Garden Pests & Homemade Insecticide Recipe

As mentioned in this post from the other day, we are dealing with squash bugs in the garden. If you want to know what the eggs look like, there is a picture in this blog post.

We were so fortunate last year: Insects were not much of a problem! This year, however, it seems that the squash bugs (I call them stink bugs), have decided to lay eggs on the zucchini, summer squash, and honeynut squash plant leaves. UGH.

What squash bugs to can do to a zucchini in a day and a half

Looking To Rodale

Mr. Gordon pulled out his old copy of Rodale’s Chemical-Free Yard & Garden book to look for a homemade insecticide recipe.

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He decided to go with the All-Purpose Spray. It includes onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, and soapy water. I will admit, when Mr. Gordon was gently steeping the onion, garlic, and spice – the kitchen smelled great! But, this is not about eating… this is about protecting our beautiful garden!

Garlic and Onions – Check!

Simple ingredients found in the kitchen…

Combining Ingredients

After chopping the onion and garlic, they went on the stove to steep in one quart of water. Cayenne pepper went in at this time, too.

Run Through the Cheesecloth

After steeping for an hour, then cooling, Mr. Gordon pressed the mixture through cheesecloth. He then added the liquid soap.

The Result!

Homemade insecticide spray in a bottle!

We’re coming for you…

This is what a squash bug (or stink bug) looks like. Yuk.

The Daily Scrape

Those squash bugs do not give up easily. Mr. Gordon scraped off new eggs from the leaves as he went along spraying.

Spray Away!

Even if no eggs are to be found, spray those leaves! Preventative medicine.

Note that Mr. Gordon is wearing gloves (latex) because this spray is very potent. We recommend wearing gloves to minimize exposure to the insecticide. In fact:

Wear gloves when working with this solution and spraying
Do NOT touch your eyes
Do NOT spray into the wind – you don’t want this blowing back on you – on your clothes, skin, or eyes
Consider wearing protective eye gear when spraying
Keep AWAY from children and animals
Think of this as pepper spray – you don’t want this in your eyes, mouth, or even on your skin
If you do get this on your skin or clothes, wash thoroughly right away
If you get it in your eyes, you might consider immediately rinsing them with cool, clean water and also immediately calling your closest urgent care center or emergency room for expert advice and directions

In other words, please use common sense. Even though these are natural ingredients and homemade, they can STILL cause YOU harm.

Labor of Love

Mr. Gordon went through all the zucchini, summer squash, and honeynut squash leaves in the lower garden and side garden. He did report, however, that some leaves just could not be saved and he had to cut them off one of the zucchini plants. 🙁

He also saw cucumber beetles on the inside of the cucumber flowers. Ugh! We had such a rainy, rainy spring into summer. I wonder if that facilitated a larger number of pest bugs this year?