Chili Soap Spray Insectide
Improving the potency of any insecticidal soap spray doesn't mean it needs to be any less organic or good to your garden. Chili is such a hot herb, it is disliked by insects of all sizes and larger animals too. Caterpillars, crickets, slugs ans snails all prefer not to much on spicy chili. We use this as an ant repellent indoors too, which is really effective particularly for those huge swarms of tiny ants who rediscover the kitchen each spring.
As a sideline, I've used chili soap spray to deter puppies chewing on poisonous or cherished plants, to great effect, so it is worth considering if you have any mammal pests attacking your garden pests, wild or domesticated!
Whether you start off with a homemade insecticide soap spray or a store-bought version is entirely up to you. The method for increasing its strength with the power of chili is the same.
Homemade Chili Insecticide Soap Spray
It really couldn't be easier.
- Simply mix one part homemade soft soap, liquid soap or commercial soap insecticide
with twenty parts water.
- Add a few crushed dried chilies, a few drops of chili sauce or chopped fresh chilies.
- Leave to infuse overnight.
- Filter and put into a plastic spray bottle.
Chili soap spray is powerful in both flavour and heat so do not use it on the edible parts of plants within a few weeks of harvesting or you may be eating chili flavoured everything! Chili can burn tender new shoots so it is always best to avoid the newest buds and test spray a small area of your plant to ensure it can cope with the strength of chili soap spray produced. As this is a water based pesticide you will need to re-apply each week and after rain, if the pests return.