There is a lot of life in our backyard and we’re constantly trying to find ways to eliminate the pests that are ruining our food supply. Today, we’ll show you How to Get Rid of Bugs on Tomato Plants!
Contents
How to Make an Insect Spray at Home For Tomato Plants
Do you have a problem with pesky insects invading your tomato plants? Do they seem to be multiplying faster than you can handle? If so, you may want to consider making an insect spray at home. This simple solution will help keep those pests at bay, and you won’t even need any harmful chemicals!
What You’ll Need
To make your own insect spray, you’ll need:
- A spray bottle with a cap
- Distilled water
- The botanical insecticide of choice (e.g. pyrethrum, neem)
- Sunscreen if desired
Here’s how to make an insect spray:
- Pour a small amount of water into a small bowl.
- Add one tablespoon of dish soap and mix well.
- Add one teaspoon of citronella oil and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it onto the leaves of your tomato plants.
- Keep spraying until the pests are gone!
To start, fill the spray bottle with distilled water and add the botanical insecticide of choice. If using sunscreen, add it now. Screw on the cap and shake well to combine ingredients.
If you’re using sunscreen, test it on a small inconspicuous area of your skin in case it causes an allergic reaction. I would recommend only testing this product on your skin once before taking it out into the garden with you!
This is not a substitute for professional pest control; if you notice an infestation, contact a professional to help you address the problem. The spray bottle that I use is just large enough to hold my small amount of insecticide. If your bottle is too small to hold enough for your needs, you can find a larger bottle, which I have also done.
Steps to Make for aphids, scale, flea beetles, whiteflies
If you’re looking to protect your tomato plants from aphids, scales, flea beetles, whiteflies, and other garden pests, you can make an insect spray at home. Just follow these simple steps:
- Choose a repellent. There are many products on the market designed to repel insects, so choose one that is effective against the particular pests you’re trying to avoid.
- Mix the repellent with water. Combine 1 part repellent with 9 parts of water in a spray bottle and shake well before using.
- Apply the spray to plants. Mist the foliage of your tomato plants with the spray mixture, working especially into the crevices where pests like to hide.
- Repeat as necessary. If pests continue to appear even after spraying your plants with the insect repellent mixture, reapply the spray every couple of days until they disappear.
Precautions for Using the Insect Spray
Before you spray your tomato plants with an insecticide, be sure to read the precautions below.
Some of the most common insect pests that plague tomatoes are aphids, whiteflies, and thrips. Aphids are small, soft-bodied creatures that feed on plant juices.
They cause leaves to turn yellow and can cause the plant to lose its appetite and produce less fruit. Whiteflies are small, winged insects that love sweet things, like sugar water and sap from plants.
They cause leaves to turn green and black lesions on the plant’s surface. Thrips are tiny flying insects that suck the juice out of fruits and vegetables. Spray your plants with an insecticide only if they are infested with these pests and only as directed by the product’s label.
Here are some tips for using an insecticide safely:
- Read the product’s label carefully before using it.
- Spray only when needed and use a low concentration (or the number of sprays) to avoid harming beneficial insects or pets.
- Avoid contact with the pesticide’s mist or droplets. Wear protective clothing if necessary.
- -Wait at least 30 minutes after spraying before doing any other work around the house or garden.
- Do not spray while children, animals, or people are present or wearing clothing that might come into direct contact with the pesticide mist or droplets.
- Do not spray near streams, ponds, bird baths, or pet water dishes. These sites are especially attractive to bees and beneficial insects and can increase the potential for spraying runoff into waterways.
- For a fence line service application only, do not apply more than 1 pint of liquid insecticide per one hundred square feet of fence.
- Do not apply more than 2 quarts of liquid insecticide per acre. For convenient use and reduced application costs, the following products are available without a chemical label.
Actual Use of the Insect Spray
If you are looking to ward off the insects that threaten your tomato plants, then consider making an insect spray at home. Here are the steps:
- Collect a container of water and add 10-15 drops of dish soap. This will create a diluted solution that you can use for spraying your plants.
- Mix 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol with 5 cups of water in another container. This is the insecticide solution.
- Pour the diluted soap solution into the alcohol solution and mix well.
- Spray your plants using a garden hose or wand. Make sure to cover all areas of the plant that may be frequented by insects such as the leaves, stem, and flowers.
- Repeat this process every week or so to keep pests away from your tomatoes.