Organic Insecticides

Safe Insecticides - Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap

2010-01-25T08:10:00.001-08:00

Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap

Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap is an extremely mild yet often very effective Safe Garden Insecticide. Cheap Insecticidal Soaps are a great way of dealing with a wide range of pests without using harmful chemicals.

Of course they have their limitations, but used wisely they are often all that is needed to keep the garden in tip top condition. You can make your own homemade soap sprays but it is often more reliable to use a manufactured version to ensure you have aconsistent strength of product and safety for delicate plants. They are supplied in highly concentrated form so you do not need to purchase very often and dilute them to make literally gallons of safe insecticide.

With the Safer Brand insecticide you know the soap spray is always of an identical formula and that if your plants liked it (and the insects didn't) last time you used it, the same results will apply this time.

As with all insecticidal soap sprays there are limitations. They are not rainproof and their alkaline nature can be damaging to a few highly sensitive plants so check the packaging or test a small area of any really highly prizedornamental specimens. All soap spray insecticides should be used when there is the least chance of spraying beneficial insects as though it is harmless to the likes of ladybugs once sprayed you could harm them if spraying directly onto them. So, it is best to spray either early or late in the day when insects are least active. This way also ensure you do not incur scorching from the sun shining on wet leaves either.

Even Safe Insecticides need a sensible hand!

Cheap Insecticidal Soap Spray

2009-11-02T05:44:00.001-08:00

Cheap Insecticidal Soap Sprays are available here. There is a wide range but the best deals are also the most ecologically sound. That is to say, buy concentrated formulas in large pack sizes. Sure you can find organic rose scented garden pesticides, but lets be honest, they are over packaged and over-formulated.

Soap Spray Insecticide is supposed to be basic and environmentally friendly, otherwise what's the point. The Safer Brand gets my vote because for around $10 you get 1/2 litre of soap spray. It might not sound like a whole lot, but this is VERY concentrated. You can easily make 25 litres of garden insecticide with that amount. That is a whole lot of spray, to treat a whole lot of pests!

Buying a concentrated formula means you are not paying for additional packaging and transportation, so the whole purchase is 'Eco Friendly' rather than just the use of a soapy insecticide!

Cheap Insecticidal Soap Spray such as this should always be the first choice when trying to deal with insect pests in an environmentally friendly way. Sure, there will be times when you need more power to battle the pests in your backyard. Then it might be time to try some diatomaceous earth insecticide or neem oil pesticide.

In the meantime, a little perseverance proves that a basic, ecologically sound insecticidal soap usually does the trick. Most pests cannot cope with the dehydrating affects of soaps and not much wants to chew on folage covered in soap spray either. So they help eliminate pests on two fronts. Not bad for something safe, mild and kind on your wallet too!

Buy Safe Garden Insecticides

2009-10-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

It is great to have a yard to be proud of. When making the best of your yard always ensure you buy Safe Garden Insecticides to reduce the harm your wishes for perfection have on the larger environment around your home. There are plenty of ways to combat pests and diseases that do not threaten the local ecosystem or indeed the health of you and your family.

Organic gardening does not have to mean letting everything run wild, or not bothering to treat diseases or pests. That is rather more lazy gardening, one enjoyed by many but not a good advert for organic methods to those of us who enjoy a little more perfection in our yards.

Safe Garden Insecticide Instructions

Safe insecticides come in all shapes and sizes. From natural Neem Oil, to Insecticide Soap, Diatomaceous Earth and countless other variations on these All Natural Insecticides. You can buy or make your own, or even source completely organic insecticides if you like, but the most important word should be SAFE. This is key. We want pesticides that are safe to use, safe to store, safe to handle, safe for plants and safe for the ecosystem. Safe to dispose of and safe for beneficial insects, birds and wildlife.

Key to keeping insecticide use safe is thinking about how you use the products themselves. Keeping things natural does not mean nothing can be harmed by their use. After all, the only reason you are using these garden pesticides in the first place is to try and destroy some form of life that is becoming a pest to you and your garden.

Simple things such as reading the instructions completely are important. Even the most benign garden insecticide such as insecticidal soap, can be damaging to certain species of plants. Check the labels so you do not damage a favorite specimen whilst trying to save the ladybugs.

If in doubt, test spray a little of the product. This is particualarly useful when dealing with a prized specimen plant and definitely worth the extra day or so to see for yourself that your favorite shrub is not affected detrimentally by the use of any new garden pesticide product.

Using Safe Garden Insecticides

Another key factor is to think about how you use the Garden Insecticide itself. Spraying every bug under the sun is unlikely to help your local environment. So spray when bugs are least active. That way you can easily avoid spraying beneficial predator and pollinating bugs like butterflies, bumble bees and ladybugs.

If you destroy all the good bugs too, you will quickly find the insect pests in your yard are able to over-run the garden completely. You need them to help keep the problem insects in check.

Spraying any water based product is never adviseable during times of bright sunshine. All those drops act as lenses magnifying the sun's heat and scorching leaves. There is also little to gain using water based products in high humidity as they will simply roll right off your plants. It is usually best to spray in the early morning or late evening when bugs are less active, and sunlight is not strong, but make sure it is also a dry day.

Alternative Natural Insecticides

Never forget how important alterative treatments are. Your vigilance and quick work with finger and thumb can do more good than anything else. Keeping an eye on the pest levels in your garden is the key to success. Treating a problem once well established is far more difficult than nipping a problem in the bud before it has a chance to really take hold.

Netting when butterflies are laying eggs is the most natural and organic form of pest control. You really cannot get safer for you and your family and of course it is reusable so cheap. If you missed the right time to put the netting over your brassicas remember to check daily and squash any caterpillars or eggs you find. Or feed them to the chickens for a truly organic approach.

Do not worry if not everything is perfect, this is nature we're talking about after all. In fact a few areas of untidy natural looking items, such as a few logs, an area where seed-heads are left over winter can help provide shelter for beneficial over-wintering predator insects and helpful animals such as frogs, toads and hedgehogs.

Enjoying time outside is a real energy giving passtime. But being a keen gardener does not mean always having to fight nature to achieve perfection. Sometimes it pays to be a little more flexible in your outlook. Try to keep things looking great but enjoy nature's variety and surprises too.

When you have to spray just make sure you use Natural Safe Garden Insecticides which do not pose a threat to your, your family or your local environment.

Safer Insecticidal Soap

2009-09-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

Soap spray insecticides have been used by gardeners for as long as soap. The dehydrating, alkaline nature of soaps make effective insecticides but gentle to use and come into contact with for us, and most plants too.

Whilst some simply through the dirty dish water at the rose bushes, many of us want a garden insecticide that is a little more scientific and reliable.

The problem with making your own insecticidal soap is that you can never be quite sure of the strength of the liquid soap used. Too alkaline and it may well cause problems for your plants. But too weak and it may not eradicate all the pests you want it too.

Safer Soap Insecticide

By using a product such as Safer Soap Insecticide you eliminate the problem of inconsistent ingredients. The maker's ensure that every batch of insecticidal soap is of equal standard, safety and effectiveness. Importantly they are able to test their safe insecticides to ensure exactly which pests are eliminated and with minimal affect on the plants themselves.

With Safer Soap spray you can happy to use on indoor plants and garden specimens alike. Additionally you have no fear using on edible crops and ornamental plants.

Safer Insecticidal Soap will kill aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites, white-flies and other harmful insect pests. Used with caution, when beneficial insects are least active, it will not cause them any harm. Unlike conventional pesticides which destroy anything, Safer Soap will not harm beneficial predator and pollinating insects unless you physically cover them in it. So this is best used during the early morning and late evening when these insects are not active.

Best of all, though this may cost a little more than the dirty dish water, Safer Insecticidal Soap is sold as a concentrated product so a little goes a very long way. At around $13 for 16oz it certainly won't break the bank!

Safe Insecticide - Ant Insecticide

2009-08-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

Ants can be extremely problematic. As well as the problem of biting ants such as fire-ants, there can also be the stress of dealing with armies of tiny ants intent on clearing the contents of your kitchen cupboards of any crumb you drop. Often, dealing with ants outside can be as simple as a kettle of boiling water. But where you do not want to scorch plants, or if ants are invading your home, an ant insecticide is what's called for.

There are numerous products claiming to eliminate ants and other crawling insects. To date, none seem to be so wide ranging in their action, yet so safe to be around as diatomaceous earth.

When dealing with problem insects entering the home, trying to find a safe insecticide is paramount. After all, there is no point in getting rid of the ants if it means your home is not particularly safe for you, your family and pets to be in, is there? Dealing with ants coming into the home needs extra vigilance, as they are so adept at appearing as if from nowhere.

The obvious points of entry such as door ways and open windows must be dealt with first, a regular sprinkle of diatomaceous earth across the threshold should be the first thing to do. But, with many homes having so many possible points of entry the ideal solution is to sprinkle your ant insecticide around the entire house. It sounds a little excessive, but if you can do it, you'll really notice a difference.

Such safe ant insecticide as diatomaceous earth will need to be reapplied after it rains. But, as you're really just using ground up fossils all you're exposing yourself to is dust, so that shouldn't be too problematic.

If you have seasonal ant problems, be sure to start using your ant insecticide before the weather warms up. If you can deter them from coming back to your house at the start of the season you'll find the problem much lesspersistent.

Safe Garden Insecticide - Fruit Tree Spray

2009-08-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

Oil based fruit tree spray is a simple way to control overwintering insects in your orchard. Without care, insects can wreak havoc on fruit trees, wakening from their winter dormancy as the buds unfurl ready to be attacked. Although insecticidal soap is a good all round method of pest control, being water based it really has difficulty dealing with these pests.

You can buy safe garden insecticides which are oil based. They offer a convenient way to stop the problem of insects overwintering on our fruit trees. Or, you can make your own as follows:

Home Made Fruit Tree Spray

Mix one pint of cooking oil with 8oz liquid soap.
Carefully bring to the boil.
Mix again and bottle.

To use, simply dilute with 20 parts water before spraying onto trees and shrubs.

Whether you choose to make your own, or buy an oil based fruit tree spray, the key to success is a through soaking in the Fall. This smothers insects before they become a problem for your plants.

Oil based fruit tree sprays deal with a variety of insect pests including aphids, mites (such as spider mites), codling moth, galls, leaf rollers, mealy bugs, red spiders, scale insects, treehoppers and whiteflies. Don't forget, this oil based safe garden insecticide will deal with pests on a wide range of trees - its not just for fruit trees!

Safe Insecticide - Natural Products = Safe Products?

2009-07-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

Just because something is natural it does not mean it is necessarily safe. People can become far too reliant on 'natural' meaning good. It just isn't always the case. Looking for a safe insecticide is a bit of a misnomer anyway. After all, what destroys bugs has some power doesn't it? The aim of this site is to promote safer gardening and safer use of insecticides and pesticides. Whether your insecticide is natural or not it is still capable of harm to some forms of life, so should still be treated with care.

Safer Insecticide - Natural Pest Repellents

Natural pesticides can actually be pretty powerful ingredients. For example extracts from citrus peels are used in a massive range of products from garden insecticides, pet flea treatments and household cleaners. They smell fabulous as you'd expect and deter a huge range of insects. But those acidic citrus extracts such as Limonene and Linalool are extremely toxic to cats, mildly toxic for dogs and often cause allergic reactions in people too.

I am not saying that natural insecticides are bad or to be avoided. Rather, treat them with respect. Insecticide and pesticide should be the word you notice not natural or organic. If something is fatal to some forms of life it might just be harmful to others including your own too.

Vegetable oil based soap insecticides are about as non-threatening as you can get. But, soap can be drying and is never good ingested. So even the very safest insecticide needs treating with a little respect. The same is often even more true of a safe manufactured insecticide. Natural does not mean harmless. All garden insecticide should be stored correctly, out of reach of small hands or greedy mouths. Most importantly they should be used with care.

The destruction of beneficial predator insects, pollinators and birds is the absolute last thing your garden needs. Do that and no amount of garden insecticide will redress the natural balance in your backyard. I want every gardener to opt for safe insecticides, but that means using the garden insecticide safely too. It isn't just about the choice of product, it's about how you use, store and dispose of it too.

Natural Safe Insecticides - Diatomaceous Earth

2009-07-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

Diatomaceous Earth is not just a safe garden insecticide. It is a safe, just about everywhere, insecticide. Used around the home it is a completely safe and effective way of dealing with insects of all kinds, from roaches to bed-bugs. Used on our pets as an organic flea control program, or even taken as a food supplement to destroy internal parasite.

If you are thinking of using diatomaceous earth internally make sure you order a food-grade version of the product.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

This is one extremely simple safe insecticide. It is made of tiny fossilised aquatic organisms. Ground up the resulting powder is extremely sharp. On contact with the hard bodies of insects, these tiny particles scratch and damage the insects exoskeleton. This starts dehydration in the insect and allows soil borne bacteria into the insect's body. Within 48 hours of contact insects will be destroyed by the use of diatomeceous earth.

Diatomaceous Earth Insect Control

Because this is a non-toxic insecticide, perhaps its most exciting use is around the home. Controlling seasonal insect infestations is desirable in our homes but often difficult, if we are to keep our families and pets safe too.

Diatomaceous earth can destroy all crawling insects, making it ideal for tackling common house problems; cockroaches, ants, silverfish, centipedes, millipedes, crickets, earwigs, fleas, slugs and snails.

Using Diatomaceous Earth

The most common method of using this safe insecticide is simply to sprinkle it liberally wherever insects are congregating or where they enter your home. So liberally spraying near cracks, under cupboards and other 'entry' points can destroy insect pests as they make their way into your home.

It can also be used as a regular flea powder by sprinkling onto your pet's coat close to the skin. Sprinkled around pet bedding it will destroy immature fleas too.

Sprinkled in greenhouses and directly onto garden plants diatomaceous earth can cut the pest population affecting your crops and ornamentals.

Diatomaceous Earth - Safe Insecticide?

It is a completely inert, non-toxic product. Certified for organic gardening there are no poisonous substances found in diatomaceous earth. But, the tiny particles should not be breathed, as their sharp edges could damage your lungs as easily as a cockroach shell.

Used with care diatomaceous earth is indeed a safe insecticide. It is a mined natural product, non-polluting and safe for our waterways. Diatomaceous Earth is available in small food grade packages, or large economical packs suitable for use in the home and garden.

Insecticidal Soap

2009-07-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

Soap has been used as an insecticide for generations. Traditionally people threw their dirty dish-water over pest-prone plants such as roses. Insecticidal soap is again growing in popularity as people turn away from chemical insecticides in favour of something a little more gentle and Eco friendly.

You can make your own homemade soap spray insecticide. But, you really do need to be careful what kind of soap you use for this. Many of the liquid soaps sold today are in fact detergents. Both harsh soaps and detergents may harm delicate plants. If you are making your own insecticidal soap try to find a mild liquid soap to use.

Many plants will cope perfectly well, even if you use something more harsh. Hand dish-washing liquid is cheap and perfectly fine for many plants. But if you haven't used a particular detergent before, always test it on your least precious plants first. As I said, many people use dish-washing liquid for roses as it is great at getting rid of fungal problems as well as insect pests. But it can be extremely alkaline so always test it first and never use on newly formed buds.

Buying a manufactured insecticidal soap is a safer option. The manufacturer's do all the testing for you, and most importantly ensure that every batch of the insecticide soap spray is identical. Making your own, means you have no control over the ingredients used. So even if you always use the same brand of soap with which to make up your spray, always test each new batch in case the soap manufacturers have changed their product at all.

Don't forget insecticidal soap may be Eco friendly, and 'green' pest control, but it is still powerful stuff. Use it early in the morning or in late evening when few beneficial predator insects are active. After, all you don't want your new insecticidal soap to smother all those aphid-munching ladybugs do you?

Safe Garden Insecticide - Neem Oil Pesticide

2009-07-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

Neem oil is one of the most widely used pesticides in organic farming today. Coming from the Neem Tree, indigenous to the Indian sub-continent, neem oil has been used historically for skin problems, to fight diseases, as a fungicide, in hair and skin cosmetics and as an insect repellent.

Neem Oil is now available prepared and ready for use as a safe garden insecticide. But you can make your own organic insecticide using neem and a simple insecticidal soap which will reduce your gardening bills.

How Does Neem Oil Insecticide Work?

Neem oil contains several fungicide and insecticide compounds, but the most widely studied is Azadirachtin. This is the compound giving Neem oil insecticide its potent insect control qualities. Azadirachtin has been shown as highly toxic to over 200 types of insect, acting as a growth inhibitor and antifeedant.

Obviously, not feeding slows down the insects and the growth inhibitor stops them molting. So immature stages of insects, often not affected by conventional insecticides, are prevented from progressing to adulthood. This stops the breeding cycle and reduces the future number of insect pests in your garden, as well as destroying the current population.

Neem oil also deters some insect pests, because the smell of the oil simply puts them off the idea of feeding on your plants. Neem is described as having a 'strong' smell, it is quite unpleasant with a hint of peanut and garlic. You can see why crickets and other larger insect pests do not find it too appetising.

Less fussy eaters will try a taster of your plants, even after you have used the neem oil. But, this just means the safe garden insecticide can start to do its real work. They will only eat a little before the hormone like action of the oil starts to affect them. The first action is to stop them feeding. But, those insects won't vanish, they just won't actually be eating your plants. Then the growth disruptor's begin to act on the nervous system, preventing molting, and eggs hatching or stopping breeding altogether.

Is Neem Oil a Safe Garden Insecticide?

Firstly, neem oil is fully biodegradable, so this is an Eco friendly insecticde over the long term. Secondly neem oil is not toxic for mammals. The only issue is a possible problem if ingested in large quantities by those wishing to conceive. It can cause temporary infertility, but this is ONLY when ingested. Used as a garden insecticide, neem oil is completely safe for mammals.

Neem is safe to use on both ornamental and edible plants. But a few plants (impatiens, fuchsias, hibiscus, some roses, maples, hickories and black walnut) are sensitive to oils. You should be using such a dilute oil that even these oil sensitive plants will be fine. But, in times of plant stress such as during drought or if suffering a huge insect problem, plants may be more sensitive, so test the product on a small part of the plant prior to using everywhere.

What Insects Does Neem Oil Control?

Basically, anything which consumes your plants will be affected by the neem oil. Those that don't, may be put off eating by the smell, but are not controlled in the long term. Neem insecticide controls the population of chewing insect pests primarily. The insects controlled include:

aphids, beet armyworm, beetles, cabbage worm, caterpillers, fungus gnats, Japanese beetle. leafminers, locust, mealy bug, mites, moth larvae, mushroom flies, nematodes, thrips and whitefly.

It is also possible to use neem oil to deal with insect pests in the home such as cockroaches and ants, but that is a topic for a different website!

What About Beneficial Insects?

Beneficial insects such as earthworms, butterflies and honeybees will not be affected by your use of neem as they are not ingesting the plant. They may be ingesting pollen but the quantities are so small that the neem is not thought to cause any harm. Studies show that honey bees need to be given huge amounts of neem to show any toxicity, nothing like the levels you will have in your garden after using diluted neem.

However, if you use neem sprayed directly onto insects it will suffocate them, just like any other oil based insectide. So whenever using oil based organic insecticides be sure to spray when beneficial insects are least active to avoid killing off the helpful insects.

Predator insects such as ladybugs are not thought to be affected by neem either, presumably because it breaks down so readily they never consume it in concentrated form when eating insect pests.

Earthworms have shown to be more active in soils enriched with neem tree byproducts which contain some neem oil. Research as to why this would be the case is not forthcoming but there is no indication that neem harms earthworms in any way.

How to Use Neem Insecticide?

Neem can be used as a soil drench at a rate of around 3oz per square foot. This will be absorbed by the plants to become a systemic insectide incorporated into their structure.

More often neem is used as a foliar spray insecticide. Always spray early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid smothering beneficial insects. Simply spray directly onto the plant, including the underside of leaves.

When dealing with a large infestation you may need to spray each week (and more often after rain). Once you have dealt with the infestation and are only spraying as a preventative measure, fortnightly applications should be perfectly adequate.

Neem Insectide 'Recipe'

You can of course buy ready made insectidal sprays containing neem, or you can opt for the frugal route and make up your own.

If using pure neem oil, you will need to dilute it before use. To make it easier to dilute, and faster acting once sprayed we suggest adding a little liquid soap or soap spray insectide too. The following 'recipe' will deal with ordinary infestations, but for resistant pests you may wish to increase the strength a little.

4 teaspoons pure neem oil
1 gallon of water
1 tablespoon liquid soap, hand dishwashing detergent or insectide soap.

Simply mix it all up and put into a spray bottle to keep it simple to apply.

Neem oil is growing in popularity as a truly safe garden insecticide, completely natural and easy to source as an organic insectide.

Chili Soap Spray Insectide

2009-06-02T02:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Garlic Insectide Soap Spray

2009-06-02T02:03:00.000-07:00

Improving the potency of any insecticidal soap spray doesn't mean it needs to be any less organic or good to your garden. Garlic, is an age old companion plant as its strong odour deters many insect pests. Add, to that the proven anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of garlic and you can see why Garlic Soap Sprays are such a boon to the Organic Gardener. A secret weapon of perfectionist rose growers for centuries, they are now taking the rest of the gardening fraternity by storm.

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 garlic is the same.

Homemade Garlic 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 cloves of garlic.
Leave to infuse overnight.
Filter and put into a plastic spray bottle.

Garlic soap spray is very pungent so do not use it on the edible parts of plants within a few weeks of harvesting or you may be eating garlic flavoured everything! As this is a water based pesticide you will need to re-apply each week and after rain, if the pests return.

Extra Strong Insecticide Soap Sprays

2009-06-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

Soap sprays are a traditional way of dealing with many garden pests. Insecticidal and fungicidal insecticide soap sprays can be used safely on ornamental and edible plants. Roses are particularly happy with a soap spray insecticide to help deal with insect pests, rusts and fungus that can really stop them blooming so brilliantly.

But, if you're finding just insecticide soap isn't quite doing the job, you can increase the power by adding another organic insectdeterrent into the mix. The most commonly used are Garlic Soap Spray and Chili Soap Spray. Both can be made from homemade or store bought insecticidal soaps and both are very effective. Garlic is pungent and deters many insects including aphids, whilechili is such a hot herb it puts many pests, including beetles, slugs and snails off eating your plant leaves. Any new formulation is best tested on a small area of plant, and not used on new buds as they can scorch tender young leaves.

For information on producing your own Garlic Soap Spray Insecticide or Chili Soap Bug Spray check out the links. Or if you're feeling a little short on time, you can now buy these garlic soap sprays ready made at Amazon.

Garden Insecticide Ingredients to Avoid

2009-05-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

This blog is my quest to find safe garden insecticides which ideally do not cost the earth, and work! Well it is early days. I have that good old dependable insecticide soap in my armoury so far. But, I don't want to be guilty of assuming conventional products are unsafe. So, in a quest for some scientific balance to the whole endeavour I thought it only proper that I check out what the ingredients are in conventional garden insecticides. maybe they are not so bad, maybe they are. There is only one way to find out, check out the ingredient guide below.

Garden Insecticide Ingredients to Avoid

First of all let me point out the invaluable links on the left. The kind people at PAN have provided a database of active ingredients for all pesticides licensed in the United States. It is a fabulous tool. If you have a bottle of something you want to check out, or a manufacturer you are unsure of, use their database. Another really useful tool is the ingredients database. This has a list of many pesticide ingredients. If you have a specific ingredient you want to check out that is the site for you. Be warned, some of it makes particularly scary reading!

I have compiled a list of the key garden insecticide ingredients we should avoid. These are the real nasty compounds with serious health concerns. If your current insecticide is free of all these I would be inclined to continue using it, but if anything in my shed contained any of this lot, I would be disposing of it in favour of a more safe garden insecticide pretty quickly.

Arsenicals

Compounds of arsenic these were once widely used in all sorts of garden insecticide. Although mostly phased out, sodium arsenate is still found in ant bait traps. They are highly toxic to all animals.

Acephate

Probably carcinogenic, an endocrine disruptor, toxic to birds and bees.

Aldicarb

A neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, toxic to birds and aquatic life.

Bifenthrin

Carcinogenic, endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin. Toxic to birds, bees and aquatic life.

Boric Acid

This is an ingredient used in roach and ant dusts. Although relatively environmentally friendly it is extremely toxic if swallowed.

Carbaryl

A neurotoxin, carcinogen and endocrine disruptor. Toxic to bees and aquatic species.

Chlorpyrifos

A residual contact insecticide widely used against roaches. A neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor and causes organ damage. Toxic to bees, birds and aquatic life.

Cypermethrin

A possible carcinogen, this is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to bees and fish.

Deet

This causes skin and respiratory tract irritation and has been linked to developmental defects. Once widely used it is now most commonly found in personal insect repellents. Deet has been found in groundwater already so it would be a good idea to stop using this plastic dissolving toxin.

Diazinon

This is widely used and very toxic to just about everything, bees, birds, fish, us. Linked to birth defects, a neurotoxin found in groundwater.

Dimethoate

A possible carcinogen, this is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to bees, birds and fish.

Endosulfan

This is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to bees, birds and fish.

Fenvalerate

This is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to bees and aquatic life.

Fipronil

This is a suspected carcinogen, endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to birds, bees and aquatic life.

Lamda-cyhalothrin

This is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin. Toxic to bees and aquatic life.

Lindane

This is a suspected carcinogen, a known endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to birds, bees and aquatic life.

Malathion

Definitely one to avoid. It is suggested this is a human carcinogen as well as being a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor. Linked to birth defects. Toxic to birds, bees and aquatic life too.

Methyl bromide

This is a carcinogen, a suspected endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause developmental problems.

Napthalene

Neurotoxin and carcinogenic.

Permethrin

This is a suspected carcinogen, endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin which can cause organ damage. Toxic to bees and aquatic life.

Pyrethrin

These are synthetic compounds based on the botanical insecticide pyrethrum, which is derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium. Should not be used by asthmatics or hay-fever sufferers. These are likely carcinogens and are toxic to aquatic life.

Resmethrin

Toxic to birds and aquatic life, this has been linked to organ damage and is another endocrine disruptor.

Sumithrin

Toxic to bees and aquatic life, this has been linked to organ damage and is another endocrine disruptor.

What About the Secret Ingredients?

One problem consumers in the United States have is that not all garden insecticide ingredients have to be published. Anything which is not an active ingredient can remain a secret. So you can never be 100% certain what you are buying. Those inert ingredients are being cited as a major cause for concern amongst environmental lobbyists.

Endocrine Disruptor?

Okay, you may be much more savvy than I. But for anyone else who is wondering why endocrine disruptor is such a repeatedly mentioned problem, let me explain VERY briefly...

The endocrine system controls hormones released throughout the body. If chemicals in our environemt mimic these hormones they disrupt our normal function. This can ffect the reproductive systems and cause the mutation of certain species, with males becoming sterile, females developing masculine traits and further complications.

The problem is too little is known (as always) and the problem is massive. Hormone disruptor's have been found in the womb, in breast milk and in the environment of our modern schools and offices. Best to avoid these wherever you can.

For more information about endocrine disruptor's click here.

Safe Garden Insecticides

Well, I am really not liking the sound of all the chemicals listed. Safe garden insecticides are definitely the future as far as I am concerned. Knowing that in the European Union at least, many of these ingredients are likely to be abolished later in the year gives me hope for new effective alternatives. I just hope the United States catches up soon.

I really worried that garden insecticides damaged birds, water life and bees. I did not realise they could also be so damaging for us. Whether you are hoping to save the planet, or just yourself safe garden insecticides are definitely a must for every gardener.

Amazon have a large range of insectide soaps and other safe insecticides available. For their full range of insecticide soaps click here. To see their safe insecticide products click here.

Garden Insecticides - What Are They All?

2009-05-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Once I started really researching the topic of safe garden insecticides it dawned on me how little I really understood garden insecticides in general. I've been using homemade insecticide soap for years, but I didn't really understand the wide range of garden insecticides available, safe or otherwise. I know I want to choose non-toxic products but there are so many different sorts of garden insecticide, with lots of different terms on the packets. What does it all mean?

I have been reading widely and now understand what those terms mean. So here is an easy to understand guide to the different sorts of garden insecticides. I hope this will save you having to read as much information as much as I did!

Systemic Garden Insecticides

Systemic insecticides actually get into the system of the plant. The plant absorbs the insecticide so that when an insect starts to chew the plant, it gets a dose of the insecticide along with the sap.
This means the insecticide only affects insects which are attacking your plants (so long as you are careful not to apply when beneficial insects are about), and will continue to kill insects which arrive after application.
Systemic garden insecticides are used against any sap eating insect and some caterpillars.
Imidacloprid and thiacloprid are the main active ingredients in conventional systemic garden insecticides.

Contact Garden Insecticides

These work either by coating the plant with a protective layer, or by physical contact with the insect pests.
Bifenthrin is a common active ingredient in the first type of conventional contact insecticide. It is a preventative measure to protect the plant before insects arrive. They wash off easily so must be reapplied regularly.
Cypermethrin and pyrethrin are the common active ingredients in the second sort of conventional contact insecticides. They kill insects on contact and so must be sprayed when the pests are present. They are often a danger to both helpful and harmful insects so exercise caution before spraying.

Residual Insecticides

Any garden insecticide or pesticide which specifies it is a residual product is one which will keep on working over the longer term.
These are particularly useful when dealing with crawling insect pests in the home, as you tend to want something which will remain active over the long-term to deal with their large numbers, and all their comings & goings.
Residual insecticides remain active and thus dangerous to your family's health over the longer term. Only use if absolutely critical.

Organic Garden Insecticides

Organic garden insecticides are based on plant derived materials rather than synthetic ingredients.
Organic garden insecticides are still designed to damage insects of some kind, so should still be treated with caution. Organic does not mean safe to swallow, spray on skin etc, so you still need to be careful with them.
Organic insecticides can be of systemic, contact and residual insecticide types.

Organic insecticides look set to become more and more standard products.

Amazon have a large range of insectide soaps and other safe insecticides available. For their full range of insecticide soaps click here. To see their safe insecticide products click here.

In 2003 one in ten pesticide ingredients were removed from sale withing the European Union.
In late 2009 a new European parliament ruling looks set to remove more pesticide ingredients from the garden center shelves. The ruling will mean any possible carcinogens and endocrine hormone disruptor's will be under much tighter scrutiny.
Two common insecticide ingredients expected to come under fire are Bifenthrin (contact insecticide found in greenfly and whitefly sprays) and Thiacloprid (systemic insecticide found in glasshouse whitefly sprays). Both agriculture and the horticulture industry will be looking for replacement products as soon as possible.

So those are the basic types of garden insecticide available to us. The next step for me, in my hunt for safe garden insecticides is to check out the ingredients used a little more thoroughly.

Insecticide Soap Spray - The Orignal Safe Garden Insecticide.

2009-04-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Some safe garden insecticides have been around for ever, one that is being widely rediscovered is soap spray insecticide. Insecticide Soap is gaining in popularity as more gardeners try to find safer or organic methods of pest control. So is insecticide soap any good for you as an organic garden insecticide?

Soap is one of the most useful weapons we have at our disposal. We often forget just how versatile soap is. Not surprising I suppose. We are all swayed by the marketing of anti-bacterial this, important detergent that. So often, we forget the basics our grandmothers used both in the home and the garden.

But, truth be told, soap is still a very powerful thing. Soap is alkaline, drying and smothers insects, it is anti-fungal and perhaps most importantly lots of insect pests just really don't like clambering about on a tacky soapy surface, any more than they like eating soapy leaves.

That's why insecticide soap is so effective. It coats any insects it meets, as you spray it. But then the insecticide soap will hang around for a while, coating your plants in a soapy film. So, even after you have gone the organic insecticide continues to do its work. The insects do not like moving about on the soapy surface and they really don't like to eat soap (who does?). So, while soap is kind to you and your plants an insecticide soap is a dangerous weapon as far as many of the insect pests in your garden are concerned.

Amazon have a large range of insectide soaps and other safe insecticides available. For their full range of insecticide soaps click here. To see their safe insecticide products click here.

Using an insecticide soap will deter insects long after you have left the vicinity. However, as this natural insecticide is water based you will need to reapply regularly. We allocate one day a week when any plants particularly prone to insect attack (such as my young fruit trees) are sprayed with an insecticidal soap spray. Soap Spray Sunday is our day of choice. That way, we do not forget. As insects can be very quick to destroy new growth and buds especially.

But, with soap spray insecticide being a water based product, no amount of sticky, soapiness will keep it on your plants after heavy rain. So do not forget to reapply after heavy downpours. Don't worry about when the rain is actually falling as if its light rain, the soap spray will still be doing its job, and if the rain is very heavy, the chances are your insect enemies will remain in hiding!

Soap sprays are not really long-lasting or really wide acting insecticides BUT they are very effective, when used regularly, at controlling some of our most common insect pests.

Insecticide Soap is Effective Against?

Well, insecticide soap will have some effect on lots of pests, purely because they will avoid eating soapy leaves. But, the primary area of effectiveness is:

Any small soft bodied arthropods:including

aphids, spider mite, psyllids, mealybugs, green fly, white fly and scale insect.

A word of warning predatory mites (who work hard to keep down the spider mite population) are also easily destroyed by soap insecticides so be careful what you spray! Most beneficial insects including lady birds, bees and lacewings are not affected by insecticidal soap sprays.

I have experience of larger insect pests being deterred by insecticide soap sprays, but they are not irradicated. Caterpillars for example will not be killed unless you drown them your soap spray, but they do tend to favour eating something less soapy. So, although insecticide soap is good, it is not perfect. But, picking off the caterpillars and throwing them to the hens seems like a more organically minded approach, than just killing them all!

How do Insecticide Soaps Work?

People have used soap sprays for hundreds of years but until the resurgence in organic pest control recently, not much was known about how they worked. There is still more research being carried out and lots left to understand.

The primary way these natural garden insecticide products works is by stripping the wax coating which protects soft bodied insects. Without their wax protection, the insects dehydrate very quickly. Another action of the soap spray is that it will actually interfere with the cell membranes of the insect so stopping the normal chemical reactions at cell level, which keep its body working.

Homemade Insecticide Soap V Commercial Insecticidal Soap?

The thrifty, do it yourself, side of me always thinks that homemade is best. In fact, I have been making my own homemade insecticide with soap for years. But, after doing more thorough research that is not necessarily true. Homemade pesticides are fine, so long as you source the right ingredients and take care with sensitive plants.

With a commercial preparation you can be sure the strength is always the same. Whereas, when you make an insecticidal soap spray at home, its properties may change as the ingredients are not under your control (if you make your own homemade soap yourself I apologise, you really are a thrifty controller of the ingredients).

The commercial, shop-bought preparations are tested thoroughly, so you can be told if it is appropriate to use on all types of plant. If you make your own homemade pesticides just make sure you test it out on your hardier plants, before drenching any prized specimens. But, with a little care and common sense, a homemade insecticide can be very effective.

Soap or Detergent?

Before you make your homemade insecticide make sure you are using a mild soap. Detergents and even harsh laundry soaps are pretty tough things and can damage the leaves of your plants.

Now, I know in times gone past washing up water was thrown on rose bushes to fight off fungal attack and insect pests. It works, but it is dangerous. Do that everywhere in your garden and you are likely to strip the shine from much of the plants you're trying to protect. In times past, people used soap for all their washing so their dirty washing up water was milder than ours. Today much of what we think of as 'liquid soaps' are in fact petroleum based detergents. So, check the label first. Detergents are much more effective in the kitchen, and much more destructive in the garden.

Find a good mild soap and use that please. In desperate times, we use a mild detergent in the form of our sensitive skin washing up liquid (hand dish-washing detergent) but I must stress it needs testing before you spray it on all the greenery in your borders.

Homemade Insecticide Soap Spray Recipe

You have two options - cheap and really cheap!

No. 1 Cheap Homemade Insecticide Soap

Mix a mild liquid soap 1:100 parts with water. Put into a plastic spray bottle and spray your plants at your leisure.

No. 2 Even Cheaper Homemade Insecticide Soap

Take a large bar of basic vegetable oil based soap. Grate it into a saucepan and add four litres of water. Simmer for ten minutes, mixing well. Decant the whole thing to an old laundry detergent bottle. Then, as you need it mix 1:100 parts with water and use in a spray bottle.

Benefits of Insecticide Soap Sprays

Most, beneficial insects are unaffected.
Birds and other predators are unaffected.
Economical.
Relatively environmentally friendly as no toxic chemicals will need to be disposed of.

Using Insecticidal Soap Sprays

There are a few points that will make your insecticide less damaging to your plants, and more effective against those insect pests:

Use in the morning or evening so the soaps have a longer drying time.
Do not spray when hot (above 90°F) or in full sun as you risk scorching leaves.
Do not spray when humidity is high (above 90%) as you just won't get anywhere!
Do not spray new shoots until they have had a chance to harden off in spring.
If in doubt, test small parts of the plant to check it is not sensitive to soap insecticides.
Do not spray plants which are known to be soap sensitive; Ferns, Bleeding Heart, Gardenia, Sweet Peas, Crown of Thorns, Nasturtium, Violets, Hawthorn, Cherry, Japanese Maple, Chestnut and Mountain Ash

Amazon have a large range of insectide soaps and other safe insecticides available. For their full range of insecticide soaps click here. To see their safe insecticide products click here.

Whether you choose a homemade insecticide or a store bought garden insecticide soap spray, you will have the benefit of minimising damage to your garden and the environment in general, while still beating those insect pests (well some of them at least!). I for one, shall continue using my homemade insecticide soap as my usual aphid insecticide.

Why Safe Garden Insecticide?

2009-04-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

I am an avid gardener. The ornamental parts of my garden are filled with tough, yet beautiful plants who tend not to come under attack from insect pests. But, my treasured vegetable plot and small but perfectly formed fruit orchard, where all the important plants are (important, because I get to eat them) is another story entirely. I like to garden as organically as possible (though not fanatically so), and dislike spraying anything too toxic, particularly on my edibles. For that reason any garden insecticide or pesticide I spray in the vegetable patch or orchard must be as safe as possible. I want the garden pesticide I use to be safe for me, safe for predator insects & birds, and efficient at ridding my garden of damaging insect pests.

I use a mixture of approaches, both frugal and not quite so frugal. From homemade insecticide soap to oil based fruit tree spray for overwintering trees. Both of which can be bought or made cheaply at home. But, I also resort to bought products for convenience and to tackle those insects which need a tougher approach.

I suppose all the organic garden insecticides could be made at home, if I were dedicated enough, as all the ingredients are natural and available online. The majority of organic pesticides I have used vary from homemade insecticide because they include various essential oils. The oils produce odours which are disliked by insect pests. Things such as thyme, lavender and citrus oils are very effective insect repellents. That's why so many people planted thyme and lavender in particular, near doors and windows, in their Mediterranean gardens.

I will be using this blog to explore the effectiveness of homemade remedies over shop bought concoctions in the fight against insect life in my garden. I am focusing on safe products because then I do not need to worry about my homegrown produce being less healthy than store bought groceries! However, there are a few items in my arsenal that the really devoted organic gardener might not approve of completely. But, I am a pragmatist. As long as I know my veggies are safe I really would like to get rid of the all those bugs that are competing for my dinner. So, if I stray away from the truly 'green products' path, and veer towards nicotine spray for example to really nuke those caterpillars, don't think badly of me. I only bring out the truly nasty stuff when really desperate!

There will be a few forays indoors too, as I need to find a safe ant insecticide for my kitchen. We suffer with some very adventurous tiny ants which come marching in, to check on the bread bin during the summer months! Plus, I need to find an alternative to the plug-in mosquito repellents as I do not feel happy breathing in such toxic fumes all evening. Roll on summer sunshine and the battle with insect life!

Hopefully, as I find more commercial organic garden insecticide concoctions I will need to rely less heavily on my nasty homemade nicotine brew! I am looking forward, to this summer seeing me win the battle for my veg, against those insect pests with both homemade insecticide recipes and more conventional green garden insecticide from the store.

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2009-04-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

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