Organic Gardening 101 – Insecticidal Soap

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Organic Insecticide: Insecticidal Soap is based on potassium fatty acids and is used to control many plant pests. Because insecticidal soap only works on direct contact with the pests, it is important to thoroughly spray the entire area of the plant where you see the pests. It is used to kill aphids, scales, whitefly, mealybugs and spider mites.

Some plants can be sensitive to it, so be sure and read the label before spraying. (You should spray a small part of the plant, wait a couple of days to see if there is any reaction before you spray the entire plant.) It also cannot be sprayed when the temperatures are above 90 degrees. I usually recommend to spray in the early evening once the plants are in the shade. This gives them all night to dry before the sun hits them the next day. The same is true for Neem Oil. It works to kill and repel a wide variety of insects.

It also can be used as a fungicide and miticide. Neem Oil is not known to be harmful to mammals, birds, earthworms or some beneficial insects such as butterflies, honeybees and ladybugs if it is not concentrated directly into their area of habitat or on their food source. Spinosad is another insecticide used to kill deannaborers, bagworms, caterpillars, leafminers, thrips, fleas , scales and beetles to name a few.

It is also available in a granular bait form to kill fire ants. And lastly Diatomaceaous Earth. This is a powder used to scratch the exoskeleton of insects causing them to dehydrate and die. Works on roaches, fleas, pill bugs, ants and more. Depending on what insects you are trying to control, we can help you find the best product to meet your needs.

-DeAnna

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