- What is an Insecticidal Soap?
Insecticidal soap a.k.a soap salts, is an organic pesticide made of potassium salts of fatty acids and is derived from plant oils like coconut oil, olive oil, etc.
The difference between soap salts and regular soap is the alkali used in making this. In bar soap, they use sodium hydroxide, whereas in insecticidal soap they use potassium hydroxide to make potassium salts of long chain fatty acids which are considered safe, non-toxic and eco-friendly and infact approved for use as an organic pesticide. As always, we always recommend you not to use hazardous chemical fertilizers and pesticides in our website.
PURCHASE LINKS:
Insecticidal Soap (Potassium Soap Salt) Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3vBBzzk
GardenSafe Ready to Spray Insecticidal Soap: https://amzn.to/3hD9MWV
- What is the mechanism of Action of Insecticidal Soap Spray?
Insecticidal soap acts by contact. It kills insects in three ways:
- It damages their cell membranes, causing the contents of the cell to leak out, leading to dehydration and death.
- It melts the protective wax that covers certain insects (mealybugs and other scale insects) and this leads to dehydration from evaporation.
- It blocks the pores through which insects breathe, leading to asphyxiation and death.
The pest treated usually dies very rapidly, within minutes of treatment.
- What are the insects and pests that are sensitive to Insecticidal Soap Spray?
Insecticidal soap is most effective on soft-bodied arthropods, a group that includes most plant pests like Aphids, Earwigs, Leafhoppers, Mealybugs, Sawfly larvae, Spider, mites, Thrips, Whiteflies and even Small caterpillars. Apart from these, insecticidal spray is also recommended and very effective for treating powdery mildew disease. Identify Various Pests here!
- What are the insects that are not harmed by Insecticidal Soap?
Normally, the pollinator insects like bees, butterflies, ladybugs, lacewings, etc. are not harmed by insecticidal soap.
- Ready to Buy Formulations of Insecticidal Soap:
You have two options to choose. One is Ready-to-use insecticidal soap spray that comes packaged in a spray bottle. The second option is to buy a concentrated solution. You have use some 5ml per liter of water and then spray on your plants. Many gardeners like the idea of the ready-to-use product because it’s already mixed in the correct proportions so there’s very little risk of plant damage. The bottle may be labeled as “Suitable for Organic Use,” or “Safer for Plants and Vegetables,” but if it is a true insecticidal soap, its bottle will list “potassium salts of fatty acids” as ingredients. Please check this composition before purchase.
PURCHASE LINKS:
Insecticidal Soap (Potassium Soap Salt) Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3vBBzzk
GardenSafe Ready to Spray Insecticidal Soap: https://amzn.to/3hD9MWV
- How to use these Insecticidal Soap Sprays?
Before we go to making your own powerful insecticidal spray, let’s learn how to use these commercial formulations. The ready to spray bottle is simple to use. Just shake well before use and start spraying thoroughly on the affected areas of your plant. If you have the concentrated solution of the insecticidal spray, use 5ml per liter of water or as directed in the bottle usage instructions. Mix well and spray the plant thoroughly or wet the plant completely, because It is effective only when it is wet and has no residual effect. In other words, it loses all its effect once it dries out. But the pests usually die very rapidly, within minutes of treatment. You may also perform a patch test before using it for the first time. We will discuss about it later.
- DIY Powerful Pesticide Recipe:
The active ingredient in insecticidal soap is the soap, itself. While many homemade recipes may tell you to add additional stuff, such as garlic, chili powder, etc, the insecticidal soap is actually the main ingredient. We will make the recipe for 1 liter of water in this demonstration.
- Take 1 liter of water in a container which can be closed (Distilled water is best. Do not use hard water)
- Add 1 full teaspoon of mild liquid soap – like hand wash liquid. Do not use stronger ones like dish wash soap. Liquid soaps contain potassium salts of fatty acids which are soap salts.
- Add 1 full teaspoon of vegetable oil like coconut oil to this. Now this will be your home made insecticidal spray. But to add more power to this, you need to add Neem oil to it, like about 5 ml, especially if the pests infestation is too extensive or resistant to any of the treatments.
- Mix it well by closing the cap and shaking it well for few minutes.
- Fill your spray bottle and shake every time before you spray.
- Both the liquid soap and the oil act as surfactants to help keep the solution from quickly running off the plant’s leaves when sprayed. The longer the solution remains on the plant’s foliage, the better the chance of killing the pests.
- What is Patch Test?
Whenever you make or use a pesticide for the first time, always do a patch test on a leaf first before spraying on the entire plant. You never know, how strong it is and may damage your plant. So, first spray it on a leaf or branch and wait for 1 or 2 hours. If the leaves start wilting, then its too strong to use. Dilute it accordingly and use.
- How often Should I spray?
For pest prevention, spray plants thoroughly with insecticidal soap once in 10 – 15 days. For treatment once weekly or max twice weekly. And after a heavy rain, you have to reapply the spray.
- Can I store this solution once prepared?
You can refrigerate it to store. But always better to make fresh solution every week.
PURCHASE LINKS:
Insecticidal Soap (Potassium Soap Salt) Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3vBBzzk
GardenSafe Ready to Spray Insecticidal Soap: https://amzn.to/3hD9MWV
By using Chemical Pesticides in our garden, we intentionally release harmful toxic and cancer producing substances into our environment.
Thankfully, there are a number of easily available natural substances that act as organic pesticides and are completely safe to use on our plants.
These home made natural pesticides can kill a variety of pests and bugs in our garden, either singly or in combinations. Combination of multiple substances can help you to provide a broad spectrum killing of a variety of pests like Aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, spider mites, beetles, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, larvae, caterpillars, slugs and snails and many more.
Today, we will look into the formula or the recipe to make this All-purpose cocktail pesticide and most important its completely organic and safe to use.
Before we go into the ingredients, make sure you follow these three rules in applying this natural pesticide for your plants.
1. First and foremost, Always do a patch test on a leaf or a branch before applying all over your garden. If your leaf is getting burnt or wilting, then probably you need to reduce the concentration. And if you learn this adjustment, am sure you will have a pest free garden one day.
2. Secondly, make sure your spray even on the under sides of the leaves, and also flower buds and new growing shoots.
3. And lastly, do not apply during the sunny hours. Best time is evening and after sunset.
Now the Formula or the Recipe for this All purpose Organic Pesticide: We add 4 Ingredients to make this powerful pesticide liquid. This formula is to make 1 litre of this solution. So to 1 litre of warm water we add:
10 Drops Clove Oil – if you do not have clove oil, you can make a clove solution by taking 1 tablespoon of cloves and then crush them roughly and add this to a cup of warm water and leave it for 1 or 2 hours and then use this solution. Add a cup of this solution to water. But if you are using pure clove oil, you can use 10 drops only. The one you are seeing here I purchased online and this is approved by the ministry as a safe pesticide for organic vegetable gardening. You can use any pure clove oil brand from your store. You can find a link to purchase this at my website www.gkvk.in and also from a link in description below this video.
10 Drops Pure Neem Oil – get this from a trusted source. Even this purchase link you can find in description.
5 – 10 Drops of Eucalyptus Oil – This actually drives away bees and wasps. Use it if you do not mind driving away these pollinators or sometimes they are scary for your kids or you have a risk of anaphylaxis or allergic shock to bee or wasp stings or use them in special areas to protect your kids from bee or wasp stings.
10 drops of liquid soap like dish wash soap liquid for the coating or surfactant effect.
Its easy to remember this Formula like the Rule of 10 – that is 10 drops of each of these 4 ingredients.
Mix this well and load into your spray bottle and spray on your plants but first do a patch test and follow the rules already mentioned earlier.
i have used this same recipe and cleared almost all pests from my plants.
Initially you can use this weekly once for 3 weeks and eradicate all pests from your garden. Then as a maintenance dose or prophylactic use it in little lesser dilution atleast once every fortnight or atleast once a month.
Also watch my videos on Universal Fertilizer Recipe and Universal Potting Mix Recipes from the end screen links.
So there you have it folks, if you like this video click a thumbs up for me and share the video with your friends. Please do not forget to write your feedback in the comments section below the video.
Happy Gardening!