Our full library of homemade sprays, baits, and repellents for insects and garden-raiding wildlife. Recipes with a card are ready to read; the rest are on their way.
New to pest control? Start with our overview article, Getting Rid of Garden Pests, for the principles behind every recipe below.
Tiny, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and buds, sucking sap and causing curled or yellowed leaves.
Treat with: Strong water spray, insecticidal soap, or ladybugs
Leave ragged holes in leaves and silvery slime trails, most active at night and after rain.
Treat with: Beer traps, diatomaceous earth, or hand-picking at dusk
Metallic green-and-copper beetles that skeletonize leaves, feeding in groups from early to late summer.
Treat with: Hand-picking into soapy water, row covers, or neem oil
Nearly invisible pests that cause fine stippling and webbing on leaves, thriving in hot, dry conditions.
Treat with: Regular misting, insecticidal soap, or predatory mites
Night-feeding caterpillars that sever young seedlings at the soil line, often overnight.
Treat with: Cardboard collars around stems and evening hand-picking
Small white flying insects that swarm up when foliage is disturbed and excrete sticky honeydew.
Treat with: Yellow sticky traps, insecticidal soap, or reflective mulch
Our Garlic Garden Spray recipe repels aphids, beetles, and other soft-bodied insects using ingredients from your kitchen.
Inspect plants regularly, especially the undersides of leaves, to catch infestations early.
Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps by planting diverse flowers nearby.
Keep plants healthy and unstressed — vigorous growth resists pests better than struggling plants.
Remove and destroy heavily infested leaves or plants before pests spread to neighbors.
