How to: Make Inexpensive, DIY All-Natural Pest Deterrents for Your Garden

‘Tis the season to be gardening. And with it, ’tis the season to be ridding your garden of nasty pests that munch on your prized plants. 

I love creating my own DIY deterrents to rid the garden of those pesky pests, without harming my plants, myself, or the environment. These non-toxic recipes are very inexpensive and simple to make at home.   The Recipes: I like to keep the following around. The first two are liquid mixes that I store in a spray bottle, while the last two are simple shakes made from ingredients you probably already have in your spice cabinet.

• Homemade Insecticide Spray
• DIY Ant and Gnat Remover
• Rabbit Deterrent 
• All-Purpose Critter Deterrents

If you’d like, you can download the printable labels used in this post here.

Rebekah Greiman1. Non-Toxic All Purpose Insecticide Spray

Ingredients:

• 3 cups warm water
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tbls. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 medium onion, quartered
• 1/2 tsp liquid Castile soap, fragrance free

Add the 3 cups of very warm water to a blender.

2. Add the garlic and the onions.

Then, add the cayenne pepper. Do not lick your fingers. I repeat…do not lick your fingers.

Finally, add the liquid castille soap.

Throw all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a spray bottle using a funnel.

Rebekah GreimanLightly mist the offended plants with the insecticide spray. Bugs won’t like the spicy smell and take off for greener pastures. This works great on any plants-whether potted or planted in the ground.

Rebekah Greiman

2. Non-Toxic Ant and Gnat Remover. I make this spray for small, spastic bugs that evade my every move.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. natural, mild dish soap 
• 3 C Water

Using a funnel, add the dish soap to an empty spray bottle.

Next, add the water to the spray bottle.

Rebekah Greiman

Shake, spray and smile as the ants go slip-sliding off of your precious leaves. That’s it! Just be sure to wash all leaves or fruit before consuming. 

3. All-Purpose Critter Deterent. Simply fill a shaker canister with garlic salt. This will deter almost any critter.

Rebekah GreimanSquirrels hate the smell, slugs can’t stand it and dogs quit relieving themselves on your squash plants when you carefully sprinkle this around the soil.

*Note-Do not sprinkle on the leaves of the plant. This will actually kill them. Not that I’ve ever done that….nope. Just shake a light coating on the soil at the base of the plant.

4. Make your very own Bunny Deterrent by filling up a shaker canister with Cayenne pepper.

Rebekah GreimanSprinkle around the edge of your garden and flower beds. Cayenne pepper doesn’t burn the leaves of the plants or your grass like garlic salt will. Bunnies don’t like to sniff this spicy spice and look next door for an easier harvest. 

If you’d like to print the labels used in this project, you can easily download them here! They’re designed for Avery 22820 oval labels, but could be adapted to fit whatever you can find.

Do you have any DIY recipes for natural pest deterrents? Please share your ideas in the comments below.  

Happy non-toxic, pest-free gardening!