popular for its ability to ward off pests. This pesticide is made with the addition of liquid soap and warm water and is non-toxic, as well as biodegradable. It's an ideal option for anyone seeking to use natural pesticides!