Xeriscape Newsletter March 2014 | Page 3

DIY - Homemade Insecticidal Soap

We recommend doing this on a test plant first and waiting 24 hours to check for any negative effects.

Items Needed:

small bucket

bottle sprayer

mason jar

1 quart of hot water

bar of real soap (Examples: Ivory, Dr. Bronner's, Pure Castile Soap)

cheese grater

First, make the concentrate by using a cheese grater to grate one quarter of the bar soap into the small bucket. Add 1 quart of very hot water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Put this mixture in a mason jar to cool. When it is cooled, the concentrate will turn into a gel.Put 1 tablespoon of the concentrate per quart water into a bottle sprayer.

It is best to spray directly onto the insects you want to eliminate. The plant should be rinsed off 2-3 hours after application to prevent burning of leaves.