There are many ways to deter insects from the garden. However, sometimes the thrifty gardener has to pull out the big guns with out giving the garden a chemical bath.

Below is one of my favorite recipes for spraying on the plants to deter insects from stripping my garden bare. The only downfall of using this recipe is that it also deters the beneficial insects like mantis and ladybugs.

Soap / Garlic / Tobacco and Hot Pepper Spray

Combine:

1. 1 teaspoon of pure soap shavings (ivory soap)
2. ½ cup of crushed hot pepper
3. 1 Garlic bulb
4. ½ cup of chewing tobacco
5. 2 cups of boiling water
6. ½ cup of ammonia

I combine all of these ingredients with the boiling water, ensuring that the soap gets melted. I then add the ammonia and after everything is cooled and I’m not passed out from the smell, I strain it into a spray bottle.

Spray all of your plants with this, the underside of the leaves especially. The hot pepper deters many rodents and insects. The tobacco deters cabbage worms, the soap deters tomato worms and the garlic keeps most other insects away (and vampires – had to say it).

Good luck and lets get those hands dirty in the garden!

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