I have heard that a solution of 20ml/l of dish soap makes an effective insecticide for things like cinch bugs, earwigs and fruit tree bugs. Then I heard that regular use of soap will cause the soil to be unable to absorb water.
I love the idea of natural materials to control insects....but I don't want to create other problems...
Your expert advice is most appreciated!
it shouldn't interfere with the absorbsion of water. in fact when a peat based soil becomes compacted and hydrophobic a few drops of dish soap mixed in the water will encourage better water retention. if you'd still rather not use the dish soap, try a neem based insecticide.
Thanks for the info....Ok, so what concentration of dishsoap should I use... is the 20ml/l that I heard correct?? I would like to use it to control cinch bugs and because they overwinter under my white Cedar and blue spruce, will the spray hurt these evergreens? Also hopefully I will be able to use the soap to control earwigs...they are rampant in my flower beds and I simply cannot grow marigolds unless I spray Diazinon (just hate to do that!)every 10 days. I will assume then that the same concentrations will work on courtland apples, niagara grapes, and a variety of roses?
Cody, What is a NEEM based insecticide? where does one get it? Thanks for your super generous help! Mat
neem oil is made from the neem tree. it's a natural insecticide and fungicide. safe to spray in the house even, although it has an odd smell. check at the walmart garden center for it.
