Natural pesticides

With the hot temperatures, you may be noticing more pests in your houseplants. Most plant insects thrive in the summer months, especially spider mites and gnats.  Before you run to the store to buy a pesticide, consider a few items you may already have around the house. There are more natural, safer methods of controlling your plant bug problems. Rubbing alcohol is our favorite method of natural pest control. To do this, combine a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. This combination works on all houseplant pests, however some pests you must be more persistent with, spraying at least a few times a week. Other things you can use as a pesticide include lemon juice, tabasco sauce, or a mild soap, such as Ivory. These can all be mixed with water and

sprayed onto the plant. Tobacco and garlic are also items you can mix with water, but are more effective when rubbed directly onto the plant, rather than by spraying.The best method to destroy insects on plants is to spray the pesticide of your choice directly onto the plant, wiping down the leaves, then spraying again, leaving a residue on the plant. This makes the plant uninviting to the insects. Most plant insets such as spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, and aphids live directly on and underneath the leaves, or in the crevices between the leaves and stems. Gnats however, lay their eggs in the soil so you need to spray the soil directly to eliminate them. Pouring a small amount of your mixture into the soil is also effective for severe infestations.