What natural products to treat pests to use?

There are natural products that you can use to treat pests

Are you fond of organic farming? Even if you are not, if you grow your food or part of it it is interesting to use natural products to treat pests whenever necessary.

But which ones to use and how? Potassium soap, neem oil,… there are many! And, no, not all of them are used to solve the same problems, but you can find two or more that work against a certain pest. Let's see it in more detail.

What natural products are recommended to treat pests?

Neem oil

Neem oil is a good natural insecticide

Neem tree oil is an oil (worth the redundancy 🙂) that comes from the seeds of the species Azaradichta indica, which is a tree native to India and Burma that reaches a height of up to 20 meters. It is a powerful and effective insecticide that is very easy to use that will eliminate pests that your crops have, and will keep them protected.

Neem oil
Related article:
Prevent your plants from pests with Neem Oil

Against what pests to use it?

It is good against all the most common pests: mealybugs, aphids, White fly, fruit mocha, moths, mites, trips.

How is it used?

You have to dilute 1ml of neem oil in a liter of water, and apply with a foliar spray (leaves).

Buy it here.

Horsetail extract

Horsetail extract is used as a fungicide

Horsetail is a plant that, apart from being very decorative and easy to care for if it has plenty of water, a liquid is extracted from it which, mixed with tansy, wormwood, onion and humus, give rise to a good repellent against fungi.

Against what pests is it used?

Pests none, but prevents and treats fungal diseases, such as mildew, powdery mildew, the monilia, the rust, the mottling of the leaves or the septoriosis of the tomato.

How is it used?

It has to be diluted between 20 and 50ml of product in a liter of water, and apply every 2-3 weeks as a preventive, or every three days as a curative.

Buy it here.

Nettle extract

Nettle extract is effective against aphids

Formulated with aqueous extract of nettle (Urtica dioica) and an alcoholic extract of watercress (Nasturtium officinalis), it is a good repellent of pests and microorganisms that cause diseases, since strengthens the defenses of plants by stiffening the walls of their cells. Also, and depending on how many is diluted, it helps the seeds germinate faster, or to have better growth.

Against what pests to use it?

It is recommended as a repellent against aphids, Red spider, and downy mildew disease.

How is it used?

It will depend on what you need it for:

  • Undiluted: accelerates the decomposition of compost.
  • Diluted 10 times: prevents against aphids and spider mites.
  • Diluted 20 times: prevents against mildew and chlorosis, as well as serves as a stimulant of seeds and plants.

The solution is diluted in 1 liter of water and applied with a spray on the leaves or on the ground.

Buy it here.

Potassium soap

Potassium soap is a natural insecticide

Also known as potassium solution, it is a biodegradable insecticide which is composed of potassium hydroxide, oil (sunflower, olive, clean or filtered and recycled) and water. It has the advantage that acts by contact; that is to say, it remains on the surface of the stems, leaves, or wherever it needs to be placed, of the plant. This makes it much easier for us to treat them against pests, since it will only be necessary to apply it to them. In addition, it is not harmful to the environment; In fact, it can be reused as compost because when it decomposes it releases carbonate of potash, which serves as an extra help to grow healthily.

Potassium soap, a good treatment against boldness
Related article:
What is potassium soap for?

Against what pests to use it?

It is indicated especially for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and mealybugs. It is also valid as a fungicide (against fungi) whenever the disease is causing minor problems to the plant.

How is it used?

You just have to dilute between 1 and 2% potassium soap in water, and apply it with a spray.

Buy it here.

What measures to take to prevent pests from having pests?

Avoid buying diseased plants

The insects that cause pests are always there, lurking, waiting for the slightest opportunity to feed on plants that are not going through their best moment. During the spring, and especially the summer, is when we will see them the most. However, there are several things we can do to keep them far enough away:

  • Keep the plants well watered and fertilized: keeping in mind that more is not always better; but rather the opposite in these cases as there could be a risk of overdose. If you do not want its roots and leaves to burn or dry out, water regularly and follow the instructions on the fertilizer container so that they are beautiful.
  • Do not wet leaves or flowers when watering: they cannot absorb water directly, and in fact if they are kept wet too long they literally die, suffocated by having the pores on their surface closed.
    The same thing happens to the roots when you put a plate that is almost always full. Never forget to remove any excess water 20-30 minutes after watering.
  • Have diseased plants separated from others: in order to prevent pests or diseases from passing to healthy ones.
  • Don't buy diseased plants: for the same reason said before. If they have any pests, or they look bad, you have to leave them in the nursery.
  • Use new substrates: it is not advisable to reuse them as soil for potted plants (they can be thrown in the garden, in an area where nothing has been planted), since the risk of infection is very high.
  • Disinfect pruning tools before and after use: In this way, you will keep the plants protected.
  • Do not hesitate to use chemicals when the pest is widespread: adopting the necessary safety measures, such as putting on rubber gloves, applying them only on non-windy days and if there is no rain forecast, and following their instructions to the letter. Why? Well, natural products are fine, but when we have a plague for example of cottony mealybugs that is killing plants, the ideal is to opt for chemicals such as insecticides that contain Pyriproxyfen.

What other natural remedies against pests do you know? 🙂


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