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Homemade Insecticidal Soap Formula

sandandsun
9 years ago

Today I visited John Starnes' blog: Rosegasms

And I found his link to an article he wrote for the St. Petersburg Times.
In his article he provides a formula or recipe for homemade insecticidal soap. Note that the insecticidal soap recipe is the recipe that adds vegetable oil.

I haven't tried it; I just found it. Please report if it works as well for you as the commercially available products.

My thanks in advance to Mr. Starnes.

Direct link to the St. Petersburg Times article below:

Here is a link that might be useful: Wash away your garden worries by JOHN A. STARNES JR.

Comments (13)

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Thank you, Chris, for that link.

  • edenh
    9 years ago

    Hi
    I tried to find the soap at local stores but they dont seem to carry it. Where do I find it? I am in Orlando, FL.
    Thanks

  • sandandsun
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The article says Publix, but it was written 10 years ago.
    If Publix doesn't have it, then I'd try health food stores. Just a guess, I don't know.

  • shopshops
    9 years ago

    Thank you for posting Sandandsun. I'm endeavoring to become totally organic in my yard and this recipe will be a great help. I'm willing to be the guinea pig.

    I scrolled to the end of the article and there was a link to the Kirk's Castille website. You can buy the soap there or you can plug your state in and they will give you a list of local retailers and major chains where you may purchase the soap.

    For Texas they list Walmart and HEB and several household familiar names. Since Castille soap is just a name that refers to vegetable oil soaps (the idea originated in Castille Spain). I'm thinking any locally available natural Castille soap can be substituted. Perhaps we should post our results next Spring so there can be some discussion on the effectiveness of the insecticidal formula.

  • edenh
    9 years ago

    Hi
    After seaching all over the place, I found out that my local Publix carries it! Local Walmart doesnt have it though. If you have access to internet, try searching your local publix online store. It even gives the aisle number...neat!

  • sandandsun
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm glad you both found it; I'll be glad to hear how well it works. I still have to use up my ready made store bought spray. After spraying the entire bushes a couple of winters ago in hopes of killing eggs as well, I still had aphids in the spring but very significantly fewer. And this fall I haven't had to use the insecticidal soap at all - they are so few that I'm finding them and squishing them on the new growth. And thank God, the ants so far don't seem to have found and adopted them. The way nature works - both mine, in terms of not being able to see everything, and Nature overall, my "luck" is unlikely to continue, but I'm hopeful. I think I'd better spray the stems down to the ground again this winter when the roses decide to rest a bit before spring.
    Babbling - sorry.
    I wish you well in your attempts, and since most of us can ALWAYS do with saving money, I'll be happy to hear that the formula works as well as the store bought stuff. Either way, I'll try it for myself when I use up the remaining bottles I have.

  • arkansas girl
    9 years ago

    Our little mom and pop health food store has it. I've also seen it at our small, non-chain, grocery store. You can always order it, probably the vitamin stores on line have it.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    If your using soap sprays on Rose Slugs I suggest you kill the RS when they are small/younger because once RS reach a larger size they are harder to kill with soap sprays...

    Rose slugs can have more than one generation also...

    I'd also suggest spot spraying on a small number of rose leaves before spraying the entire bush because some plants are more sensitive...

  • edenh
    9 years ago

    Hi
    FYI, aphids seem to prefer the orange color coreopsis to my roses! Yey

  • garf_gw
    9 years ago

    During a trip to my local Publix, I found it in the bar soap aisle. It took some help. Someone covered it with another product. I had to buy a 3 bar pack.

  • garf_gw
    9 years ago

    How would a mix of soap and neem oil do?

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Garf: great question, I wonder the same ... found a good link, with detailed instruction on how to use it for the garden. Here's an excerpt from below link:

    "Neem is not a pesticide with immediate knock-down results. It works on chewing and sucking insects and interrupts their basic instincts to eat, breed and lay eggs. Eating is interrupted soon after neem is applied, while other behavior disruptions may occur up to a few days later, if the insect is not already dead from starvation. Neem is non-toxic to humans and animals. Birds can eat debilitated insects with no ill-effects.

    Read more: How to Use Neem Oil on Plants : Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/83471-use-neem-oil-plants.html#ixzz3OzdnZPTf

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to use neem oil on plants

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