Here are a few different options to save your garden this summer… keep bugs, squirrels, birds – off, and an easy way to kill weeds! The best part – it’s super inexpensive!
For the different sprays you’ll need:
- water
- dish soap
- Red Hot or Tabasco
- Spray Bottle
- Vinegar
First up: Bug spray!
Put 4 cups of water in a squirt bottle.
(Since my bottle was 4 cups in size, I reduced the water just slightly to give the next step room.)
Add 1 tsp of dish soap.
Put the lid on and use this to spray on bugs on your plants. Don’t forget the underside of the leaves too. You’ll need to make sure it lands on the bugs and be careful as it will kill the good bugs too. The soap dissolves the bug’s outer shell.
Next Spray: A Red Pepper Spray
Just like the above put 4 cups in a squirt bottle, 1 tsp. dish soap, and add 1 Tbsp. Red Hot.
(Since my bottle was 4 cups in size, I reduced the water just slightly to leave room for the Red Hot.)
Mix, and spray on your plants. This is meant to keep the Deer, Squirrels, Mice, Birds, etc off your plants. Wear gloves to protect yourself from the red pepper when using this one. Test the plant in a small space first to make sure the plant can handle it, wait 4 days to see. Spray once per week, and if it rains you’ll need to re-apply.
Weed Killer!
Pour boiling water onto weeds and it will kill them. No harmful chemicals going into your garden.
Weed Killer – opt 2
Spray vinegar onto your weeds, the acidity eats at the weed and kills it. It will kill grass too, so this one is a great use for weeds in mulch, rocks, etc. I have learned that the strength of the vinegar does matter.
What I do now… I add the above jug to a weed sprayer. I also add 1/2 cup salt & 1/2 cup dish detergent to it. This helps kill those nasty weeds. Vinegar breaks down the plant, salt dehydrates, and the soap makes it stick to the plant.
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Thanks for putting all of these on one page. I love these simple ideas that I know work, but I’m always looking them up because I forget which is for what and have to wade through more complicate formulas. This will make it so-o-o-o-o much easier to have it at my fingertips!
Thanks Linda, I just finished working on some more gardening tips as well to keep those pest out… coming soon 🙂
I have not found regular vinegar to be useful for killing weeds, unless it is 20% especially made for this purpose.
Thank you for sharing. I know the stronger the strength the more effective it’s supposed to be.
Great ideas! I have something eating my plants and I’m not sure what it is but I will have to try some of these. Pinned.
Sometimes it is so hard to tell. I would say start with the dish soap in case it’s insects. You could double up with the pepper spray too. Thanks for the Pin.
Thank you for the useful, inexpensive garden sprays. I like using all natural sprays. ANd I really like that they are inexpensive. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much Amy, and I feel the same way you do 🙂
GREAT tips! We have so many weeds and I get so mad when they come back right after all that pulling! I am going to try the redhotmixin my mulch beds!
Thanks Barrie, I know how you feel about those terrible weeds! I have a weekly routine of spraying ours, at least with the vinegar spray it’s less work that pulling 🙂
Great tips! One extra thought on the boiling water – it works on poison ivy and the like, but be SUPER CAREFUL doing it, because the vapor and steam will carry that same caustic stuff straight at you. My husband figured this out the hard way a few years ago. (yikes!) Thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
Oh my gosh Lynda! Thank you so much for sharing.
There is something here for every pest in my backyard. I’ll be potting herbs soon and this year the squirrels won’t eat them. Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope your week is going great.
Thank you so much Sandra and I’m so glad you might be able to use some of these ideas too.
Very helpful, thanks! #SeniSal
Thank you Darlene 🙂
You always have great ideas to share. I am mixing up a batch of vinegar weed spray as soon as I send this reply to you!!
I’m so glad you’re going to give it a try too. I can tell you that the strength of the vinegar does matter. The stronger the vinegar the faster the weeds die. You can also add a little salt in there to encourage the weed dehydration.
I’m definitely going to try these!
Thank you Donna and I hope they work as well for you as they do for me.
I’ll have to give this a try in my garden. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Ellibelle, I hope it works as great for you as it has me.
I am putting the hot sauce on my shopping list! Pinned.
Have a great week,
Kippi
Ps. I did the stretches with you today. Thank you so much:)
Thanks Kippi and I hope it works for you as well as it has for me.
Living in a condo, I don’t have a garden, but I’m sure your other readers will put these to good use!
Thanks for sharing with Creative Compulsions!
Michelle
mybijoulifeonline.com
Thank you Michelle, and condo life is great – no upkeep 🙂
I especially love that these are all natural Chas.
Thank you for sharing your homemade garden sprays at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I’m delighted to be featuring them at tomorrow’s party and pinning to the party board too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne
Thank you so much KerryAnne for the feature and I’m so pleased you like the post. Thanks for the Pin and I’ll see you at the next party 🙂
Okay, Chas, I’m going to try one of these! Thank you for sharing your great ideas with us!
Thanks for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace! I’m featuring you this week.
Thank you so much Richella for the feature and I’m so excited you’re going to try one of these. Please let me know how it goes 🙂